Dense crowd of street fair attendees in front of the Irving Hotel.
Dublin Core
Title
Dense crowd of street fair attendees in front of the Irving Hotel.
Subject
Buildings, Fairs & Festivals
Description
A large crowd gathered in front of the Irving hotel. A booth at the left front of the picture is labeled "1899 Waterloo Young Bros War Show."
The photo was probably taken during a street fair held in early September 1899.
The reverse side of the photo is blank.
From the Waterloo Courier, April 17, 1899, Page 1: "Built of Murphies / New Street Fair Feature / Potato Palace to be Erected as a Leading Street Fair Attraction.
The business men of both sides of the river are actively at work preparing good features for the street fair which opens September 5th for a five-days' session. One of the big things which has been decided upon is a piece of private enterprise in which four leading business men have engaged.
They will build a "potato palace."
We have heard of corn palaces, grain palaces, ice palaces, coal palaces and others, but it has remained for Waterloo to draw upon that versatile vegetable -- the Murphy -- as building material for a palace.
All the plans for the erection of the building are practically completed. It will be erected by a gentleman who has charge of similar work at the Omaha fair this season, and promises to be a great attraction for the fair. It will be located on Commercial street at the Irving house corner. The palace will be 40 x 60 feet in size and 40 feet high, with towers and turrets which will support the flags of the nations -- including, possibly, that of our own late lamented enemy, the Spaniard. This building will be used as a sort of home for a variety of booths and exhibits and will be the entrance to the west side midway which will extend from the palace to the opera house.
The building will probably be built of frame work covered with potatoes of different colors cut in two, with the inside of the potato outward. It is said that some very attractive designs may be made in this manner, and the potato palace will be anticipated with much interest to everyone."
The photo was probably taken during a street fair held in early September 1899.
The reverse side of the photo is blank.
From the Waterloo Courier, April 17, 1899, Page 1: "Built of Murphies / New Street Fair Feature / Potato Palace to be Erected as a Leading Street Fair Attraction.
The business men of both sides of the river are actively at work preparing good features for the street fair which opens September 5th for a five-days' session. One of the big things which has been decided upon is a piece of private enterprise in which four leading business men have engaged.
They will build a "potato palace."
We have heard of corn palaces, grain palaces, ice palaces, coal palaces and others, but it has remained for Waterloo to draw upon that versatile vegetable -- the Murphy -- as building material for a palace.
All the plans for the erection of the building are practically completed. It will be erected by a gentleman who has charge of similar work at the Omaha fair this season, and promises to be a great attraction for the fair. It will be located on Commercial street at the Irving house corner. The palace will be 40 x 60 feet in size and 40 feet high, with towers and turrets which will support the flags of the nations -- including, possibly, that of our own late lamented enemy, the Spaniard. This building will be used as a sort of home for a variety of booths and exhibits and will be the entrance to the west side midway which will extend from the palace to the opera house.
The building will probably be built of frame work covered with potatoes of different colors cut in two, with the inside of the potato outward. It is said that some very attractive designs may be made in this manner, and the potato palace will be anticipated with much interest to everyone."
Creator
Unknown
Publisher
Unknown
Date
1899-09
Contributor
Craig Richmond
Rights
Items in this collection are available free of charge for any lawful purpose, commercial or non-commercial, subject to the terms and conditions as detailed on our Rights and Reproductions page.
https://historicalcedarvalley.omeka.net/rights-and-reproductions
https://historicalcedarvalley.omeka.net/rights-and-reproductions
Format
400 dpi scan of photograph
Language
English
Still Image Item Type Metadata
Original Format
Photograph
Physical Dimensions
Photograph 4 3/4 inches by 3 3/4 inches; Mount 6 1/2 inches by 5 1/2 inches.
Collection
Citation
Unknown, “Dense crowd of street fair attendees in front of the Irving Hotel.,” Historical Cedar Valley, accessed April 15, 2026, https://historicalcedarvalley.omeka.net/items/show/490.