World’s Fair Remnants - Flushing Meadow Corona Park

Historic Sites

Feb 5

In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald famously described this area as “a valley of ashes.” Just a few decades later, the landscape was dramatically transformed into the 1,200-acre site of the 1939 New York World’s Fair, where the world converged to celebrate innovation, culture, and the promise of the future.

Highlights of the 1939 World’s Fair included corporate exhibitions by Ford, IBM, RCA, Borden, American Tobacco, and Coca-Cola, alongside national pavilions representing countries such as Greece, Iraq, France, Poland, Japan, and Brazil, among many others. Visitors encountered groundbreaking innovations, including fluorescent lighting by General Electric; Elektro the Robot—created by Westinghouse and capable of speaking and even smoking cigarettes; General Motors’ Futurama; and DuPont’s introduction of nylon.

Entertainment at the fair was equally bold and theatrical. Performers in elaborate and often provocative costumes roamed the grounds, drawing crowds to attractions such as the Cuban Village, Savoy Ballroom, Crystal Palace, Amazon Village, and the legendary Billy Rose’s Aquacade. After the fair closed, plans were made to demolish most of the structures and convert the site into a public park, but the onset of World War II delayed much of that vision.

The grounds were revitalized once again for the 1964 New York World’s Fair. Notable exhibits included General Motors’ Futurama II, AT&T’s Picturephone, Sinclair Oil’s Dinoland, and a basic computer introduced by IBM. Many nations did not participate, having already devoted significant resources to the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair.

Neither the 1939 nor the 1964 World’s Fair proved to be financially successful. Both lost money and were unable to repay their backers, with legal disputes from the 1964 fair continuing until 1970. Most pavilions were eventually demolished, though a handful survived within what is now Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. Other structures and elements were relocated and repurposed—as a ski lodge, radio station, portions of a hotel, and even a church—or became attractions in amusement parks such as Disneyland.

Before becoming the Queens Museum as it is known today, the former New York City Building served as the headquarters of the newly formed United Nations from 1946 to 1950, adding yet another remarkable chapter to the site’s extraordinary history.

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This shot is of the sun setting behind the iconic 1964 World’s Fair unisphere made of stainless steel, designed by Gilmore D. Clarke.

Restoration scaffolding covers a section of the New York State Pavilion, designed by architect Philip Johnson.

This portion of the New York State Pavilion was called the Tent of Tomorrow and contained artwork, including some from the Hudson River School.

The Tent of Tomorrow had a 50,000 square foot roof consisting of multi-colored panels, which were removed in the 1970’s as a safety precaution.

The top of these three towers of the New York State Pavilion (measuring 60, 150 and 226 feet tall, respectively) could be accessed by an elevator called the Sky Streak.

This circular plaza marks the location of Westinghouse’s Time Capsule of the 1939 and 1965 World’s Fair.

The Time Capsule inscription reads:

“The time capsules deposited September 23, 1938 and October 16, 1965 by the Westinghouse Electric Corporation as a record of twentieth century civilization to endure for 5,000 years”

The Queens Botanical Garden was created as a part of the 1939 Fair and was originally located in the Park. It was moved to its current location in 1963, in preparation for the 1964 Fair.

The present Queens Theater in the Park was originally “Theaterama”, exhibiting art work by Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein.

Queens Theater in the Park

Here is one of the long park benches that line Truman Promenade and Court of Nations leading to the unisphere.

The next two pictures are of some of the original paved paths that still exist with names like Avenue of Commerce, United Nations Avenue, Avenue of the Americas, Avenue of Africa and Avenue of Asia.

The three rings around the unisphere represent the orbits of the first American astronaut, the first Russian cosmonaut and the first communications satellite to orbit the earth.

In 1995, near the unisphere, New York-based artist, Matt Mullican, created a 3,000 square-foot series of 464 four foot square granite panels. These panels depict the history of Flushing Meadow-Corona Park from prehistoric times through the 1965 World’s Fair.

The 1964 World’s Fair is depicted in a few of the black granite panels.

In this picture you can make out some of Mullican’s series of etched black marble panels.

The Rocket Thrower by sculptor Donald De Lue

The Rocket Thrower with the Unisphere in the background

This view of the unisphere is looking across the pools in between Herbert Hoover Promenade and Dwight Eisenhower Promenade.

This area of the fairgrounds included exhibitions by countries like the Philippines, Republic of China, Morocco, the Caribbean, Central America, Indonesia and more.

Part of the description posted near the Column of Jerash reads:

“King Hussein of the Hachamite Kingdom of Jordan presented this 30 foot-high marble column to the the New York World’s Fair Corporation and the City of New York on the occasion of Jordan’s participation in the New York World’s Fair of 1964-65, held in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park”.

The delicate column with modified Corinthian capital, was originally erected in 120 AD by Romans in the ancient Jordanian city of Jerash. It was part of the Temple of Artemis, named for the “principal deity” of the city, then known as Gerasa.

It is likely this column is the second oldest man-made object in the City of New York. Do you know the oldest object? See the end of the post for the answer.

The Unisphere with dedication plaque:

“Dedicated to man’s aspirations towards Peace through understanding and symbolizing his achievements in an expanding universe”

Built and Presented by United States Steel Corporation to the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair, April 22, 1964

Made of stainless steel, the Unisphere is 140’ high, 120’ in diameter and weighs 700,000 pounds.

The Freedom of the Human Spirit, sculpture by Marshall Frederick. was moved to the main entrance of the Arthur Ashe US Tennis Center in 1996.

In 1996 it was also renovated and resurfaced.

Another view of the Freedom of the Human Spirit

This is one of the three original futuristic-looking fiberglass buildings on the World’s Fair Marina waterfront. The marina allowed visitors to come to the 1964 World’s Fair by boat. These buildings are called the Candela Structures, which housed exhibits by Johnson Motors and Evinrude Motors. The buildings were designed by architect and industrial designer Peter Schladermundt.

The Port Authority of New York built this pavilion with a rooftop landing pad for scheduled takeoffs and landings. The pavilion also housed a restaurant, cocktail lounge and private dining club.

The original Port Authority Heliport is now Terrace on the Park, a catering venue.

This picture is one of the rides in the Fantasy Forest Amusement Park in Flushing Meadow-Corona Park. Only the carousel, in the background, was original to the Fair, later moved to its present site in 1968.

The original curved-concrete section of the the Hall of Science was designed by Max Abramovitz and Wallace K. Harrison.

The newer entrance to the Hall of Science

Located on the Avenue of Science, Forms in Transit, the sculpture by Theodore Roszak, vaguely resembles the Concord.

The 43-foot long sculpture, Forms in Transit is composed of aluminum and steel.

One of the space age remnants of the United States Space Park

The rockets represented the space race that was going on in the 1960’s.

This is the Free Form sculpture by Jose de Rivera. Back in the day, the crescent revolved on its stand.

The Free Form sculpture is located in the Court of States section of the park.

The Vatican Pavilion location marker inscription reads:

“This the site of the Vatican Pavilion was authorized by Pope John XXIII visited on October 4, 1965 by Pope Paul VI during his mission of peace to The United Nations.

The building exhibited Michelangelo’s Pieta and other art treasures. It symbolized the brotherhood of man the spirit of ecumenism and the theme of the New York World’s Fair 1964-1965 Peace through understanding.

The Vatican Pavilion was dedicated on April 19, 1964”

The Vatican Pavilion, on Europe Avenue, during the 1964-1965 World’s Fair was among the most popular attractions, with Michelangelo’s Pieta, the moving representation of Mary grieving over the body of Christ. This was the first time it traveled outside of St. Peter’s Basilica, and was displayed behind bullet-proof plexiglass.

A cool structure, but not a remnant of either Fair, is this aviary, part of the Queens Zoo. The Zoo opened after the 1964 World’s Fair on the site of many of the old transportation, travel and automation-related pavilions, including Chrysler, US Rubber, and Avis Rent-A-Car.

A marker of the Court of the 1939 World’s Fair on one of the curbs

This statue of George Washington, surrounded by cherry trees, honors his close association with the Free and Accepted Masons.

A full-sized faux-painted plaster model was displayed at the Masonic Pavilion of the 1964 World’s Fair. This bronze version of the statue was created by Donald De Lue and placed near the site of the Masonic Pavilion.

This view is of the former 1964 “Promenade of Industry” with the “Fountain of Planets” in the center of the “Pool of Industry”. Exhibitions around this pool included Bell Systems, Scott Paper, Clairol, Equitable Life Insurance, IBM, and General Electric.

This is the 1939 Lagoon of Nations, later named, the Pool of Industry in 1964.

This picture is of one of the Art Deco eagles that are on top of two flagpoles from the 1939 World’s Fair near the Lagoon of Nations. They were preserved for the 1964 World’s Fair near what was named the Fountain of Planets. The artist is listed as Robert Foster.

Another remnant of the 1939 World’s Fair is the defunct landmarked Parachute Jump, moved to Coney Island in 1941.

The present Queens Museum is the only surviving building of the 1939 World’s Fair. The front facade of the building, designed by Aymar Embury in 1939, got a recent face lift, but more of the original look can be seen here in the rear facade.

Shown here is more of the rear facade of the original New York City Building, now the Queens Museum. This building also served as the temporary home of the United Nations from 1946 to 1952.

This mural titled, Black, Trans & Alive (Qweens Song) by Glory Tuitt, stretches across the former New York City Building, now the Queens Museum.

This picture shows the night view of the City. When first introduced in 1964, this display included an automated continuous lighting cycle that went from night to day.

The next few pictures are of the Panorama of the City of New York exhibit, inside the Queens Museum. This picture shows the natural light at dawn, while the City’s artificial lights are going out.

The Panorama was conceived as a celebration of the City’s municipal infrastructure by urban mastermind and World’s Fair President, Robert Moses, for the 1964 Fair.

The Panorama was built by a team of more than 100 people working over three years at a cost of $672,662.69 in 1964 ($5 million today).

The next couple of images show the Queens Museum displays - this one shows the models of some of the pavilions at the Fairs.

World’s Fair souvenirs

Some commemorative plates and other souvenirs

More World’s Fair souvenirs

A model of the General Electric pavilion

A layout of the 1964 World’s Fair grounds

Here is a personal photo taken of my father on duty with the Papal entourage during the 1964 World’s Fair.

Although not related to the Fairs, I could not pass up seeing The Neustadt Collection of Tiffany Glass, on long-term loan to the Queens Museum.

Queens has special significance because Tiffany’s glass furnaces, metal foundry and workshops were located in Corona, Queens, less than two miles from this Museum. The next few images are of some of the lamps in the exhibit.

“Grape” Library Lamp - 1905

“Dragonfly” Reading Lamp - 1910

“Dragonfly” Library Lamp - 1910

The park fell into disrepair in the following decades, only playing host to barbecuing, picnics and sports like soccer, baseball and volleyball. The City of New York maintained the Hall of Science, a roller rink and museum in the old New York City Building. They also maintained Theater in the Park (in the old Theaterama building) and the World’s Fair Marina. In addition, they created a Zoo, a petting farm, the Queens Botanical Garden and the now demolished Shea Stadium. In 1978, the United States National Tennis Center opened and hosted the U.S. Open.

Today, the iconic park features indoor pools, ice skating, paddleboat rentals, tennis courts, playgrounds, basketball courts, skate park, football fields, hiking trails, miniature golf, and kayak/canoe launch.

Cool sites to visit on the history of the site: New York State Library and New York Parks Department

Answer: The oldest man-made object in New York City, situated in Central Park, is the Egyptian obelisk known as “Cleopatra’s Needle”, which is said to be 3500 years old.

What you should know:

Restrooms are available.
There are walking trails.
There is plenty of free parking.
You could spend a few hours to an entire day.
Picnicking and barbecuing is allowed.
There are plenty of fields to play soccer, baseball and football.
There is a zoo, petting farm and small amusement section for children.
There are areas for skateboarders, cycling, kayaking, tennis, swimming, skating and miniature golf.
Enjoy the remnants of both World’s Fairs including buildings, sculptures and plantings.
Visit the Queens Museum; check their website for days and hours of operation.