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area, and such giant machinery as the huge Bethlehem 

 steam hammer (the largest then extant) — all these were 

 evidence of a continuing love affair between Chicago and 

 technology in all its aspects."' 



The Field Museum was one of the marvels of this con- 

 troversial fair. But when the Exposition was over and the 

 fanfare died away, the Museum lived on to become a dig- 

 nified and permanent resident of the lakefront. It did not, 

 however, live on in the same building. The original build- 

 ing in Jackson Park was constructed only for a summer's use 

 and by 1897 was rapidly deteriorating. The roof leaked con- 

 stantly, and the exhibits inside were exposed to damage. 

 The steady disintegration and fall of the substance covering 

 the outside walls made the building look a shambles. By 

 1900 the Museum's Director stated that it had been neces- 

 sary to reconstruct the roof almost completely, and in 1902 

 he reported that the whole building had reached the limits 

 of repair. 



' Architectural Forum, May, 1962, p. 125. 



In 1905 plans for a new building were considered, but 

 before these plans were completed the Jackson Park build- 

 ing suffered further collapse, and fences were erected to 

 protect the public from falling mortar. Inside, the collec- 

 tions were growing as the building died. In 1913 Director 

 Skiff wrote, "If the pressure for space continues, as it seems 

 likely it will do, some portions of the Museum must be closed 

 off as an improvised warehouse where cases can be stored. 

 ... In some of the coiu-ts and halls the circulation provisions 

 have been reduced to two-feet passageways which really 

 almost prohibits an inspection of the cases."  



Before Marshall Field died in 1906, he worked closely 

 with Daniel Burnham, the renowned designer and planner, 

 on the plans for the new Museum building. Despite the 

 critics. Field liked the design of the Jackson Park building 

 and of the Exposition in general and wanted the new build- 

 ing to follow this same tradition. 



The Exposition had been planned and built under Burn- 

 ham's management, and it was this Fair that sparked his 



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