The collection is comprised of one volume kept by St. Louis teenager, Adele Quinette, about the 1904 World’s Fair; one photograph of Miss Quinette; and a CD-Rom containing PDF files of the volume. Miss Quinette numbered the volume’s pages and the folders reflect this numerical order. The observations of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition took place between 1903 and 1904. The photograph, dated circa 1904, and the CD appear in the final folder.

The 132-page volume, which is disbound for preservation, is unlike a diary or journal because there are no dated entries. In several instances, Miss Quinette added chapter numbers and titles or page headings to separate her topics. She possibly used the volume as a school project, writing in a report format and adding photographs, clippings, and souvenirs as illustrations for her narrative. Miss Quinette shared observations about her visits to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition beginning after the dedication on April 30, 1903, for which her father received an inivitation (f.1). She stated that she and her father visited the fairgrounds almost daily between the dedication and opening day and that she visited the fair between eighty-four and ninety days after it opened.

Miss Quinette explained funding for the fair, how the staff was molded and used to erect the buildings, and observed construction techniques from various countries. In her narratives about the buildings and exhibits, she described the costs, locations, and physical features of the buildings; explained what she learned from each one; and highlighted items on display that she found most interesting.

In her many visits, Miss Quinette visited several of the fair’s special exhibits. She titled one of her chapters “Exhibits of Strange People” and found the Igorot village at the Philippine exhibit one of the most interesting places at the fair. She inserted a small card with a pencil drawing by Antonio, an Igorot man (f.6). Miss Quinette obtained Geronimo’s signature (f.7) and also visited the Eskimo and Pygmie displays. She explained concessions in The Pike, the primary amusement component of the fair. She listed twenty-five concessions that she attended, including the Irish Village, Galveston Flood, and Fair Japan (f.8). Miss Quinette declared the Jerusalem exhibit “the most instructive concession at the fair.” She also attended many of the receptions and the special theme days held at the fair.

Introduction -- [history of fairs]

Postcards: five from 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition; ten from 1901 Pan-American Exposition

Chapter 1 -- The Growth of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition (p. 5)

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Chapter 2 -- Vast Display by the Government (p. 13)

Photo of Government Building (p. 13)

Chapter 3 -- Liberal Art and Manufactures (p. 27)

Photos: Liberal Arts Building (p. 28), Manufactures Building (p. 29), Palace of Varied Industries (p. 32), Educational Building (p. 36); Japanese card (p. 33)

Chapter 4 --The Two Buildings of Recent Years (p. 39)

Photos: Machinery Hall (p. 39), Electricity Building (p. 41)

Chapter 5 -- Transportation and Mining Exhibits (p. 43)

Photos: Palace of Mines and Metallurgy (p. 43), Transportation Building (p. 46), Agriculture Building (p. 47), Palace of Horticulture (p. 51), Palace of Art (p. 53), Missouri State Building (p. 57), Chinese Pavilion (p. 66), and Brazilian Pavilion (p. 67); Clippings of published images: state buildings(p. 59-63), foreign buildings (p. 65)

Chapter [6] -- Exhibits of Strange People (p. 69)

Photos: Igorot Village (p. 70-71), Negorot village and Indian School (p. 75); Card with pencil drawing by Igorot named Antonio (p. 72); Card with signature of Geronimo, pencil (p. 76); Clipping of image: Alaska Building (p. 77)

[Chapter 7] -- Main Features of the Exposition (p. 79)

Photos: Festival Hall (p. 79); Festival Hall and cascades (2), night view (1), (p. 82); Japanese Tea Garden (p. 86); Floral Clock (p. 87); People on the Pike (p. 90); Dried leaf from Sunken Garden (p. 84), missing leaf (p. 86); various souvenirs from the Pike (p. 92-95)

Chapter [no number] -- Washington University Buildings (p. 97)

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[Chapter 7] -- Main Features of the Exposition (continued on p. 99)

Photos: Mosque of Amar (p. 101)

[Chapter 8] -- Other Things of Interest (p. 107)

Photos: Cattle Show (p.108); Clipping of images: Livestock (p. 107)

[Chapter 9] -- Important Days (p. 111)

Clipping of images: Dedication Day (p. 111); Tickets/Passes/Souvenir (p. 112)

[Chapter 10] -- The Receptions I Attended / A Few Souvenirs (p. 121)

Several programs, tickets, and one dried flower from events throughout the chapter.