{"product_id":"century-grill-worlds-fair-chicago-1934","title":"Century Grill, World's Fair Chicago 1934","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Century Grill was an on-site dining establishment and lunch counter operating at the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1934, in the middle of the Great Depression.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Great Depression started with the stock market crash in 1929 and lasted until about 1939. The aim of the exposition was to celebrate technical innovation and recovery during the ongoing years of economic hardship for the United States.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe theme was the optimistic ‘A Century of Progress’ and the World’s Fair was a huge success, drawing over 39 million visitors to the Chicago lakeshore during its two seasons in 1933-34.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Century Grill served standard American fare, with meats supplied by Swift's Fine Foods. Presumably, these three cheerful chefs carrying a platter of ham and bacon were working hard behind the scenes of the busy restaurant.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe meat company was started by Gustavus Franklin Swift (1839–1903), ninth in a family of 22 children, who became a butcher in his teens.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e He went on to establish a business in the Windy City in 1875 and revolutionized the meat-packing industry by developing and patenting the first ice-cooled refrigerated railroad cars.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis technological innovation enabled his company to deliver fresh meat from meat packing centers in the Midwest to large urban markets in the Northeast. Prior to his invention, livestock were slaughtered, packed for shipment in barrels of salt or transported live.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring the severe 1930s economic downturn, Swift’s heavily marketed its cheaper pork products to appeal to customers with tight household budgets.It advertised optimistic health slogans like ‘Eat Meat for Stamina’ to pitch protein – including early canned ham variations - as an essential, strength-giving and vital nutrient for the body.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSwift \u0026amp; Company grew into a massive global enterprise and remains one of America’s giant meatpacking companies today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 1934 Chicago World’s Fair provided a massive morale boost to citizens of the Windy City and helped boost local employment. Outside of the food offering, it popularized streamlined Art Deco design and futuristic concepts like the ‘Homes of Tomorrow’ that featured futuristic model homes designed to test new building materials, prefabricated construction. It also predicted modern conveniences like central air conditioning and dishwashers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fair relied on bonds, ticket sales, and vendor rentals rather than public money and the two-year run ended with a healthy financial surplus.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe only 1934 World's Fair building that remains in its original spot is the city’s Palace of Fine Arts. It was built with a steel and brick structure rather than temporary plaster, allowing it to survive. It now houses Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGallery quality Giclée print on natural white, matte, 100% cotton rag, acid and lignin free archival paper using Epson Ultrachrome HD archival inks. Custom printed with border for matting and framing.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb style=\"line-height: 1.2;\"\u003eEach order includes a print of the interior menu.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb style=\"line-height: 1.2;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAll printed in USA.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Vintage Menu Art","offers":[{"title":"8.5x11\" Archival Print (Unframed) $25.00","offer_id":46600296923238,"sku":"8.5x11\"","price":25.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"11x14 Archival Print (Unframed) $30.00","offer_id":46600296956006,"sku":"11x14 U","price":30.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"13x19 Archival Print (Unframed) $40.00","offer_id":46600296988774,"sku":"13x19 U","price":40.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"16x20 Archival Print (Unframed) $55.00","offer_id":46600297021542,"sku":"16x20 U","price":55.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"20x24 Archival Print (Unframed) $85.00","offer_id":46600297054310,"sku":"20x24 U","price":85.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"24x36 Archival Print (Unframed) $135.00","offer_id":46600297087078,"sku":"24x36 U","price":135.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0131\/3352\/files\/century-grill-worlds-fair-chicago-1934-posters-prints-visual-artwork-125.webp?v=1786990327","url":"https:\/\/vintagemenuart.com\/products\/century-grill-worlds-fair-chicago-1934","provider":"Vintage Menu Art","version":"1.0","type":"link"}