 Dr. Gunsaulus came to Chicago when the city was swept up with a sense of urban revival after the Great Fire of 1871 and civic pride sparked by the prospect of hosting an exposition to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus' epic journey to the New World.Competing against other major U.S. cities, Chicago business leaders committed $5 million to the fair and promised another $5 million if the city were selected.Noting the success of the 1876 Centennial in Philadelphia, Gunsaulus was at the core of a small group of civic-minded leaders who promoted the fair as a means to push Chicago into the international spotlight as a center for commerce, education, architecture and the arts.