Views From the New York State Pavilion, October 1964
Let's visit the 1964 New York World's Fair! I had a small group of scans that are nice views taken from one of the three observation decks of the New York State Pavilion - a LOT of photos were shot from up there, and no wonder. The views from 226 feet (69 meters) up were spectacular. We've seen many on this blog, so I decided that it might be nice to combine them into a single blog post.
Here's the first scan, looking almost exactly due west across the Grand Central Parkway, with the Transportation Zone in the middle of the picture, including the green cheese moon dome of the Travel and Transportation pavilion, the angular theater of the Chrysler pavilion, the giant tire-shaped Ferris Wheel of the U.S. Rubber pavilion, and to the extreme right, the skeletal Ford Rotunda.
Pivoting just a bit to the left, we can also see the giant slanting canopy of the General Motors "Futurama" building. And how about that picturesque Manhattan skyline in the distance? Back when the Empire State Building was still the tallest skyscraper in the world.
Hey, whaddaya know, the two images merged together pretty nicely, if you don't count the black areas!
Next, looking toward the northwest, we have the New Jersey pavilion below (with the many blue "tent" roofs), the wonderful Unisphere, the United States Pavilion (the big rectangular box), with the new Shea Stadium beyond that, and the East River reflecting the sky.
Facing to the southeast, the Vatican pavilion (with Michaelangelo's "Pieta" on display) is near the bottom of the frame, with the massive Belgian Village near that, and the Amusement Zone to the right.
I noticed the cemetery right past the Long Island Expressway, you could look down upon it from the AMF Monorail. Apparently it is the Cedar Grove Cemetery.
I hope you have enjoyed these slides from the 1964 New York World's Fair!
11 comments:
Major-
Images from the 1964 World's Fair always bring a smile to my face.
Thanks, Major, for posting these.
In that first pic, we can also see the giant walk-under car (was it part of the Chrysler pavilion?). The U.S. Royal Tire wheel has always been a favorite thing of mine; it just speaks to me. I don't see any Moonberries here. Maybe they were all on the other side of the highway? (Closest to us.)
Your stitched-together panorama really makes it feel like we're on the observation platform, taking in the view.
The Unisphere has a Moonberry orbiting it! Another one has broken free of its orbit and is flying off into parts unknown, on the right. The Unisphere looks very substantial and metal-y here.
I really like the look of the Belgian Village; very old-world quaint & cozy. Over in the Amusement Zone, we can see the Sky Hook observation ride, or whatever it was called here, before it went to Six Flags Over Texas, and then to wherever it went after that.
Seems like, every time you post '64 NY World's Fair photos, we see something we haven't seen before. Thanks, Major.
I didn't know that Manhattan was visible from the New York State Pavilion. Or maybe I'm just forgetting that factoid. I suppose that means that the pavilion could be seen from the top of the Empire State Building. I wonder if the Unisphere could be spotted from up there, as well.
Thanks for the trip to the Fair, Major
Great views of the NYWF, as always. I'm hoping the restoration work continues and I'll be able to go up there and recreate these shots in a few years.
The moonberry in the center of the Unisphere shot looks like it was recently cleaned. The one at the far right needs a good scrubbing. I know the air pollution required cleaning of the moonberries between the seasons, but it looks like they did some during the season.
I’m with JB on this, the Tire Ferris Wheel is the best thing ever. When the Fair was over, they stored all the little cars inside it like a Hot Wheels case.
That odd T-shaped building is still there, I see it from the taxi on the way to and from the airport. Doesn’t it have a helipad on the roof?
The US Pavilion looks much like the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. Was it an Ed Stone design also?
And a whole Village full of Massive Belgians! Will wonders never cease?
Thanks Major, a great look back!
JG
Nanook, I just scanned some odd but interesting NYWF-related slides, you’ll see some of those toward the end of the year - I think you’ll like them.
JB, yes, the giant car was part of the Chrysler pavilion. I think many people had a fondness for the Uniroyal tire Ferris Wheel - as you probably know, it still exists, but as a static roadside feature. I’m not sure how many Moonberries were at the Fair, perhaps six or so (actually locations for Brass Rail eateries), I always like seeing them. Whoever built the Belgian Village did a very nice job, when you see it from the ground it feels very authentic and ancient.
TokyoMagic!, I’m assuming that the Unisphere, as big as it was, was probably not tall enough to be seen from the Empire State Building. Except with binoculars, perhaps?
Dean Finder, it’s possible that the Moonberry was deflated for cleaning, I think they were very much like the bounce houses for kids, just a powerful fan kept them looking plump and juicy. I’m sure that the nearby highways, in the days of leaded gasoline and no catalytic converters, left a lot of pollution on everything - and it showed especially on those white Moonberries.
JG, yes, the Port Authority building (“T-shaped”) had a heliport on the roof, that must have been quite a way to get to the Fair from LaGuardia. Looking up the designers of the US Pavilion, it looks like it was designed by Chas Luckman Associates. “Massive Belgians”??
Major...I had to look-up that Uniroyal tire comment of yours as I had no idea it still exists...in Detroit. Here's a little information regarding its 50th anniversary: https://www.uniroyaltires.com/homepage/about-uniroyal/news/news1 KS
Love the shot of the Manhattan skyline. I heard that they're going to remove the tile murals at the entrance of the park because they pose a "tripping hazard." Boo! Thanks for the trip to the fair!
Thanks KS, I was amused by the news that at one point a giant nail was placed in the Uniroyal tire to advertise a new puncture-proof tire!
Andrew, oh gosh, I don't like that news at all. And yet... it's typical. We can't have nice things.
Very cool
MS
Major, your post mentioned the “…massive Belgian Village…”, cogito ergo…implies Massive Belgians.
The Kennedy Center and the US Pavilion must have been just formed by the spirit of the age.
Thank you for the info.
JG
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