New York World's Fair
You know me, I love some pictures from the 1964 New York World's Fair! Hopefully you do, too.
This first one was sold as "Man and girl at carnival", but I'm an evil genius and recognized the roofline of the "Festival of Gas" pavilion to the extreme left, as well as that distinctive trashcan, I've only see that style at the Fair (though I'm sure they were used elsewhere). Picnic lunches were OK at the NYWF. I'm not really sure what that very colorful area just behind our heroes was - looking at a map it could be the location for Mastro Pizza. What?? It's Sbarro or nothing!
Outside the Moroccan Pavilion, visitors gather to watch performers. What kind of performers? Well, the sign above the little ticket booth says that you might see a SNAKE CHARMER, a FIRE EATER, a HOT WATER DRINKER (Huh??), a MAGICIAN, or FOLKLORE DANCERS. I'm just happy that I got to see the helmet of hair on the woman with the gray sleeveless top, it is a masterpiece of artistry and engineering.
This next one is the best of the bunch, in my opinion. It's a pretty spectacular view of the Progressland pavilion, with crowds aplenty waiting in line to see (among other things) Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress, and a genuine fusion reactor. The building is striking, and huge. At first I thought that people to the left were coming down the ramp after viewing the exhibits inside (sort of like at Disneyland), but they all appear to be walking up. Don't you wish you could join them?
And finally, we're at the Chrysler Pavilion over in the Transportation Zone. Late-model Chryslers appear to hover above the water, but don't drive your new vehicle into the nearest pond, that is not covered by your warranty. You may have notice the World's Largest Car, the gas mileage is terrible, but it can seat a family of 30 comfortably. The cigarette lighter is the size of a trashcan.
17 comments:
That's a 1964 Imperial Crown Coupe hovering above the waters in the last shot (had one). Wow what a cool place to see!
Thank You Major
Major-
Some lovely images from the Fair - but I'm a bit worried about the young lass in the 1st image. Just 'cuz she's sporting red socks and a black polka dot dress does not allow her to be an 'exhibitionist'. Merciful heavens-!
Just wait until Miss. Jenna (my haircare professional) sees all those 1964 hairstyles - she'll flip.
I'll bet all those Chrysler vehicles have very "limited" undercarriage and engine/drivetrain mechanics. (I wonder if the vehicles were 'rolled-off' and stored for the winter between the 1964/65 seasons-?)
Thanks, Major.
Or is that perhaps a LeBaron Coupe? Sigh... Nanook will know!
@ walterworld-
Yes, a 1964 Imperial Crown Coupe; Dodge 880; Plymouth Sport Fury - most-likely ALL the vehicles in Persian White.
Thanks, Walterworld for getting the ball rolling.
I like the little girl's polka-dot dress. It goes well with her red socks and belt. I also like that gold and red woven basket by her side. There's a sign just to the left of the two rainbow-colored kiosks. I tried to read it, but to no avail. The sign has a (Southeast Asian?) woman on it.
Ha! Your "helmet of hair" lady reminds me of the Martian, disguised as an Earth woman, in "Mars Attacks!". These Moroccan performers don't appear to be any of those listed on the sign. They're playing traditional musical instruments. And I'm with you, Major- "Hotwater Drinker"??? I can do that! Although I flavor it with tea, coffee, or cocoa mix. Oh my... The bald-headed guy close to us makes it look like the guy in the pale yellow shirt is... MOONING us!
The crowd of people really add visual interest to the Progressland pavilion pic. Together with the futuristic architecture, this is what World Fairs are supposed to look like! The "Waiting Time" sign says either "30 minutes" or "30 hours"; I can't tell which.
Besides the terrible gas mileage, the giant car would be a bear to parallel park. They've got the wheels on those 'hovering' Chryslers spinning at 120 mph. Besides churning up the water, like we see, the fast spinning wheels keep the cars afloat. If they drop below 95 mph, the cars will sink! (I know my physics!)
Nanook, I decided I wasn't going to mention the awkward pose of the little girl. So I'm glad you did! ;-p
Not a single "Moonberry" in these photos! I'm gonna call my congressman and complain! Nice set of '64 World's Fair photos, Major. Thanks.
I recognize the girl in that first pic. It's little Sharon Stone! Her family went in the Hollywood pavilion that day, and it inspired her to become an actress. They also visited the Clairol pavilion, which convinced her to go blond.
There's a lot of forensics to be done on this mornings photos...in number one,. clearly the photographer caught Sharon at a bad moment in time, but when you zoom in to dads teeth....well, I will leave it there. To the right of them is the most proper of proper ladies in gloves, handbag, and hat, walking oh-so-confidently down this "street" but when you look at the benches: it doesn't look like the street people can get out, and vice versa. What was this street used for, and how did you get out of the way for traffic? I do like the feet detail on the benches: a style I haven't seen before. Pic 2, I don't even know where to begin...between the shanty town ticket booth with the bored ticket seller, the list of "shows", the stack of opened cardboard boxes stacked against the building, or the "Hair-Don't" directly in front of the stage. Don't light a match anywhere close to that hair helmet....it's impressive. In pic 3 of course the GE pavilion is MOST impressive, and I'm wondering why they didn't replicate this building it it's entirety. It's pretty amazing: as is that queue to get in. What a contrast from the previous photo...as is the sea of cars: I can see the designers talking about it...."CARS! CARS FLOATING ON FOUNTAINS! YESSSS!"....it's impressive, but don't you want the masses climbing into your cars wanting to buy them? Or are they amphibious? Amphibious cars are the coolest thing ever, however I don't think these are. Thanks for the trip to Queens Major!
See how important the forensic study of trash cans can be!
The bench legs remind me of some old classroom desks from my school. Not quite art deco, not quite Jetsons.
Jessica Fletcher is studying the Mars Attacks hair-don’t (snicker, chortle, cackle) while deciding whether or not to audition for “hot-water drinker…”
The CoP building is very impressive, looks like the passengers are boarding for take-off.
Would be hard to reach the pedals of the world’s largest car, much less see over the steering wheel. I remember Dad joking that Mom needed the Wards catalog as a booster driving our 1967 T-bird, which seemed like it might have been the world’s second largest car.
I love the cars in the fountain! Which one will the fountain bless?
Thanks Major!
JG
I may have mentioned this before, but Canobie Lake Park in New Hampshire purchased a lot of the World's Fair trash cans, along with a few Luminaires. You can still see them today. Great photos!
@ JG-
"Which one will the fountain bless?" Touché.
Yes, which one, indeed-! (I should be hearing the Frank Sinatra version, but instead all I can hear is the Four Aces version swirling around in my head). Theirs reeks of the 1950's.
Major-
Belatedly, I should point out not visible in the image featuring the 'water skiing' Chrysler motor products is a Dodge Dart.
Maybe it's REALLY hot water. Like coming off the nuclear reactor.
walterworld, I know I am weird, but I just like the word “coupe”.
Nanook, yeah, I decided to just ignore the unfortunate pose of the girl. The less said, the better! I wish I had a haircare professional. But my Flowbee hasn’t steered me wrong yet. I have no doubt that the cars in the fountain had no engines or other unnecessary heavy parts. No point!
walterworld, if you don’t know, I sure don’t!
Nanook, I wonder why they chose boring white for all of the cars? Why not a variety of bright hues? Seems weird.
JB, yeah, there’s no readable signs, and when I looked at one particular map of the Fair, it didn’t really indicate anything in that spot. I remember the Martian from “Mars Attacks”, played by Tim Burton’s then-girlfriend. He loves to put his girlfriends in his movies. I once drank lukewarm water, and think that people might pay me to do it again. 30 minutes is a short waiting time, I’d get in that line right away! Wow, I am impressed with your physics knowledge, you must have gone to the University of Phoenix! I’m sorry about the lack of Moonberries, but the next sighting will be all the sweeter!
TokyoMagic!, wow, it is so cool to have a photo of a young Sharon Stone! :-)
Bu, yes, I think I was so distracted by dad’s Austin Powers teeth that I didn’t even notice the girl’s pose. 1964 must have been toward the end of wearing gloves for ladies (older women excepted). Our view in photo #1 is too cropped-in, it’s impossible to know where the street led, or how crowds maneuvered through. I have to admit that the Moroccan pavilion looks like a snooze compared to so much else at the fair. Sorry, Morocco! I think that the Progressland building was both expensive, and way too large for Disneyland - the Carousel of Progress was just one small part of what guests could see inside. I do wish it could have been fit into the park, though! I like the cars on fountains, but it does seem like it would be nice if prospective buyers could kick the tires and get behind the wheels.
JG, I didn’t even really notice the bench legs, but they are surprisingly artful. Funny, you see Jessica Fletcher, I see the mother from “The Manchurian Candidate”! I love the Progressland building, and the lighting at night made it appear to spin, which is extra cool. For a while I drove my grandparent’s old Buick, and that thing was truly huge. I think I prefer my smaller car!
Andrew, I think you have mentioned the trash cans at Canobie Lake, which is very cool. I know that other parks purchased Luminaires, man I would love to own an original one of those!
Nanook, I don’t get the reference, but that’s what I get for only listening to Taylor Swift.
Nanook, do you have… THE SHINING??
DBenson, not only is the water hot, it’s also untreated sewage!
JG, Ha! "Which one will the fountain bless?" That would be Melissa's cue to regale us with her rendition of:
♫♪ "Three cars in the fountain." ♩♬
DBenson, the plutonium gives the hot water that extra fizz that people find so appealing.
Major, the University of Phoenix was too spendy for me, so I enrolled in the University of Tombstone instead.
Major, I always love photos of the '64 Fair! I don't think that those people were merely walking up the ramp to the second level carousel show. It looks like they were riding Speedramps!
Those benches and trash cans were designed for the WF, not just existing NYC Parks designs.
You are correct that guests entered on the second floor. I can't find any confirmation that the ramps were speedramps, though. Some Illustrations from the booklets look like they're primitive ones where you have to use your legs like a caveman,
After seeing the CoP show, you took an escalator up to the top floor, like in Disneyland, then after watching a show projected on the inside of the dome, walked down a spiral staircase to the fusion demonstration and galleries of GE products.
I remember in 1965, as a child, seeing the Carousel of Progress for my second time without my parents, and slowly and surreptitiously sneaking past the line of visitors as we moved UP the ramp.
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