New York World's Fair, August 1964
I'm continuing a look at some scans from the 1964 New York World's Fair!
First up is this nice view of the Du Pont pavilion. Du Pont (autocorrect, stop changing it to Du Pong!) created many wonders such as neoprene, nylon, teflon, mylar, lycra, Tyvek, and retsin. Well, OK, not retsin, but what if they had?? From the official NYWF guidebook: Show business and science are artfully combined in this big, circular pavilion. A musical revue called "Wonderful World of Chemistry," which was written and produced by the Broadway composer Michael Brown, is presented simultaneously in two theaters by two casts of performers. After the show is over, audiences watch a modern-day alchemist perform feats of wizardry through chemistry.
Here's a view, I'm not exactly sure where it was taken, but it shows visitors taking a break after walking for miles around the Fairgrounds. There's one of those cool Jaguar (?) strollers, I'm not sure if they were only found in the Transportation Zone, or if one could be had anywhere in the Fair.
Here's an unusual view from the IBM pavilion, looking down on the wretched souls waiting for their chance to sit in grandstand-style seats that were drawn up into the theater. An amusing 12-minute show, projected on 15 screens, shows how computers and the human mind solve problems in much the same way. Amusing? I thought it would be erotic!
Next is this nice view of the Johnson's Wax pavilion. Entirely made from the wax from old candles! Truly incredible. This pavilion, a great gold disk which seems to float 24 feet above the ground, is supported by its surrounding columns. It houses a 500-seat theater in which a documentary movie dramatizes the theme of brotherhood.
As you can see, the golden disc "floats" above the ground. Because of the candle wax. I'd explain it, but it is very scientific.
And finally, take a look at this pavilion for the Kingdom of Jordan, whose land is the seedbed of many civilizations and religions, is represented by one of the most striking buildings at the Fair. It is a multi-peaked-and-domed structure covered with gold mosaic and sparkling colored glass. The undulating roof surfaces swoop to the ground, forming Arabic arches: They shade the stained-glass windows that make up two sides of the building and walls with bas-reliefs that make up other sides. Inside the building diverse exhibits - including a scroll from the Dead Sea area - reflect some of the cultures that rose in this region of ancient Palestine.
Stay tuned for one more installment from this batch!
17 comments:
Major-
Let's not forget polyester, in the long chain of inventions from DuPont. (Wise readers will catch the 'long chain' reference...)
This fair never ceases to impress.
Thanks, Major.
Nanook, is that because the composition of polyester is a "long chain" of chemicals? I took Chemistry and Organic Chemistry, but I only remember the "benzene ring," and also some kind of chemical (whose name escapes me) that absolutely had to be worked with under a ventilation hood, otherwise it would have killed the entire classroom. Oh, and of course I remember everything that Adventure thru Inner Space taught us!
I hope the Jordan Pavilion gave out free samples of those pastel-colored candy coated almonds!
@ TM!-
Actually, I'm referring to 'long chain polymers', including nylon, polyester, polyethylene, and polypropylene. And all of them tied to the genius work of DuPont chemist, Wallace Carothers.
Hmm, Blogger isn't publishing my comment. I'll try later.
I have an uncle who was a chemist for Du Pont. He developed a new kind of automotive paint that was going to revolutionize the industry. Unfortunately, in wind tunnel tests it peeled away from the primer at speeds of more than 25 mph. My aunt tried to cheer him up by pointing out there would still be a market for the product among people who needed to change their car color quickly - for example: bank robbers.
Not sure where that second photo was taken, either (don’t think I didn’t want say “Flushing Meadows”). I pulled out my 1964 map of the Fair, but that didn’t help because it isn’t detailed enough to show how the streets were divided into multiple parallel walkways. Based on this photo I think it may have been taken along the Avenue of Commerce, the curved street just above the center of the photo, but I’ve not been able to match up any of the buildings in the background.
Hopefully Bill Cotter will check in and set us all straight.
In that second pic, are those lockers over to the right? If so, maybe the locker locations are designated on the maps of the Fair?
TM!, I thought about that and looked for lockers marked on my map, but no such luck. The 1965 guidebook says “2,500 lockers are located near gates and along main malls where, for 25¢, Fairgoers can leave personal belongings and packages,” so that’s not much help, either.
DuPont makes some of my favorite construction products, with their acquisition of Dow, even more. I love the long chain light fixtures at the perimeter of the pavilion. At least I think that is what those are.
Also seeing some Worlds Fair trash cans, more than a “hot-dog-munch” spacing, and a fairly commonplace mail box. Theming may not have been a priority at the Fair.
OK, the Johnson Wax architect needed to be reined in a bit. This building is quite weird. I guess it made sense to someone. I’d love to know how wax promotes brotherhood. Must be a short movie.
And the Kingdom of Jordan should complain about their walkways, or lack of same. Bad show there to just climb the dirt slope.
Wild stuff today Major! Thanks for giving us the vibe of the Fair with so many new (to me) buildings.
JG
Just tried posting again... nope.
Major-
"There's one of those cool Jaguar (?) strollers..." Make those 'cool Corvette's'.
The first photo seems to be taken from an official Kodak? "Picture Spot". In the middle, one can see the Bell System's blue phone booths which are a very nice design. A couple on the left are wearing red plastic Hawaiian leis?
The location of the second photo might be able to be determined by the colors of the cubes on the lighting fixtures? I think I read somewhere that the color scheme for the lights were particular to their location on the fairgrounds. There may even be an online map posted somewhere - perhaps on the nywf64 website.
I wonder if the third photo was taken from the huge IBM elevating grandstand, or at least from one of the access stairs? One can see the AT&T "wing" in the distance with the loading platform for their moving chair ride suspended below it.
SC Johnson relocated the theater of the fair pavilion to their headquarters in Racine, WI, thus creating the the Golden Rondelle Theater. I saw a showing of "To Be Alive!" on a visit there, which was supposedly the NYWF presentation. It now more closely matches the rest of the headquarters buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
Behind the Jordan pavilion one can make out one of the huge towers for the double Skyway attraction! Thanks Major!
Major, those strollers were rented from Hertz and were seen all around the fair.
I read somewhere that Du Pont made costumes for the performers with their latest synthetics. The dancers hated the shoes because they would never break in like natural materials. I'd guess they switched to leather shoes after a week or 2.
I think Chuck is correct about the location of photo 2. All of the other photos in the set are around the Avenue of Commerce and it ends at the main gate, which would explain the lockers. Omnispace is correct about the patterns of the lamps being specific to the area of the park, but I'm not familiar enough with them to be sure.
I also went to the Johnson Wax HQ on a trip to Racine years ago. Sadly "To Be Alive" was not being shown while they were repairing the projectors. I'll have to go again one day.
JB, I know you've tried and tried to share your comment, thank you for your persistence. Since they go to my email, I can copy/paste it - I hope that's OK. Here it is! HERE IS JB’s COMMENT! : The Du Pont blurb in the guidebook sounds like a satire that you'd see in a Simpsons episode. I don't remember seeing the Du Pont pavilion here on GDB before.
When I was in junior high (we didn't call it middle school then) around 1966, we had a school assembly where this guy did all sorts of chemistry "wizardry". Like pouring a couple of ingredients together in a clear, round 'cake pan', shaking it vigorously for a few seconds, and pulling a foam 'cake' out of the pan. I wonder if this was the same presentation that was at the '64 World's Fair? It was a neat assembly!
Hmm, the girl in the 'Jaguar' stroller looks a little old for a stroller. But she does look cool tooling around in her sports car.
IBM pavilion: "I thought it would be erotic!" And I thought it would be a doomsday sci-fi show where a malevolent computer takes over the world!
I love the look of the Johnson's Wax pavilion. Iconic world's fair architecture! But I would think that their presentation would center around science and chemistry, not "brotherhood".
Major, I'm not buying your "candle wax" explanation. Even though you're trying mightily to sell the idea. ;-)
I like the Jordan pavilion. Again, iconic world's fair architecture. I think that bas relief section on the left is a representation of the carved-out buildings at Petra.
Whoever this photographer was, he captured a lot of interesting things that we don't usually see in '64 NY World's Fair photos. Thanks, Major.
Nanook, how can I forget polyester? My entire outfit is made of it!
TokyoMagic!, look at you brainiacs discussing chemistry! Well, it’s not allowed here, we can only discuss cartoons, Disneyland, and processed foods. I’ve never had a Jordan almond, though I am aware of them.
Nanook, nobody ever talks about Wallace Carothers’ amazing brownies.
JB, I’m sorry about your comments not going through, I get them all in my email, and see that you’ve tried many times. If you like, I can copy the text from one of the emails and post it for you. If I don’t hear from you, maybe I’ll do it anyway (since you’re having Blogger issues) and hope it’s OK.
Chuck, hey, I like the way your aunt thinks. Every cloud has a silver lining! And bank robbers need products too. Most conglomerates ignore that sector. Believe me, I tried and tried to figure out where that second photo was taken, and (like you) I couldn’t find an answer that was a 100% definite match. At first I thought that the building partly visible to the left (in the distance) was the Coca Cola pavilion, but it doesn’t really match. Bill Cotter would almost certainly know the answer!
TokyoMagic!, gosh, I just can’t tell whether those are lockers or not.
Chuck, I’m wondering if that structure in the middle distance (with all of the flags) could be Shea Stadium?
JG, I do believe that those “long chain” things are light fixtures. I have a whole series of slides showing the construction of that big DuPont sign that’s to the left, they’re sort of fascinating, and must have been taken “in house” by whatever firm made it. Trouble is, it might be too many photos to hold people’s interest. I saw somebody selling a restored NYWF trash can years ago, I have to admit that I wanted it, though I don’t really have anyplace to put it. I like that the Johnson’s Wax building went for it - the “golden Rondelle” (flying saucer) apparently still survives in Racine, Wisconsin.
JB, you should try the computer in your other mansion.
Nanook, OK, I will!
Omnispace, that is definitely a Kodak Picture Spot - just like at Disneyland. Good eye on those leis! Surely from the Hawaiian pavilion. that’s a good thought re: the Luminaires, and yes, there is a map that shows what colors were used in which location. I think I have it somewhere on my computer. Still, there were a LOT of Luminaires, and a lot of color combos! If I have time I’ll see if I can use your suggestion to figure it out. I believe that the IBM photo was taken from the actual grandstands, but I can’t say for sure. I just watched a video about the SC Johnson headquarters in Racine, but sadly they did not mention the Golden Rondelle. Sadly. And yes, the Sky Ride at the NYWF really got up high!
Dean Finder, ah, interesting, thank you for that information about the strollers. I guess they’ve improved some of those synthetic fabrics that seemed great, but were in fact not that comfy. My mom used to love some of her Rayon clothing. Since you concur with Chuck, I’d say that the two of you have figured out the right location of photo #2!
By the Great Horn Spoon, Major - I think that is Shea Stadium! Compare what little we can see of it through the trees with this photo. Going back to the 1964 map, that would mean the photo was taken on New York Avenue, facing the direction of Main Gate No. 1, with the Mormon Pavilion and the Festival of Gas across the lawn behind the photographer.
Major, "I can copy/paste it - I hope that's OK." YES! It's more than OK, it's terrific! Thank you!
P.S.- I can post very short comments, like this one. (140 CHRs or less?)
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