The 1893 Midway: America’s First Amusement Park

Before Disneyland and Epcot Center, before travelling carnivals, local amusement parks, and modern-day convention centers, there was the great grandaddy of all entertainment destinations—the Midway Plaisance at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. The place was a mile long, 73 acres in size, and “midway” between Jackson Park (home to the Fair) and Washington Park.