Entertainment in the Gilded Age

Throughout history, entertainment has been a crucial pathway for finding the meaning of human expression. Since the birth of man on Earth, entertainment has existed in nearly every facet of human interaction. It is what gave entire civilizations strength during famine or disaster, what powered major industries throughout various time periods, and what explained phenomena that otherwise would be left within the depths of mystery. Many forms of entertainment in the United States found their beginning in the Gilded Age. This includes baseball, motion pictures, and the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893, held in Chicago.

One of the major forms of entertainment that was able to take shape during the Gilded Age was the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893. This event was the first world's fair held in Chicago and was created to emphasize the beauty of Chicago as a city. It also provided opportunities to learn about different and unique subjects that were presented in areas throughout the fair. Visitors could learn about various fields through exhibits and attractions.  At the World's Columbian Exposition, anyone could view the exhibits around the fair, shop, meet other people and learn about the history of the world. Exhibits covered a multitude of subjects that spanned across multiple areas of social, cultural, industrial and economic development.

Those who attended the World's Columbian Exposition could enjoy the grand styles of Chicago architecture. The architects who designed the buildings for the fair, used the grandeur and romance of Beaux-Arts classicism to legitimatize the architecture of the pavilions and evoke solidity in this young city [Chicago].   The buildings were one of the most prominent features of the World's Columbian Exposition as they showed the level of luxury that Chicago was able to offer its residents and patrons. The architecture of the World's Columbian Exposition gave the people of Chicago an achievement to show the rest of the world. It was used to prove that the architects of Chicago possessed skills in building ornately designed works of construction.

One of the many sections located within the World's Columbian Exposition was the Midway Plaisance. Here, numerous foreign peoples would gather to, live in a village of their own, built according to plans made by native architects, and arranged in every way according to their customs in their native lands.  Natives from countries around the world would gather at the Midway Plaisance and create settlements in their own customary style. Visitors of the fair would be able to experience the customs and traditions of various cultures first hand. It provided insight regarding how cultures of different parts of the world performed tasks in their daily lives. The Midway Plaisance also added to the diversity of the fair, along with the other exhibits and the fair's own ornate architecture. The World's Columbian Exposition was where anyone could learn about many different areas of the world while enjoying the best Chicago had to offer. It was a culturally and educationally stimulating experience that anyone could enjoy while they were in Chicago during the Gilded Age.

Not only was the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 diverse, it was a cornerstone for the creation of one of the largest fair attractions currently seen in the modern age. This attraction was known as the Ferris Wheel, named after its creator, George Ferris. As, the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 was being planned in Chicago, the 33-year-old Ferris arrived hoping to help build a structure that could outdo the Eiffel Tower, the centerpiece of the Paris Exhibition of 1889.  George Ferris's goal in inventing the Ferris Wheel was to create an attraction that could rival the luxurious prowess of the Eiffel Tower in France. It quickly became one of the most visited areas of the World's Columbian Exposition for its view across the entire fair grounds from the sky. The Ferris Wheel was a giant, metal wheel with passenger cars built to attach around its exterior. The thirty-six carriages of the great wheel are hung on its periphery at equal intervals . . . It has a heavy frame of iron, but is covered externally with wood.  The iron frame was used to support the enormous weight of the wheel, which was, about 1,900 tons.  Passengers could sit inside of the cars and move in a gentle, circular motion around the wheel. This provided them with a place to sightsee from heights within the clouds, allowing them to view a perspective of Chicago never seen before. In addition to the enjoyment of passengers, the Ferris Wheel was also recognized for its enormous size and sheer presence over the other structures of the fair. Ferris Wheels still exist in the modern age, and are seen in almost every modern amusement park or fair. They have become an integral part of modern entertainment, just as their invention was extraordinary for visitors of the World's Columbian Exposition.

Another major advancement in Gilded Age entertainment came in the form of motion pictures. Specifically, short motion pictures could be viewed in corner theaters known as nickelodeons. A nickelodeon, was a nickel theater which projected the short film on a screen and the audience watched from theater seating.  The advent of nickelodeons allowed patrons to view short films for the price of a nickel at convenient locations around their community. Nickelodeons were an early concept that laid the foundation for modern American cinemas. The film was presented through a projection device while the audience was seated in front of a large area onto which the image was cast upon. Modern cinemas use the same general concept while benefiting from the increased performance of advanced projection technology. Early motion picture technology developed during the Gilded Age included Thomas Edison's kinetoscope. One of the films that Edison captured with the device was called Sandow and consisted of the bodybuilder Eugen Sandow stretching his body into various muscle flexing positions.  The kinetoscope was one of the first motion picture viewing technologies that gave other technologies a framework to develop from. The kinetoscope was succeeded by the projector technology that was used in nickelodeons and later in modern American cinema.

The Gilded Age experienced a significant change in entertainment because of the advent of motion pictures. It saw the creation of devices capable of capturing a moving scene and reproducing it for later viewing. Americans no longer needed to attend a live event to experience performances that lived within the stage. Film makers and directors were able to show the masterpieces of their creativity to a much larger scope of viewers than ever before. The experience of motion could faithfully be conveyed to someone who had never truly experienced the event themselves before. Motion pictures revolutionized entertainment in the Gilded Age and established the popularity of film in America.

 Sports became a popular form of entertainment enjoyed by many Americans in the Gilded Age. One of the sports that gained major popularity during the Gilded Age was baseball. Baseball started as a single league and incorporated other leagues in the future. The first league that was created for professional baseball players was the National League. The National League, was formed in 1876 and Americans were able to watch touring professionals play the game. As a color barrier had been quickly established, not all athletes were given an opportunity.  Professional players were able to take part in baseball games although players of some races were not allowed to compete until later times. Eventually, baseball leagues allowing players of different races to compete in baseball games were created. Baseball is still played in modern times and is a favorite of many Americans in the modern age. The color barrier no longer exists, and all baseball players can compete. Baseball has stood the test of time and is still enjoyed by many Americans centuries after it was created during the Gilded Age.

The experience of a baseball game was targeted toward middle class Americans. Baseball games were held in large stadiums with a diamond made of dirt in the center. Seats circled the stadium on all sides. Food, souvenirs, and gifts were sold throughout the crowd. The crowds enjoyed batting the most during a game, noting that, to the great majority of the followers and lovers of the national game batting is its most enjoyable feature.  It earned national recognition for its popularity and success. The fast-paced motion and alluring crowds associated with a baseball game have allowed it to grow and remain an exciting pastime then in the Gilded Age, and now in the modern age.

The advancements of Gilded Age entertainment created the framework that was used to create its modern-day counterparts. Without these integral forms of entertainment, modern entertainment would be entirely different. Baseball, nickelodeons, and the World's Columbian Expedition of 1893 helped shape modern entertainment into its current state. These forms of entertainment stood the test of time. The Gilded Age was what truly made entertainment golden.

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