topic Re: The NY World's Fair - 50 Years Ago Today! in Community Chat

The NY World's Fair - 50 Years Ago Today!

Lotus — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 00:15:13 GMT

I can't believe it's been 50 Years since the World's Fair opened in Queens in 1964.

I remember going often with my family.....especially with my dad. He would take me out of school during the week....I felt so special, and that I was pulling something over on the nuns!! LOL

I remember having my first ever Belgium Waffle in the Belgium Village.....which had real Belgium block walkways. Riding in a replica of a Ford Thunderbird (I think) in the Ford Pavilion.....there was some type of Space Pavilion.

There was also a Vatican Pavilion that displayed Michelangelo's Pieta. I went to Catholic school and was in awe seeing that in person.

The Unisphere was amazing.....huge and beautiful! It's still there...as are several other NYS Pavilion buildings.....all but one (I think) in disrepair.

My mom still has souvenir Rock Glasses stored away.....and I'm sure if I start looking around I'll find several other things.

Here's a link to interactive maps of different Pavilions and Villages I found online.

Were you there?

What memories do you have?

Re: The NY World's Fair - 50 Years Ago Today!

soxfan — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 00:24:17 GMT

Yes, I was there with my three brothers and my Dad. My Mother couldn't go because there were two younger siblings who were just babies.

What an awe-inspiring experience! I was 6 years old. I remember an area that had a display of phones of the future. They had phones where you could "see" the person you were talking to. I remember laughing and telling my Dad, we'll never see such a thing will we? Fast forward 50 years and we have Skype and Facetime. I wish my Dad was alive to this all this progress.

I remember the space pavilion with the rockets and the gas pavilion (can't remember the company) that had the huge dinosaur!

Ah, the memories! Thanks for sharing the link. I'm heading over to check it out now.

Re: The NY World's Fair - 50 Years Ago Today!

Lotus — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 00:28:42 GMT

Sox....I think it was Ford that had the dinosaurs.....maybe there were two displays???

Re: The NY World's Fair - 50 Years Ago Today!

Lotus — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 00:29:23 GMT

Oh.....and how could I forget?

The original, first ever (I'm pretty sure) "It's a Small World Ride".

Re: The NY World's Fair - 50 Years Ago Today!

traveler — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 00:34:53 GMT

I thought I read recently NY was debating tearing it down or putting work into it.

Re: The NY World's Fair - 50 Years Ago Today!

soxfan — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 00:39:05 GMT

On 4/22/2014 Lotus~ said:
Sox....I think it was Ford that had the dinosaurs.....maybe there were two displays???

I just found it. It was the Sinclair Oil pavilion. The telephone one was Bell Telephone.

Did you go on the "It's a Small World" ride at the Pepsi pavilion?

edited by sox: lol Lotus, I just saw that you mentioned the It's a Small World ride.

Re: The NY World's Fair - 50 Years Ago Today!

Preds — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 00:40:13 GMT

I went in '82. It was so awesome. First time I'd ever seen a Clydesdale in person. Fell in love with them.

Re: The NY World's Fair - 50 Years Ago Today!

soxfan — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 00:42:23 GMT

Thank you Lotus for sharing the website! It brought back some wonderful memories on a day that I really needed some uplifting.

Re: The NY World's Fair - 50 Years Ago Today!

sam29 — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 00:43:31 GMT

Went several times. It all seemed so unreal at the time. I think there was a General Electric display....does anyone remember that? I remember the ride in the Ford. Back then that was so cool. Where did those 50 years go? Thanks for opening this topic. It brings back memories.

Re: The NY World's Fair - 50 Years Ago Today!

Retiredpsych — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 01:12:21 GMT

Oh my goodness I haven't thought about that Fair in so long.....I went to it in 1965 on my Senior Class trip! Wow...has it really been that long?????

Re: The NY World's Fair - 50 Years Ago Today!

sunala — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 01:22:44 GMT

On 4/22/2014 traveler said:
I thought I read recently NY was debating tearing it down or putting work into it.

Yes traveler, $40 million to restore the NY Pavilion, although that gorgeous mosaic floor that depicted a map of the world is destroyed, as is that magnificent roof.

I'm hoping that they can raise the money to do it. I was on the grounds a few years ago to see a show at the Queens Theater. The Unisphere was in deplorable condition, which really hurt me to see.

I wonder what happened to the Terrace on the Park, which was also on the grounds. They used to have weddings and affairs there. I went to a school reunion there many years ago, and the view was spectacular.

Oh I do remember those Belgian waffles and walking around all day in spike heels. We used to get dressed up to go, especially in the evening. I was there several times and only barely skimmed the surface of all the fun things to see and do.

Re: The NY World's Fair - 50 Years Ago Today!

Shorty2U — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 06:43:48 GMT

I remember my Nana going to the Worlds Fair and bringing me souvenirs. (Of which I no longer have but wish I did).

Re: The NY World's Fair - 50 Years Ago Today!

Big Sister — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 08:24:12 GMT

I did visit the fair in 1964 and have a photo of me standing in front of the world globe.

That area in New York is called Flushing Meadows and it is where the US Open of tennis is held each year.

I can't believe it has been 50 years.

Re: The NY World's Fair - 50 Years Ago Today!

Deb1010again — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 08:59:56 GMT

My mother went and she was pregnant with my older sister who arrived a little while later.

Re: The NY World's Fair - 50 Years Ago Today!

muttmom — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 13:27:35 GMT

We had a number of class trips there. Our family visited a few times. Couldn't wait to sit in a Mustang convertible. Great memories.

Re: The NY World's Fair - 50 Years Ago Today!

Cats3000 — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 15:49:04 GMT

Funny--we lived in Queens. We never went to the Fair. I saw an article in the NY Post on-line about attempts to rehabilitate some of the old buildings that are still at the site. With all of NY's money problems, who knows.

Re: The NY World's Fair - 50 Years Ago Today!

biancardi — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 17:01:21 GMT

hi lotus, I wasn't yet born (my mom was pregnant with me at the time) but my family went to it - my mom, dad, sister & brother - we still have pictures of it

Re: The NY World's Fair - 50 Years Ago Today!

boby — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 17:19:20 GMT

Way too many memories to list here, but one was the Muppets show with a relatively unknown Jim Henson.

How about the IBM Pavilion where the grandstand got pulled up into the dome for showtime?

Re: The NY World's Fair - 50 Years Ago Today!

moonstone dunes — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 17:25:41 GMT

We went to the NY World's Fair the last few weeks of 1964, we only spent a few hours there. I don't know why we only went to it that one time, we lived a little over an hour away. I remember the World's Largest Cheese, the 1960's cars driving around in the pond, the Hemisphere and MonoRail. I think we saw A Small World. My parents spent most of the time later that day in the Belgian Village enjoying Belgian Waffles. My sister and I played in these small cars you could push with a handle like a lawn mower...on the bumpy cobblestones We both got these little sheepskin "pets" I think they were called Squigglie Wigglies. I got an orange one.

Re: The NY World's Fair - 50 Years Ago Today!

lulu2 — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 18:58:41 GMT

I have many fond memories of the World's Fair. I remember my mother only wanted to eat a famous Belgian Waffle. My boyfriend (now husband) wanted to ride in a Mustang. Many pavilions seemed so futuristic.

I cannot believe all this took place 50 years ago. In some ways it seems like a million years ago. Yet, in other ways, it seems like only yesterday.

All pictures I have are black and white as color film was expensive to develop back then.