At one point in my
book, Phoebe, part of the Christmas Quilt Brides series, the
following conversation takes place:
(Phoebe): “Do
you remember the World’s Columbian Exhibition held in 1893? Did you have the
opportunity to view it?”
“The Chicago World’s Fair? I
was aware of it taking place. Unfortunately, my sister and I were busy with
preparing for and participating in the Land Run at that same time, so I was
unable to attend.” Her tone slightly acerbic, Marigold kept her gaze on her
stitching.
“Oh.” Wondering if she had said something wrong, Phoebe
swallowed. Then again, 1893 had been the year the great financial panic they
were still experiencing had started. Perhaps the two Calloway sisters had been
negatively affected to the point that the expense of visiting the exhibition
was prohibitive.
Although the above
snippet is from a scene that takes place in 1896, my grouping of four books
from two multi-author projects set in New Ponca, Oklahoma Territory, starts by
featuring the Cherokee Strip and Cherokee Outlet Land Run of 1893 (Joshua’s Bride). I decided to feature 1893, since for many
Americans, it was a year of highs and lows.
On March 4 – The presidential term for Benjamin
Harrison ended. At that point, Grover Cleveland took office as U.S. President.
On May 1 – the 1893 World’s Fair, better
known at the time as the World’s Columbian Exposition, opened to the public in
Chicago, Illinois. The fair remained open through October. The first U.S.
commemorative postage stamps and coins were issued for this exposition.
The 1896 Broadway melodrama The War of Wealth was inspired by the
panic of 1893
On May 5 – A crash on the New York Stock
Exchange started a depression. A precursor to this financial downturn was the
passage of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act in 1890. This law required the U.S.
Treasury to buy silver with a special issue of Treasury Notes (Coin) that could
that could be redeemed for either silver or gold. This created a substantial
expansion in the volume of circulating dollars without a proportionate growth
in the gold stock. The crash in the silver dollar's bullion value in the 1890s
from 80 cents to approximately 50 cents increased public anxiety on their
continued ability to convert silver dollars and banknotes into gold. The result
was a run on the Treasury's gold stock.
Although the country
had experienced economic depressions on a regular basis every decade or two,
the Panic of 1893, as it came to be known, was particularly intense. It
continued through 1896.
On July 22 – After having admired the view
from the top of Pikes Peak near Colorado Springs, Colorado, Katharine Lee Bates
wrote the patriotic song, “America the Beautiful,” still frequently sung today.
On August 7 – the Sherman Silver Purchase
Act was repealed.
On August 19 – President Cleveland finally
issues the proclamation for the Cherokee Strip Land Run.
On August 27 – The Sea Islands Hurricane
struck Savanah, Charleston, and the Sea Islands, killing between 1,000 and 2,000
people.
On September 19 – The 1893 Cherokee Strip
Land Run began.
The change in
presidential administrations in March became a significant factor for many
low-income Americans desperate for land. The previous Harrison administration
had approved earlier land runs in what had been Indian Territory, and which was intended to become part of the new Oklahoma Territory, formed after the first large run on 1889. This administration
also started the process of acquiring the land in what was known as the
Cherokee Strip and Cherokee Outlet for an additional land run. The Cherokee Outlet was not part of the
Cherokee reservation, but it was west of their reservation land and controlled
by the Cherokee tribe, who leased it out to cattlemen, many of them white
Americans. The land was vacated, but the process stalled once Cleveland came
into office. Many land-starved Americans waited impatiently for the opportunity
to claim farm land.
On September 21 – Brothers Charles and
Frank Duryea drive the first gasoline-powered motorcar in America on public
roads in Springfield, Massachusetts. The following is another excerpt from my
upcoming book. The scene is between my hero, Graham, and his father:
“Automobiles?
You mean those glorified velocipedes that bounce around on bicycle tires and
are powered by a one-cylinder engine? I’ve seen a few around the city, and I’m
not favorably impressed. Especially with their tendency to backfire, they make
too much noise, which scares the horses and creates havoc in the streets. They
break down too often, too.” Richard shook his head. “They are a temporary
novelty, Son. Before long, the phase will pass.”
“I
don’t believe so, Father. They have their good points. They do not need daily
feeding and maintenance, like horses or mules. No mucking out stalls, and no animal
droppings on the street.” Graham had raised his eyebrows with a knowing look.
“Perhaps
not, but that engine exhaust can be almost as noxious as a street full of horse
apples. As for going any distance, the tires do not hold up while traveling the
rough roads, especially between towns. Automobiles will end up being nothing
more than aggrandized toys.” Richard dismissed the topic with a fling of his
hand through the air.
On December 8 – The National Education Association
releases the final report from the “Committee of Ten” at the Columbia
University conference recommending standardization of the high school
curriculum.
This is a partial
list of events for 1893. More can be found on Wikipedia by CLICKING HERE
Although not all of
the above events of 1893 played a role in my next historical romance, Phoebe,
several did. This book is now on pre-order and scheduled for release on
November 15, 2024.
To find the book description and pre-order link, please CLICK HERE
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