Entry No. 79 — the Chicago file — filed under: roadside-oddity
Statue of the Republic ("Golden Lady")
A 24-foot, fully gilded bronze woman holding a globe and an eagle — Daniel Chester French's 1918 scaled-down replacement for the 65-foot original that stood on the same spot for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, until park commissioners had that original burned down in 1896.
The story
In 1893, Chicago erected a colossal 65-foot gilded woman to preside over the World’s Columbian Exposition. Fairgoers quickly dubbed her "Big Mary," though officially sculptor Daniel Chester French named her the Statue of the Republic. She stood in the grand Court of Honor, towering over millions of visitors. But when the fair wrapped up, the city didn't carefully store or dismantle her. In 1896, park commissioners solved the problem of the decaying plaster-and-wood giant the simple way: they burned her to the ground on the exact spot where she stood.
Twenty-two years after the execution, French was brought back to build a permanent replacement to mark the fair's 25th anniversary. In 1918, he unveiled this scaled-down 24-foot version, cast in solid bronze and covered in brilliant gold leaf. She still holds the same symbols as her scorched predecessor—a globe in one hand and an eagle-topped staff in the other—sitting atop a heavy granite base.
Designated a Chicago Landmark in 2003, the "Golden Lady" now stands as a surreal, solitary remnant of a lost temporary metropolis. While plans were set for a $1 million restoration to keep her finish shining, she remains right where the original burned, watching modern traffic buzz past where giant exposition halls once stood.
What it's like
You'll find her standing on a patch of lawn near the intersection of Hayes and Richards drives, right at the edge of the Jackson Park golf course. There are no velvet ropes, ticket kiosks, or fences—just a massive golden figure beaming in the open air. On a bright afternoon, the gold leaf glints so hard you can spot her from blocks away down Stony Island Avenue. You can walk right up to the granite base, look directly up her draped gilded gown, and pace off the surrounding grass to map where the fair's massive Administration and Electricity halls once loomed.
The move: Find her standing alone near the old golf course, then pace off on foot where the Exposition's Administration and Electricity Buildings once stood around her.
- 📍 Jackson Park
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 6401 S. Stony Island Ave, Jackson Park, Chicago, IL 60637
Hours: Added 2026-07-19 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Garden of the Phoenix & Yoko Ono's Sky Landing — Walk half a mile north into Wooded Island to see the only surviving architectural footprint from Japan's pavilion at the same 1893 World's Fair.
- Stony Island Arts Bank — Head a few blocks south down Stony Island Avenue to visit a rescued 1920s bank packed with salvaged South Side history and archives.
- Fountain of Time — Head west along the Midway Plaisance to trace the fair's original connecting strip and see Lorado Taft's massive 100-figure concrete procession.
Good to know
How tall is the Golden Lady?
The current bronze statue is 24 feet tall on top of her granite pedestal. The 1893 original she replaced stood 65 feet tall.
What happened to the original World's Fair statue?
The original plaster-and-wood statue, nicknamed "Big Mary," was destroyed by a fire set by park commissioners in 1896 after the fair ended and the structure deteriorated.
Is the statue made of solid gold?
No, the 1918 statue is made of cast bronze covered in applied gold leaf.
Where in Jackson Park is she located?
She stands near 6401 S. Stony Island Avenue at the intersection of Hayes Drive and Richards Drive.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Wikipedia · chicagoparkdistrict.com · worldsfairchicago1893.com · chicago.suntimes.com
last checked: 2026-07-19