Conclusion

The World's Columbian Exposition provided the perfect circumstances for a single depraved man to capture the legacy of America’s first and most successful serial killer. The Exposition attracted people from around the world whose disappearance went unnoticed as local police did not operate across state lines. The realization that serial killers existed lead the nation to understand that only a national police force could apprehend the likes of Holmes. Though not intentional, the leadership and legacy of Holmes as a serial killer and of the Pinkertons as a private detective agency provided the basis for creating the FBI, which remains active today in the tracking and solving of cases involving serial killers (Pinkerton).