By 1893, and the opening of the Chicago World's Columban Exposition, Americans were becoming familiar with the marvels of the midway. By the early 1900s, amusement parks dotted the landscape and several larger cities had more than one commercial park. Many of these parks became the stuff of lasting memories, icons of America: Playland Park in San Francisco, Elitch Gardens in Denver, Riverview in Chicago, Riverside in Indianapolis.