Real Historical Facts from
The Forgotten Columbia Exposition
With the exception of the Exposition itself, everything we mentioned on our tour regarding the history of Columbia University and the country at large was pulled directly from our research. Scroll down to see a few of the real historical facts we included in our exhibit and walking tour!
01
The Columbia Athletics Field
From 1897 - 1921, the south of campus was indeed used as an athletics field for Columbia. In 1922, Baker Field opened and Columbia's sports teams transitioned to playing in a purpose built stadium further uptown.
02
Sheffield Farms Dairy
The area just north of Columbia's Morningside Campus, known as Manhattanville, was central to much of New York's Dairy Industry in the 1920s. Sheffield Farms Dairy had a bottling plant in what is now Columbia University's Prentis Hall.
03
The Bloomingdale Insane Asylum
Columbia University's campus was built on the site of the former Bloomingdale Insane Asylum in 1897. Investigative reporter Julius Chambers once had himself committed to write an exposé on the conditions of the asylum's inmates.
04
The Jungle Gym
The first Jungle Gym was patented in 1920 and would likely have been included in children's entertainment in the early 20s. Other contemporary products and inventions available in 1921 include: Good Humor Ice Cream, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Cracker Jacks, Animal Crackers and the Radio!
05
Amelia Earhart
Yes, Amelia Earhart did go to Columbia University for a short time and those photos of her sitting on the dome of Low Library are real! However, she'd only just begun flying lessons in 1921 and did not receive her license until 1923, so it is unlikely that she would have been considered a celebrity at the time of the Exposition.
06
The Bronx World's Fair
Though our Exposition was mostly inspired by the 1939-40 New York World's Fair, we also learned some fascinating information about the Bronx International Exposition of 1918, which faded into obscurity just three years prior to the dates of The Columbia Exposition.
