Chicago World's Fair -- Century of Progress Exposition -- Foreign Villages

FOREIGN VILLAGES

[aerial view]

The 1934 fair had an impressive collection of picturesque villages from foreign lands and from long ago. There were the Spanish Village with its ancient castles, the winter Black Forest Village from Germany, the Old English Village, the American Colonial Village, the Irish Village, the alpine Swiss Village, the Italian Village with its leaning tower, the Tunisian Village, the Oasis Village, the Belgian Village, the Streets of Paris, the Midget Village, The Bowery, the Streets of Shanghai, the Dutch Village, and the Mexican Village.

Plaster casts of building exteriors were used for exact reproductions of their appearance. The villages included indoor and outdoor dining, employees in native costumes, demonstrations of occupations, crafts, and entertainment. Most of the villages were built especially for the 1934 exposition. The Belgian Village and the Streets of Paris were at both the 1933 and 1934 fairs. The 1933 fair also had an Oriental Village and a Moroccan Village.

[paris]

Entrance, Streets of Paris

The sign at the entrance to the "Streets of Paris" read: "Here's where you'll get your real French atmosphere. Cafés, bars, artist quarters, shows, dance plazas, shops, street scenes, free continuous entertainment, champion diving, dancing, music. No cover charge." The streets were named as in Paris; the buildings were faithful reproductions.

[spanish]

South Walk, at Spanish Village

The gateway to this village of old gray castle walls and weather-worn houses of Spain was between battlemented watch towers, recalling the war with the Moorish conquerors. In the shops along the picturesque streets Spanish natives were seen at their occupations.

[belgian]

Belgian Folk Dancers on the Market Place

Among the attractions of the Sixteenth century Belgian Village were famous gates, an old French-Gothic church, and old high gabled houses. Belgian dogs pulled milk carts on the cobbled streets . Folk dancers performed on the Market Place square.

[england]

Village Green, Merrie England

In "Merrie England" were reproductions of buildings of old England—Shakespeare's Globe Theater and home, the Harvard home, Robert Burns' cottage, home of John Knox, The Old Curiosity Shop, The Cheshire Cheese Inn, and others. Entrance to the English village was through gateways reproduced from those of the Tower of London.

[blackforest]

Ice Skating at Black Forest Village

The Black Forest Village represented German country life in the winter. Surrounding the frozen mill pond, where ice skating exhibitions were given, were picturesque village houses and shops in which were products of German home industries.

[holland]

Holland Dutch Village

This reproduction of a typical Dutch fishing village included a windmill, a canal running through the streets, a drawbridge, and a Dutch farm house. Maidens in quaint caps and wooden shoes, and youths in voluminous breeches gave folk dances.

Swiss Village

Tunisian Village

A typical Swiss mountain village was populated with native Swiss at their work, sports, and amusements. St. Bernard dogs, Alpine guides, watch makers. lace makers,and cheese makers were seen. The background of the village was an Alpine scene of peaks and valleys.

The Tunisian Village reproduced sections of the old town of Tunis in North Africa. The busy streets were filled with bazaars and a population of shieks, tribesmen, craftsmen, and bazaar keepers. Dancing girls, jugglers, acrobats, snake charmers, and magicians performed for audiences of desert dwellers and visitors.

This page is based on information from the 1933 and 1934 Official Guide Books.

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