It turns out that there was another world's fair devoted to cotton. It happened just a few years after the now famous Atlanta International Cotton Exposition of 1881. The World Cotton Centennial of 1884, held in new Orleans, was a bit of a crapper.
New Orleans was at the very centre of the cotton industry and was home to the Cotton Exchange. If ya wanted cotton, dis was the place. But the fair was a non starter. One of the original directors took off for Brazil with over a million bucks before the fair even opened.
It did have the worlds biggest building at that time (covered over 30 acres) and was lit with more lights than all of New Orleans had at the time.
The fair was a a money loser. It was decided that the fairs buildings would be held over and used for the North Central & South American Exposition of 1885. Sounds exciting. It too couldn't get the whole she bang back in the black. What was left in the spring of 1886 was sold off for whatever they could get.
The photo above is of a stuffed alligator on exhibit at the fair. I can see the link between cotton and reptiles.
New Orleans was at the very centre of the cotton industry and was home to the Cotton Exchange. If ya wanted cotton, dis was the place. But the fair was a non starter. One of the original directors took off for Brazil with over a million bucks before the fair even opened.
It did have the worlds biggest building at that time (covered over 30 acres) and was lit with more lights than all of New Orleans had at the time.
The fair was a a money loser. It was decided that the fairs buildings would be held over and used for the North Central & South American Exposition of 1885. Sounds exciting. It too couldn't get the whole she bang back in the black. What was left in the spring of 1886 was sold off for whatever they could get.
The photo above is of a stuffed alligator on exhibit at the fair. I can see the link between cotton and reptiles.
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