GE Pavilion, New York World's Fair

General Electric's "Progressland" was one of the more visually stunning buildings (at a fair full of stunning buildings)! As most reader's of this blog know, this was the home for the original Carousel of Progress. Viewers sat in one of six theaters that revolved around a center stage. They were treated to vignettes of a "typical" American family in the 1890s, 1920s, 1940s, and 1960s, showing how progress (and in particular, electricity and related appliances) were going to make life better than ever.

The show was probably considered a bit corny even in 1964, but I have always loved it's optimistic tone. No "Blade Runner" here!


We are looking across the Pool of Industry. It's peaceful now, but at night the Fountain of the Planets put on a display of fireworks, spectacular lighting and (of course) fountains (which used more than 400-tons of water ejected through 2,000 nozzles - - that's a lot of nozzles). Themes changed regularly, from classical music, broadway show tunes, popular melodies, and death metal.