Part 1, Becomingness Summary

The Exposition's Committee took from February to October 1890 to give Burnham the official job of Chief of Construction. Of course, he made Root the Supervising Architect and Frederick Law Olmsted the Supervising Landscape Architect.

James Ellsworth, the Chairman of the Exposition Company, visited Olmsted during the summer. At that time, Ellsworth asked Olmsted to be the landscaper by offering his own money and without the authority of the Company. Olmsted at first hesitated. He was getting older and he did not know if he wanted to worry with this impossible job, but Ellsworth got his way and Olmsted accepted. Upon his return to Chicago, Ellsworth proposed hiring Olmsted to design the landscape of the exposition. The Exposition Company agreed. They sent a telegram to Olmsted requesting that he come to Chicago. Olmsted and his assistant Harry Codman arrived in Chicago shortly...