From Jackson Park one can see the dome of the Illinois Building (left), it is certain that the heavy colors and tall lantern of the Illinois dome did much to prejudice against it all admirers of the classic forms. The body of the building, however, was impressive, and could some small city have boasted a hall so stately, its pride might easily have been pardoned. An additional dissatisfaction was that Illinois had no home parlors for her people. The building was for exhibits. Its display was beautiful and often unique, but the multitude, on Illinois Day, ate its lunch outside. The architect was W. W. Boyington.
The California Building (above). Its area was four hundred and thirty-five by one hundred and forty-four feet,
with three stories, a Moorish dome one hundred and thirteen feet high, and
a roof-garden which was decorated with semi-tropical plants. On the whole,
the eye came to admire the sombre and impressive mission-house idea which was
represented in this edifice. The stucco of this fabric looked right; and, looking
right, there resulted a certain beauty not to be denied. Let but a company
of monks in cowls come
from these low portals, and the illusion had been complete. Catholic missions
at Santa Barbara, San Luis Rey, and San Luis Obispo furnished to Mr. P. Brown,
the architect of San Francisco, the characteristic features of a native building.
