New York World's Fair, October 1964
Deciding what to share on "Anything Goes Saturdays" is always vexing. It's like trying to decide what to have for dinner. Lobster thermidor? Yuck, not again. Filet mignon? Eh, not in the mood. Kraft mac 'n cheese? EUREKA! And so, I somewhat randomly chose to select some slide scans from the 1964 New York World's Fair, from October, 1964.
First up is this nice shot looking across the Pool of Industry (not to be confused with the Puddle of Ennui) at the Bell Systems pavilion, with a jet from La Guardia passing by. To the right, the Fountain of the Planets can be seen. Man's speediest communication was once by drumbeat and smoke signal. Now he sends messages around the world by bouncing them off satellites in space. The story of this breathtaking advance in communications is told visually in a 15-minute armchair ride in the giant "floating wing" that comprises the upper story of this pavilion. The wing itself, 400 feet long, is covered with lightweight Fiberglas and rests on just four pylons.
As for that tower, it was one of the tallest structures at the Fair, a 140-foot microwave tower through which TV shows originating at the Fair are transmitted.
Next, the "Festival of Gas" building. A huge white umbrella-roof on two columns shelters a restaurant and exhibit areas set amid landscaped gardens. A giant elevated carousel carries visitors on a tour of the World of Gas, from the gaslit streets of yesteryear to a futuristic City of Tomorrow.
Inside that semicircle we can see a blue-uniformed tour guide. Up above is a giant carousel, 12 feet off the ground, slowly revolves within the exhibit area and permits riders to view the displays they are about to visit. A complete turn takes about five minutes.
A surprising number of photos were taken of the Mormon Church's pavilion, which resembled the temple in Salt Lake City. Guides from the first year of the Fair's operation mention a white cloud, visible for a great distance, hovers around three towers. I'm not sure I've ever seen a photo of this pavilion with the mysterious cloud! By 1965, the guides no longer mention this feature.
And lastly - mama mia! Just look at that crowd gathered near General Electric's "Progressland" pavilion! The Fair's first season ended on October 18th, and I can't help wondering if this is from that date, or possibly from right before? I do have some other slides from the Fair's final closure in 1965, and they resemble this one. As most of you already know, Progressland contained (among other things) Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress.
I hope you have enjoyed today's photos from the 1964 New York World's Fair!
5 comments:
1) The Bell Systems "floating wing" is an interesting piece of architecture; very representative of the World's Fair 'look' from this time.
2) The old guy leaning against that strut has caused it to lean precipitously. I'm not sure how the umbrella thingys play into this pavilion. I guess they contain the various historical 'gas vinettes'?
3) Hmm, now that is strange; the "cloud", I mean. I wonder is it was ever a real effect of some sort. Or maybe it was just mentioned in the pre-fair publicity pamphlet and never was actually included?
4) Is the GE Progressland pavilion the one with the swirly light show in the roof, at night? Looks like we can see the Bell Systems "floating wing" in the background.
This was very tasty Kraft mac 'n cheese indeed! Thanks, Major.
Mmm, macaroni and cheese…
Every time you post pictures of this Fair, I think, that’s it, the weirdest possible building ever. Then you post more pictures, and I have to do it all again. I’m gobsmacked by the sheer variety of oddball architecture on display.
Just guessing here, but was the Festival of Gas preceded by the Carnival of Cabbage?
Photo 1 has several items along the railing that might be trash cans. Photo 3 of the LDS Temple definitely has one, while the other pics show none at all. Disneyland one-ups the Fair in solid waste disposal.
I like the last photo the most, that GE Pavilion looks just like the rendering.
Thanks for the trip to the Fair, Major!
JG
JB, there is something so wonderfully “1960s” about this Fair, and of course the optimism about what the future could hold is so appealing. I’m sad that this sort of thing can’t happen anymore, apparently. That old guy should be thrown in World’s Fair jail for bending that strut, it’s people like him that ruin it for the rest of us. I wondered about the cloud too, how could that even be achieved?? Maybe you’re right, it was only written about and never actually was realized. Yes, the GE building had a swirling light show, I have a few photos that give a sense of what it looked like. Thanks JB!
JG, I’ve heard of people having mac and cheese as part of their Thanksgiving feast. More carbs and cheese is what we need! We’ve never done it. I once made my own mac and cheese with something like six cheeses, it cost me a fortune to make, never again. Trader Joe’s frozen is fine. There was a cloud over the Carnival of Cabbage! But I have no photos of that either. Those are definitely trashcans in the first photo, I’ve seen one or two from the Fair that have been restored (complete with accurate color decals), that would be a fun thing to own, though I don’t know where I’d put it. The GE pavilion is definitely one of the most striking buildings at the Fair, and that’s saying something.
I believe they installed some metal canopy-like structures over the long lines at the GE Pavilion in 1965, to protect people waiting on line from rain and provide shade in the summer.
Dennis, Levittown, NY
Festival of Gas and Morman-Land....not sure if those are a match...and don't light one if you are too close.....
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