The Lagoon at Night

Chicago, Illinois · 1933

Date

1933

Location

Chicago, Illinois

Format

Illustrated postcard

A fairground after dark

At Chicago’s 1933 Century of Progress exposition, visitors could cross the lagoon in the Sky Ride’s suspended cars. The fair’s official guide described searchlights sweeping out from the towers after dark. The lagoon reflected the illuminated buildings and displays along its banks.

The postcard turns that nighttime spectacle into a souvenir. The two towers frame the scene, while shafts of light cut across the water and the fairgrounds glow in red, yellow, and blue. The title and 1933 copyright line are printed along the bottom edge.

Sources

• 1933 official guide, University of Illinois
• Chicago History Museum’s history of opening night