Images from the 1893 Chicago World's Fair/Columbian Expo. The 600 acre improvised park opened May1 and closed October 30, 1893. 26 million visitors came...the public saw the very first Ferris wheel... Quaker oats, shredded wheat, and cream of wheat were first tasted here...a main attraction was a huge 'electrical house', showcasing the new technology (Tesla was there).