New Orleans 1885: Mississippi State Exhibit.....

The exhibit of the State of Mississippi was located in the south-western portion of the Government & States Building, and covered 11,700 square-feet of floor-space. A cotton-encrusted pavilion formed the main entrance to the extensive exhibit, which contained one of the most complete displays of cotton at the New Orleans exposition. As one of the greatest of the cotton producing states, Mississippi displayed cotton in its many grades and forms, from the rough boll to the cleaned & finished product. Numerous displays illustrated the processes of manufacture, from cotton thread to various types of cotton cloth. A related exhibit showed how cotton seeds were used in several products. Mississippi's silk industry was shown, within a pavilion decorated with shelled-corn; and large displays of tobacco, tea, corn, wheat, fruit, and wine also attracted much attention. Various clays used in the manufacturing of bricks, tiles, and pottery were displayed, as well as an exhibit of silica used in the manufacturing of glass. Additional exhibits of manufactured goods were shown from almost every factory within the state, proving that Mississippi was far from being an exclusively agricultural empire.