Part 1, Pilgrimage Summary

Daniel Burnham invited five architects to work on the designs for the World Exposition Fair, even though he did not have the authority to hire them. Three of the architects were from New York: Richard M. Hunt, George B. Post and Charles McKim. Robert Peabody was from Boston, Massachusetts and one was from Kansas City, Henry Van Brunt. He had invited none from Chicago. He did this to ensure all of America would realize this was not going to be a little backwater animal exhibit, but an exposition that would compete with the Exposition in Paris. However, because of his actions, he alienated the architects of Chicago. Eventually several architectural firms from Chicago were also selected to build some of the main buildings, but this only brought other challenges to the forefront.

Daniel Burnham spent most of December trying to find...