Krag Collectors Association Forum

In 1892 the U.S. Army conducts thorough tests on 53 magazine arms and adopts the Norwegian Krag-Jorgensen.

A big public hue and cry about "The Foreign Rifle", with American Manufacturers, Citizens, and some Congressmen demanding a "re-do".

In early 1893, there are more rifle tests with the Krag-Jorgensen again coming out on top!

What else is going on in 1893? .... Well .... The World's Columbian Exposition is opening in Chicago on May 1st, a year late, to mark the 400th Anniversary of Columbus' Discovery.

Strategically located in the Midwest and reachable by water and rail, The Chicago Event will be huge! (It attracted 27 Million visitors)!

The U.S. Government is 'All In' with money and large planned venues and All Departments Involved. The War Department is expected to put on quite a show (and did)!

Well, being interested in Krag Rifles, I thought that maybe the U.S. Army and Ordnance Department (War Department) took full advantage of this "PR Opportunity" to promote the New Rifle.

This got me focusing on and studying about the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Looking for Guns, especially, Krag-Jorgensen rifles and rare prototypes.

I did discover, the main U.S. Government 1893 Exposition displays were located at "The U.S. Government Building", "The U.S. Fisheries Building", "The U.S. Life-Saving Station", and on board "The U.S.S. Illinois".

(I outlined those sights on our map).

Oh, Boy! Let's get a program and see some guns!!!

I can't believe the crowd .... this could be a super-spreader event!

Watch out for Pick-Pockets.

Here's the U.S. Government Building, let's go in.

Wow, Look at that tree stump ..... Dang, that is big.

I think we're going the wrong way ... there's the Greely expedition, "Farthest Point North". They look real!

We are in the Fish Department.

Oh, found the map. There's some big cannons that way.

Wow, look at those mules, they look so like-like!

I think there's armory machines through that little doorway.

I smell fresh-cut walnut.

There's a bunch of guns. Don't touch anything there's a guard watching us.

Where's that big tree? I have to pee.

Here's some pages on those guns in the rack and all that machinery:

I think I'll go outside and enjoy one of these Havana cigars and see Lake Michigan.

There's a nice view from the Manufacturer's Building roof and the Marines are camped in-between in Sibley tents.

Some of the Marines are getting ready to go to the Ship. They also guard the U.S. Government Building.

The Exposition in Chicago was what brought my mother's family to the US from Canada. Jobs! Mom's grandparents had just lost 3 of their 6 kids to infectious diseases spread through a municipal water system. They sent the surviving 3 to a relative's farm and went to Chicago in 1891 or 1892. Both got jobs constructing the Exposition and then jobs putting on the show. After it was over, they bought one of the residential apartment buildings constructed for the show. Mom's grandma then took the train back to Toronto (York?) to collect her 3 kids and bring them back. They lived in Chicago for the rest of their lives.

I like your family story, 'Doubly Reincarnated'. (My Canadians came to Michigan for 'jobs', but, there is no family connection to the Exposition or Chicago).

Hey, I think we should stretch our legs and walk over to that island and then go to the Fisheries Building.
We can get out of the U.S. Government Building, easy, through the Fish Commission Display.
There's nobody there!

Holy Mackerel! .... I mean Sturgeon.

It's getting to smell pretty fishy in here. I need some fresh air.