Anyone ever been to the site of the New York World's Fair?

[SyracuseOrange]

Last night, we had some friends over to our apartment. I met this guy and we started talking about DIsney. I showed him the large framed photos I have hanging in my room of the three castles I've seen in person (DLRP, DLR, and WDW).

He said that he's been to the exact spot where the Carousel of Progress would have been in the New York World's Fair. It's just a patch of grass now, but he said it was really cool. I'm really excited to go see it myself, but I wanted to know if anyone knows a reputable source that can verify EXACTLY where the Carousel was.

Anyone?

 

[PUSH]

Don't know where it was, but it's sad that it's only a shrubbery now.

 

[Nemo14]

Last night, we had some friends over to our apartment. I met this guy and we started talking about DIsney. I showed him the large framed photos I have hanging in my room of the three castles I've seen in person (DLRP, DLR, and WDW).

He said that he's been to the exact spot where the Carousel of Progress would have been in the New York World's Fair. It's just a patch of grass now, but he said it was really cool. I'm really excited to go see it myself, but I wanted to know if anyone knows a reputable source that can verify EXACTLY where the Carousel was.

Anyone?

I went to that fair, but I couldn't tell you now where it was. Looking at google, it does appear that it's just grass and shrubbery now.

 

[Matt817]

I think it's insane how it was once used for amazing fun and now it's just plain grass on flat-ish land

 

[unkadug]

Worlds fair site

Worlds Fair map

Carousel Of progress was #24 (bottom right of the Pool of Industry.)

Overlay

 

[trr1]

I think the next two expositions are

• 2015 Milan (Italy)
• 2017 Astana (Kazakhstan)

 

[tare]

That's would have been so neat to see.

 

[Nemo14]

It was

 

[MickeyPeace]

I went last month. Sad state it's in. The only things left- Fountain is left abandoned and rotting. Still surrounded by water. If CoP was next to it, there is just burnt grass now. The Unisphere looks great. The New York Pavilion still stands but is left in ruin. The glass ceiling and tile floor has been removed. There are some original benches and water fountains. Some ground plaques remain with street/pavilion names. The midway pools are still there. Just sad overall. Wish it would be preserved. The museum is closed for renovations but houses many World Fair artifacts. The museum was part of the 1938? New York World Fair.

There are a few soccer fields currently being built or in operation on the site.

Oh and the entrance from the subway still has the boardwalk, zig zag wooden entrance and plaques with time capsules.

I have pics. Wish I could upload from iPhone! Typing from work. Sorry if scattered.

 

[lazyboy97o]

World's Fairs are meant to be temporary and as such the vast majority of the pavilions were demolished, including those that had Disney designed attractions.

@Wdwprince the museum was the New York State Pavilion from the 1939-40 World's Fair. It then served as the New York City Pavilion for the 1964-65 World's Fair.

If you are interested in visiting it quite easy to get to Flushing Meadows-Corona Park on the Subway via the 7 train.

 

[matt9112]

World's Fairs are meant to be temporary and as such the vast majority of the pavilions were demolished, including those that had Disney designed attractions.

@Wdwprince the museum was the New York State Pavilion from the 1939-40 World's Fair. It then served as the New York City Pavilion for the 1964-65 World's Fair.

If you are interested in visiting it quite easy to get to Flushing Meadows-Corona Park on the Subway via the 7 train.

i still want stark expo.....

stark industrys

 

[unkadug]

I went last month. Sad state it's in. The only things left- Fountain is left abandoned and rotting. Still surrounded by water. If CoP was next to it, there is just burnt grass now. The Unisphere looks great. The New York Pavilion still stands but is left in ruin. The glass ceiling and tile floor has been removed. There are some original benches and water fountains. Some ground plaques remain with street/pavilion names. The midway pools are still there. Just sad overall. Wish it would be preserved. The museum is closed for renovations but houses many World Fair artifacts. The museum was part of the 1938? New York World Fair.

There are a few soccer fields currently being built or in operation on the site.

Oh and the entrance from the subway still has the boardwalk, zig zag wooden entrance and plaques with time capsules.

I have pics. Wish I could upload from iPhone! Typing from work. Sorry if scattered.

What's with the Canadian flag being painted on every soccer field? Has New York finally seceded from the United States and become the newest Canadian Province??

 

[Polydweller]

World's Fairs are meant to be temporary and as such the vast majority of the pavilions were demolished, including those that had Disney designed attractions.

Yep, and as such most of the pavilions are not built to last. The country that sponsored them won't be providing any long term operations money, just enough to get them through the fair. So, build them to look great but not to last is the philosophy.

I was at that fair and it was spectacular though Montreal surpassed it in 1967.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Yep, and as such most of the pavilions are not built to last. The country that sponsored them won't be providing any long term operations money, just enough to get them through the fair. So, build them to look great but not to last is the philosophy.

I was at that fair and it was spectacular though Montreal surpassed it in 1967.

I didn't see the 64 Worlds Fair but I did make several trips to Montreal from Vermont for Expo 67. In fact, I have an aerial view of it on my den wall. For a number of years after Montreal continued the Man and his world theme on the islands but a number of the buildings were torn down by some of the less friendly countries represented. USSR comes to mind. The United States Pavilion geodesic dome designed by Buckminster Fuller is still there but the plastic panels were lost in a fire many years ago. The inside is still visable and until a few years ago could be visited even though there wasn't really anything in it. Over the years the other buildings deteriorated and were torn down. One of the Islands was made into a Grand Prix raceway and the old French Pavilion is now a Casino. It is funny because I remember that pavilion as being the least stable of any of them. The floors used to vibrate every time someone walked by you. They must have reinforced them because now with tons of slot machines, etc. on the different levels it seems more solid now. Otherwise the entire site is totally depressing. La Ronde, and amusement park for Montreal, is the old ride area for Expo...different rides now. Tall grass in areas no longer needed or developed, mental pictures of the stuff that was once there, new and shiny, is in my mind at least when I have walked through there. It has been probably 10 years now since I was there last and since I currently live in North Carolina there's not much chance of my every going back. Not that it matters to this discussion but I also attended the 1970 Worlds Fair in Osaka, Japan.



However, since this is a thread about the New York Worlds Fair it is only fitting that you get to look at what I think is a very interesting promotional piece about how Disney got involved with it. The first part, although heavily leaning toward Eastman Kodak (apparent sponsor) it does show a very good cross section of Walt's personality and helps you understand how he could sell refrigerators to Eskimos. It also shows the creativity of the old Disney Studios and how the guy in charge apparently had no problems with spending a lot of money on unproven things that he believed in. This is a very long show...almost 50 minutes and the last part is mostly the ride through of Small World in New York. The beginning, however, is really indicative of why we have the feelings for Disney that we have.

 

[zurgandfriend]

Dating myself here but yes I went in 1964 and I remember Cop, It's a Small World and President Lincoln as well as the the GM pavilion, some of the minitures used in the city of tomorrow are used at WDW as well.

 

[FettFan]

Don't know where it was, but it's sad that it's only a shrubbery now.

"NI!"

 

[DVC4bestvacations]

Great memories of my childhood going to the NYWF. I think in many ways it was like the WDW of my early years.
The I still remember the GM, Ford, GE, IBM, US, NCR, AT&T & Chrysler Pavilion's. Its' to bad the NYWF was such a fiscal failure or there would have been other worlds fairs in the US since. (besides Nashville)

For those that would like to relive the memories there are a few websites dedicated to the NYWF. And a bunch of videos on utube.

 

[unkadug]

Great memories of my childhood going to the NYWF. I think in many ways it was like the WDW of my early years.
The I still remember the GM, Ford, GE, IBM, US, NCR, AT&T & Chrysler Pavilion's. Its' to bad the NYWF was such a fiscal failure or there would have been other worlds fairs in the US since. (besides Nashville)

You forgot about that other financial failure two years later in New Orleans.

Not to mention San Diego and Spokane in 68 and 74

 

[righttrack]

I have certainly walked through the ruins of it. If you are going to see either the Mets or better yet, to the USTA Tennis Center and Arthur Ashe Stadium (where the US Open is played) you can walk through it too. It's adjacent to the parking. If you ever are in a car, coming from JFK airport, going just about anywhere you can see it too.

1965:

2000s:

1965:

2000s:

 

[willtravel]

I think the next two expositions are

• 2015 Milan (Italy)
• 2017 Astana (Kazakhstan)

Really? Are they still considered Worlds Fair