More 1939 New York World's Fair
It's time for more 80+ year-old photos from the 1939 New York World's Fair! This batch is better than the previous one, I think you'll agree.
If I had a time machine, but was only allowed to see one attraction at this Fair, I would probably visit General Motors' FUTURAMA, designed by Normal Bel Geddes. This was the most popular exhibit, with a daily capacity of over 30,000 people. Bel Geddes said that Futurama is a large-scale model representing almost every type of terrain in America and illustrating how a motorway system may be laid down over the entire country—across mountains, over rivers and lakes, through cities and past towns—never deviating from a direct course and always adhering to the four basic principles of highway design: safety, comfort, speed, and economy.
Next is the Illinois pavilion. We all know that Walt Disney brought Abraham Lincoln to life in 1964, but in '39 they had to settle for a statue from sculptor Clyde DuVernet Hunt. Titled, "The American Spirit", the 9 foot-tall bronze shows a stovepipe-hatted Abe with his hand on the head of a boy representing "Hope", while a woman ("Faith") kneels at his feet. Today you can see this tableau at the Bennington Museum in Vermont.
The Illinois building contained a large-scale model of the city of Chicago. It consisted of all 450,000 buildings, hand-painted and placed in their exact location. The diorama showed public buildings, parks, waterways, railroad terminals and yards, elevated rail systems and utility networks. The Illinois building was the showplace of modern Illinois and its rich history.
Over in the Government Zone was the Italy pavilion, with this rather striking combination of architecture and sculpture: The Italian Pavilion displayed a combination of classical Roman and modern Italian architecture in its design. A statue of the goddess Roma stood atop a 200 foot high pedestal with a waterfall cascading down the steps into a pool at the base of the monument which was dedicated to Marconi.
Eastman Kodak had a well-loved pavilion; among it's most notable features was the "Hall of Color". The Hall of Color proved unbelievably popular with its newly-developed sight and sound show. The performance utilized eleven specially constructed slide projectors at a cost of $100,000. Twenty-foot high and 187-foot long screens around the entire circumference of the hall, and over 200,000 slides. Eight photographers spent a year on assignment, collecting color photos of hunting dogs, babies, athletes, newlyweds, and every fantastic landform.
The Polish pavilion had a sobering history; it opened on May 3, 1939 to commemorate the 148th anniversary of the Polish Constitution of May 3, 1791. This is generally regarded as Europe’s first and the world’s second constitution, following the 1788 ratification of the United States Constitution.
On September 1, 1939 Nazi Germany attacked Poland and Polish personnel at the World’s Fair had no choice but to stay in New York along with everything that was presented at the Polish Pavilion.
Seen here is a statue of King Jagiello (1362 - 1434), victor of the Battle of Grunwald. You remember!
I hope you have enjoyed these photos from the 1939 New York World's Fair.
13 comments:
Major-
These buildings have such grandeur. I have to agree with you about Futurama; what a thrill it would have been to have seen it. And just think... all those fairgoers are standing on-line for who knows how long, and there's not a smartphone among them. (How did they manage it-??)
Thanks, Major.
Yes, Futurama is the one exhibit I'd want to see too. Still we can watch footage of the attraction and view photographic images online. Looking forward to more 1939 World's Fair. Thanks, Major.
I remember my mom telling me about her visit to the fair. She agreed with you Major. General Motors' was at the top of her list. She remembered being impressed with seeing clover leaf interchanges that allowed cars to get on and off the highways quickly. Funny how something we take for granted today was so fascinating to a 14 year old girl back then. My time machine would arrive at the Westinghouse building home of Elektro the Robot. He smoked don't ya know. Well it was 1939.
There is nothing cooler than history's version of what the future would be like. Futurama for me as well. All the art deco souvenirs I could get my hands on, and an assortment of fedoras. Check out all the gents in the photo, hats as far as you can see. In 1941, they would all be wearing service caps. Thanks Major.
Ha, the tower of pictures outside of the Kodak pavilion was simply copied in a bigger and more impressive fashion for the '64-'65 fair! It amazes me of how impressive these buildings are, yet they were designed, constructed, and removed in such a short period of time. I guess that most of them weren't built to last. I really enjoyed this trip - thanks, Major.
I would have liked to see those 450,000 buildings. I would have counted them too. I bet there was actually only 448,000! They bank on people not checking...
I wonder if they modeled Walt Disney's birthplace?
I was just watching video of the 1939 World's Fair opening ceremonies last night. Weird!
These are lovely.I do enjoy a good statue. At first glance, with the hat and cape, I thought Mr. Lincoln looked a bit like the Hatbox Ghost.
Next to Disneyland I love seeing 1939 NY World's Fair pictures. That Futurama pic is superb with all the people waiting in that line. I wonder how long the wait was? Hope it doesn't rain for those people at the end of the line! At least we have some film footage of what the model looked like. Sort of reminds me of the beautiful city of the future that was on the second floor of the Carousel of Progress.
Nanook, GM was definitely “flexing” at the Fair, with that elaborate, huge pavilion and ride. Maybe all those people in line had 2-way wrist radios?
K. Martinez, we can watch movie footage, which is great, but I feel like we’re only getting about 30% of the experience. Even waiting in line was part of the deal!
Gnometrek, oh neat, I wish I could talk to somebody who remembered going on “Futurama”, though there are probably not that many people around anymore, sadly. Elektro would be mighty fun to see as well - with his dog Sparko, of course!
Jonathan, I agree, I always love visions of the future from our real past. This includes things like Fritz Lang’s “Metropolis” or William Cameron Menzies’ “Things to Come”. For one thing, they are often (but not always) optimistic about the coming decades. Of course you get a “Blade Runner” in there sometimes, too. All that rain! All those replicants!
Andrew, I suppose it isn’t that much of a surprise that both of Kodak’s Fair pavilions had large photographic images outside. I wonder if the photos were changed out over time like the ones in 1964/65? I believe that only one building still survives from 1939.
stu29573, I admit that my BS detector went off when I saw that line about the 450,000 buildings. That’s a LOT! On the other hand, they had lots of cheap Depression-era labor. Presumably a lot of the structures were simple little houses, and the further from the viewer they were placed, the cruder they could be.
Chuck, they even sculpted a tiny grain-of-rice sized Walt Disney, but they put a mustache on him even though he was a child.
Melissa, a man named Phillip Medicus shot hours of beautiful color home movies at the 1939 Fair, it’s incredible to see, vivid hues from a time that is mostly remembered in black and white. You can see them on YouTube HERE. It’s too bad it doesn’t have music, but I suppose you could always play your own vintage tunes in the background! One thing that amazes me is how much sexy stuff was on display… seems they were way more permissive than we are today.
Sunday Night, I’ll bet the line was hours long on a busy day - it’s possible that even when you finally got inside the main building you could still wait a long time until you boarded your vehicle. I think that “Progress City” was at least partially inspired by a number of “future city” concepts.
A large expanse of roadway that allows drivers to travel to one side of the country to the other with relative ease? Well, that sounds like a novel idea that would make it "fun to be free." Why, you could even call it a "freeway"? Or, since it travels through several states, an "interstate." But I doubt that crazy idea would never come to pass.
When San Diego has its second exposition in 1934/35 in Balboa Park many new Art-Deco Moderne pavilions we’re constructed . The FORD rotunda still stands and is restored to its 1935 luster inside and out but it it used as the SD aerospace museum. Inside is a beautiful art deco mural that as you walk you see the progression of transportation - ending in a FANTASTIC vision of a futuristic metropolis with Art Deco streamlined cruise ships, monorails , giant circular airliner helicopters and soaring skyscrapers. Outside was a terraced restaurant that diners could look below and watch another attraction FORD’S ROADWAYS OF THE WORLD. Guests boarded the later V-8 Sedans and went in a trip over roadways thru Germany, Morocco , United States etc. it’s not clear if guests drove the cars themselves or if they were chauffeured....but an interesting detail were miniature buildings and landmarks placed strategically to give the impression they were in the distance .... like a German village and castle as you drove over a REAL Munich cobblestone Street , pass Mount Rushmore above you or drive through a cherry blossom grove in Tokyo . You get the idea. The finale was a drive onto a futuristic roadway of 1975 where automobiles will take curves safely at speeds in excess of 45mph .... etc etc ....
Looks like FORD had similar attractions in Chicago and the New York Worlds Fairs as well. So when Disney proposed for the FORD 64 NY attraction SYMPHONY OF AMERICA attraction where you road thru scenes of The Grand Canyon , The Everglades , Monument Valley , down Bourbon Street , over the Golden Gate Bridge ..... FORD was not pleased with Disney and a FORD executive said “ We want something BIGGER !!! GRANDER!! - besides everyone knows you “see the USA in a Chevrolet” So the Magic Skyway was created.
Great pictures, Major.
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