exposition

The Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition was a world's fair held in Omaha, Nebraska, from June 1 to November 1 of 1898. Its goal was to showcase the development of the entire West from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Coast. The Indian Congress was held concurrently. Over 2.6 million people came to Omaha to view the 4,062 exhibits during the five months of the Exposition. President William McKinley and William Jennings Bryan were among the dignitaries who attended at the invitation of Gurdon Wattles, the event's leader. A hundred thousand people assembled on the plaza to hear them speak. The Expo stretched over a 180-acre (0.73 km2) tract in North Omaha and featured a 2,000-foot-long (610 m) lagoon encircled by 21 classical buildings that featured fine and modern products from around the world.
One reporter wrote, "Perhaps the candid Nebraskan would tell you in a moment of frank contriteness that the prime object of this exposition was to boom Omaha."

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