In 1893, the world came to an end.

In 1893, the world came to Chicago.

The world's Colombian exposition was 400 years in the making.

It was planned to celebrate the anniversary of Christopher Columbus' arrival in America,

and Chicago was chosen as the place where the exposition would be held.

The exposition grounds took shape on a stretch of boggy Lake Michigan shoreline

that consisted of windblown sand, mud, rocks, and trees.

An architect named Daniel Burnham would transform the land into a vast wonderland

of canals, lakes, palaces, rides, shows, and immense buildings

that were electrically illuminated at night and gleamed so brightly in the daytime sunshine

that the fair was dubbed the White City.

But not everything that happened at the Colombian exposition was wonderful.

Behind the shining mask of the White City was a darkness both terrifying and deadly.

It was in that darkness where monsters lurked.

Confidence men, thieves, and pickpockets found easy targets on the fairgrounds.

Robbery's muggles and assaults plagued visitors and the innocent were scandalized

by the presence of Chicago's notorious red light district,

which was only a short distance away.

The levee, as it was known, did a booming business during the fair,

thanks to those who were not so innocent.

And there was worse.

On the evening of the fair's Chicago Day celebration,

...