Transportation Building
Architect: Adler & Sullivan, Chicago, Illinois
Area:
Cost: $500,000
Picturesque World’s Fair, An Elaborate Collection of Colored Views—Published with the Endorsement and Approval of George R. Davis, 1894
THE TRANSPORTATION BUILDING.—The Transportation Building was unique among the great structures of the Columbian Exposition in that it was the single departure from a general rule, the contrast and the foil to all the others. It was distinct in its style of architecture, and alone was decorated exteriorly in colors. It was not of those buildings which won for the Exposition the title of “The White City.” The main building located just west of the south end of the West Lagoon, was nine hundred and sixty feet in length by two hundred and fifty-six feet in breadth, and from this an enormous annex, a single story in height, extended westward toward Stony Island Avenue. The annex covered an area of about nine acres, and the total area devoted to exhibits in the main building and annex combined was nearly twenty acres. The total cost of the structure was almost $500,000. Viewed from the lagoon or the highway to the west of that body of water, the Transportation Building afforded a charming frontage. In style it was a modified Romanesque. Its main entrance was a single arch, enriched to an extraordinary degree with carvings and bas-reliefs, highly colored, and forming what became famous as “The Golden Doorway.” The interior was treated after the style of a Roman basilica, with a broad central nave and transept and aisles. The cupola, placed in the center of the edifice and rising to a height of one hundred and sixty-five feet, was reached by eight elevators, their shafts provided with galleries at various stages, from which a fine view was afforded of the remarkable exhibits in all directions.
THE GOLDEN DOOR.—The main portal of the Transportation Building, because of its strikingly attractive features both of design and coloring, became known as “The Golden Door,” and certainly deserved the admiring title given it by the public. The Transportation Building, as a whole, was a complete departure in style and hue from the great mass of structures which gave the White City its name, and its greatest entrance was its most novel and beautiful part. It was, beyond question, the chief illustration at the World’s Fair of what can be done in architecture by combining exquisite reliefs with oriental richness of painting, though in the decoration of entrances architects and artists had lavished all their genius and invention. The doorway is an arch, or, more properly speaking, a quintuple arch, the five blending into a whole elaborately ornamented and embellished with delicate bas-reliefs. The combined arches form a semi-circular environment for a symbolical mural painting in the background and just above the entrance proper. The impression is thus produced of a picture gorgeously framed, and this effect is further enhanced by a square, treated in a similar manner to the arches, and joining the peripheries of the exterior one. This remarkable portal was painted a pea-green and the bas-relief was overlaid with silver leaf, the result being something dazzling in the extreme. Not merely because of its richness and originality, but because of the lesson it taught by comparison with less florid though grander styles the Golden Doorway was certainly among the most notable architectural features shown.
DETAILS OF THE “GOLDEN DOORWAY.”—The magnificent entrance to the Transportation building, known popularly as the “Golden Doorway”—though it was not golden, but green and silver—was not, architecturally considered, complete with the quintuple arches and doorway proper alone, but included as part of the entrance effects, an elaborate lateral ornamentation, the details of which, on one side, are given in the illustration. The treatment on the other side of the archway was the same. There is a suggestion of the ecclesiastical in the design, as illustrated in the stairs, the gallery and the oratory. The delicate work on the tympanum over the doorway is well defined in the illustration, as are also the bas-reliefs indicative of the structure’s uses which appear beneath the balcony. The small panes of glass showing in the glimpse afforded of the window in the rear add to the ecclesiastical idea already mentioned. In all this delicate work the staff used showed its adaptability for such ends and added to is admitted reputation as the best known material when only temporary architectural and artistic effects are to be produced on a scale of any magnitude. That the lateral embellishment served to increase the general striking effect of the so-called “Golden Doorway” was admitted, and that this side work was, in its way, quite as original in adaptation and rich in feature was also the opinion of good authorities. It was conceded that, such elaboration once attempted, should be carried out to its logical fullness.
THE GOLDEN DOOR, FROM THE WOODED ISLAND.— Among the great number of photographs, taken from different points of view of the famous “Golden Door,” it is doubtful if any surpassed in charming effect that from which the accompanying illustration is taken. The point afforded on the Wooden Island seems to have been at just the right distance from the Transportation Building and in just the right direction to allow of an absolute presentation of detail, while, at the same time, giving the entire doorway with surroundings enough for an effective setting. The water, the pretty point of miniature beach, even the leaves upon the trees, are reproduced with admirable appearance of reality, and above all, the delicate patterns and traceries upon the entrance are represented with admiration appearance of reality, and, above all, the delicate patterns and traceries upon the entrance are represented with marvelous fidelity. Here may be seen just what was the quality of that Oriental style of decoration which, supplemented by brilliant coloring, made such a striking picture and aroused so much discussion among artists and architects as to whether or not its florid beauty were preferable to the purer nd simpler stylen of the fronts where the uniform white prevailed and where the features were more classic. But whatever might be the verdict arrived at as to general effect, there was no disputing the fact that the designs upon the Golden Door were beautiful in themselves, and that the picture exhibits their character so faithfully is gratifying.
The Book of the Fair, Hubert Howe Bancroft, 1894
Transportation Building
This structure was remarkable in the group of greater buildings through the fact that it was painted with various colors, mainly red while the other enclosures were white. The angels which are seen on the facades were cut in linen, and glued to the exterior, and the decoration generally was in geometrical lines, with something of an Oriental expression and effect. This bizarre appearance was creditably relieved by the commanding beauty of the Golden Door, which is seen at the center, and is further illustrated and described in this volume. The style of the Transportation Building was called Romanesque, and it was erected by Adler & Sullivan, the architects of the Auditorium and the Schiller Theatre in Chicago, where the same peculiarities of beautiful increasing arches and subtending straight lines may be studied. Broad as was the area of the structure, it counted but eighteen acres, annex and all, and was but fourth among the great edifices.
The trains of cars and the locomotives stood on tracks that ran into the annex from the rear, and made a display that was distinctively American, and very flattering to national pride. The arrangement of this department was made with a view to history, and over two thousand feet of track were used in a single exhibit showing the evolution of the locomotive. The Chief of Transportation was Willard A. Smith. Dimensions: two hundred and fifty-six by six hundred and ninety feet; annex, four hundred and twenty-five by nine hundred feet. Cupola: one hundred and sixty-six feet high, and reached by an exhibit of eight elevators. The statuary to be seen at the side of the building was the work of John J. Boyle, of Philadelphia, and represented four modes of transportation – air, water, electricity and land. Cost of all, $370,000.
- Rocket Locomotive Train
The locomotive “Rocket,” featured in the Transportation Building. The engine included in “Rocket” was designed by Robert Stephenson.
- The Pioneer on display in the Transportation Building at the World’s Columbian Exposition
- Golden Door
- Construction of the “Golden Doorway” main entrance to Louis Sullivan’s Transportation Building
1892
Chicago: Its History and Builders Volume III, J. Seymour Curry, 1912
The Transportation Building.
The architects of the Transportation Building were Messrs. Adler & Sullivan, of Chicago,and their strikingly original building added greatly to the interest of the structures of the Exposition. It was situated facing east and close to the la goon which surrounded the Wooded Island. Along its western side was an annex running almost the entire length of the building. Its length was nine hundred and sixty feet by two hundred and sixty feet in width. The general design was simple, but the details were rich and elegant. A cupola, suggesting an Oriental model, rising to a height of one hundred and sixty-five feet, surmounted the roof. The entrance,consisting of a series of concentric arches,was richly decorated in gold and colors, and for this reason was called the “Golden Door.” This splendid en trance became one of the architectural attractions of the Exposition.
This building with its annex covered a vast space, and was filled to its utmost capacity with exhibits of surpassing interest. One of the inscriptions was a quotation from Bacon, and was placed upon the left spandrel of the great doorway. It read thus:
- There be three things that make a nation great and prosperous, a fertile soil, busy workshops, easy conveyance for men and goods from place to place.
On the right spandrel was an inscription taken from Macaulay, as follows:
- Of all inventions, the alphabet and printing press alone excepted, those inventions which abridge distance have done most for civilization.
This is great to see the floor map. My great-great grandfather and 3 colleagues from the Racine Wagon & Carriage Co. had a display in this exposition. Thank you for sharing.