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New York World's Fair 1939

In 1935, at the height of the Great Depression, a group of New York City businessmen decided to create an international exposition to lift the city and the country out of depression. On April 30, 1939, a very hot Sunday, the fair had its grand opening, with 206,000 people in attendance. The April 30 date coincided with the 150th anniversary of George Washington's inauguration, in Lower Manhattan, as the first President of the United States. Although many of the pavilions and other facilities were not quite ready for this opening, it was put on with pomp and great celebration.
World's Fair. Singing Tower of Light at night
1934
1934
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1963
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1963
474 Media in collection ∙ page 1 of 5
World's Fair. Soviet Socialist Republics Building at night

World's Fair. Soviet Socialist Republics Building at night

World's Fair. Firestone Tire & Rubber Company Building at night II

World's Fair. Firestone Tire & Rubber Company Building at night II

World's Fair. Arctic Girl's tomb of ice II

World's Fair. Arctic Girl's tomb of ice II

Color guard of the Navy Company at the World's Fair Federal Building in background

Color guard of the Navy Company at the World's Fair Federal Building i...

While visiting the Fair, commute by land or water to beautiful Sea Cliff, L.I. 250 feet above sea level : No mosquitos : Golf and bathing.

While visiting the Fair, commute by land or water to beautiful Sea Cli...

Poster promoting Sea Cliff, Long Island for tourism, showing a boat at dock and the New York World's Fair in the background. Date stamped on verso: Feb 2 1939. Sponsored by the village of Sea Cliff. Work Projec... more

World's Fair, railroad pageant. Poke bonnet IV

World's Fair, railroad pageant. Poke bonnet IV

World's Fair. Firestone Tire & Rubber Company Building at night I

World's Fair. Firestone Tire & Rubber Company Building at night I

World's Fair, Italian Line restaurant, Italian Building. Bar, detail of bar from above, vertical

World's Fair, Italian Line restaurant, Italian Building. Bar, detail o...

World's Fair, railroad pageant locomotives. Locomotive II, from back

World's Fair, railroad pageant locomotives. Locomotive II, from back

World's Fair, railroad pageant. View III

World's Fair, railroad pageant. View III

World's Fair, railroad pageant. View I

World's Fair, railroad pageant. View I

World's Fair, House of Glass no. 4. Living room I

World's Fair, House of Glass no. 4. Living room I

World's Fair, Italian Line restaurant, Italian Building. Mural in dining room VI

World's Fair, Italian Line restaurant, Italian Building. Mural in dini...

World's Fair, railroad pageant. Railroad Building corridor

World's Fair, railroad pageant. Railroad Building corridor

World's Fair, Railroad Building. Main interior I

World's Fair, Railroad Building. Main interior I

World's Fair. Orrefors crystal fountain

World's Fair. Orrefors crystal fountain

World's Fair. Theme Center, Four victories of peace sculpture

World's Fair. Theme Center, Four victories of peace sculpture

World's Fair, railroad pageant. View VIII

World's Fair, railroad pageant. View VIII

World's Fair, Ford Motor Building. Noguchi statue III

World's Fair, Ford Motor Building. Noguchi statue III

World's Fair, Home Furnishing Building, at night. General entrance, from right, at night

World's Fair, Home Furnishing Building, at night. General entrance, fr...

World's Fair. Oblique view of helicline, trylon and perisphere

World's Fair. Oblique view of helicline, trylon and perisphere

World's Fair, Ford Motor Building. Vertical of music stand

World's Fair, Ford Motor Building. Vertical of music stand

World's Fair, Italian Line restaurant, Italian Building. Main restaurant, long axis view

World's Fair, Italian Line restaurant, Italian Building. Main restaura...

World's Fair, Railroad Building. Diorama, Railroads at work

World's Fair, Railroad Building. Diorama, Railroads at work

World's Fair, Florida Building. Exhibit hall, to entrance

World's Fair, Florida Building. Exhibit hall, to entrance

World's Fair. Holland Garden, to Polish tower

World's Fair. Holland Garden, to Polish tower

World's Fair night views. Italian Building, detail

World's Fair night views. Italian Building, detail

World's Fair, Ford Motor Building. Loading ramps

World's Fair, Ford Motor Building. Loading ramps

World's Fair, Italian Line restaurant, Italian Building. Bar entrance door

World's Fair, Italian Line restaurant, Italian Building. Bar entrance ...

World's Fair. Trylon & perisphere III

World's Fair. Trylon & perisphere III

World's Fair night views. General view, U.S. Steel and General Electric

World's Fair night views. General view, U.S. Steel and General Electri...

World's Fair. Italian Pavilion at night, detail of Marconi monument

World's Fair. Italian Pavilion at night, detail of Marconi monument

World's Fair, railroad pageant. Poke bonnet III

World's Fair, railroad pageant. Poke bonnet III

World's Fair night views. General Electric tower IV

World's Fair night views. General Electric tower IV

World's Fair, railroad exhibit locomotives. New York City 5453, detail II

World's Fair, railroad exhibit locomotives. New York City 5453, detail...

World's Fair, Schaefer Center. Main restaurant

World's Fair, Schaefer Center. Main restaurant

World's Fair night views. Lagoon pool during performance I

World's Fair night views. Lagoon pool during performance I

World's Fair night views. Italian Building II

World's Fair night views. Italian Building II

World's Fair. Heineken's on the Zuider Zee II

World's Fair. Heineken's on the Zuider Zee II

World's Fair. Women in costume near Swiss Pavilion

World's Fair. Women in costume near Swiss Pavilion

World's Fair, Florida Building. Orange sherbet bar

World's Fair, Florida Building. Orange sherbet bar

World's Fair. Swedish Pavilion and Sheffield Farms with Orrefors crystal fountain in foreground

World's Fair. Swedish Pavilion and Sheffield Farms with Orrefors cryst...

World's Fair, Elgin National Watch Co. Entrance pergola and dome

World's Fair, Elgin National Watch Co. Entrance pergola and dome

World's Fair, railroad exhibit locomotives. N & W 1206, front detail

World's Fair, railroad exhibit locomotives. N & W 1206, front detail

World's Fair, Florida Building. Main exhibit hall, general view

World's Fair, Florida Building. Main exhibit hall, general view

World's Fair, Ford Motor Building. Large circular exhibit room

World's Fair, Ford Motor Building. Large circular exhibit room

World's Fair, Italian Line restaurant, Italian Building. Wine cellar II

World's Fair, Italian Line restaurant, Italian Building. Wine cellar I...

World's Fair, Railroad Building. Railroads on Parade entrance

World's Fair, Railroad Building. Railroads on Parade entrance

World's Fair, railroad pageant. B & O William Galloway

World's Fair, railroad pageant. B & O William Galloway

World's Fair, railroad pageant. Woman with pink bonnet and parasol

World's Fair, railroad pageant. Woman with pink bonnet and parasol

World's Fair, Florida building. General west facade, from parkway I

World's Fair, Florida building. General west facade, from parkway I

World's Fair, Elgin National Watch Co. Fountain and pool, exterior

World's Fair, Elgin National Watch Co. Fountain and pool, exterior

World's Fair, Railroad Building. Pageant, the Atlantis

World's Fair, Railroad Building. Pageant, the Atlantis

World's Fair, Italian Line restaurant, Italian Building. Corridor, to entrance

World's Fair, Italian Line restaurant, Italian Building. Corridor, to ...

World's Fair, railroad exhibit locomotives. N & W 1206, general view

World's Fair, railroad exhibit locomotives. N & W 1206, general view

World's Fair, railroad exhibit locomotives. Pennsylvania R.R., detail

World's Fair, railroad exhibit locomotives. Pennsylvania R.R., detail

World's Fair. Interior, looking up inside Polish tower

World's Fair. Interior, looking up inside Polish tower

World's Fair, Railroad Building. Main interior II

World's Fair, Railroad Building. Main interior II

World's Fair, Railroad Building. General entrance facade, direct

World's Fair, Railroad Building. General entrance facade, direct

World's Fair, Elgin National Watch Co. Corridor, to entrance door

World's Fair, Elgin National Watch Co. Corridor, to entrance door

World's Fair, Y.M.C.A. General exterior, side view

World's Fair, Y.M.C.A. General exterior, side view

World's Fair. Trylon & perisphere IV

World's Fair. Trylon & perisphere IV

World's Fair, Florida exhibit. Suwannee River diorama

World's Fair, Florida exhibit. Suwannee River diorama

World's Fair, Italian Line restaurant, Italian Building. Boiler room

World's Fair, Italian Line restaurant, Italian Building. Boiler room

World's Fair night views. Lagoon pool water fountain display

World's Fair night views. Lagoon pool water fountain display

World's Fair, railroad pageant. DeWitt-Clinton locomotive I

World's Fair, railroad pageant. DeWitt-Clinton locomotive I

World's Fair. Night view of Petroleum Industry Exhibition, United States Steel Subsidiaries Building and General Electric Company Building

World's Fair. Night view of Petroleum Industry Exhibition, United Stat...

World's Fair, railroad pageant locomotives. Locomotive II, from front

World's Fair, railroad pageant locomotives. Locomotive II, from front

World's Fair, Florida Building. Exhibit hall, diorama and mural

World's Fair, Florida Building. Exhibit hall, diorama and mural

World's Fair, Railroad Building. Old locomotives in yard

World's Fair, Railroad Building. Old locomotives in yard

World's Fair, Food Building no. 3. General view II

World's Fair, Food Building no. 3. General view II

World's Fair, concert hall. Exterior from northeast

World's Fair, concert hall. Exterior from northeast

World's Fair. Window panels with illustrations and text on the profit sharing system in the shoe industry III

World's Fair. Window panels with illustrations and text on the profit ...

World's Fair. Fireworks VIII

World's Fair. Fireworks VIII

World's Fair, railroad exhibit, modern locomotives. Canadian Northern 6400, detail

World's Fair, railroad exhibit, modern locomotives. Canadian Northern ...

World's Fair. Arctic Girl's tomb of ice I

World's Fair. Arctic Girl's tomb of ice I

World's Fair, Italian Building. General view

World's Fair, Italian Building. General view

World's Fair night views. Perisphere and ramp I

World's Fair night views. Perisphere and ramp I

World's Fair. New England exhibit general view I

World's Fair. New England exhibit general view I

World's Fair. View of Theme Center lagoon, trylon and perisphere, and helicline

World's Fair. View of Theme Center lagoon, trylon and perisphere, and ...

World's Fair. Dream of Venus facade II

World's Fair. Dream of Venus facade II

World's Fair. Courtyard near British Pavilion

World's Fair. Courtyard near British Pavilion

World's Fair, railroad pageant. Woman in costume with pink waistband

World's Fair, railroad pageant. Woman in costume with pink waistband

World's Fair, Communication Building. Gardens, general view from roof

World's Fair, Communication Building. Gardens, general view from roof

World's Fair. Window panels with illustrations and text on the profit sharing system in the shoe industry II

World's Fair. Window panels with illustrations and text on the profit ...

World's Fair, railroad pageant. Woman in American Indian costume

World's Fair, railroad pageant. Woman in American Indian costume

World's Fair. DuPont Building at night

World's Fair. DuPont Building at night

World's Fair, Florida Building. General view, from terrace club

World's Fair, Florida Building. General view, from terrace club

World's Fair, Italian Line restaurant, Italian Building. Bar, cross view toward alcoves

World's Fair, Italian Line restaurant, Italian Building. Bar, cross vi...

World's Fair night views. Westinghouse tower, detail

World's Fair night views. Westinghouse tower, detail

World's Fair, Italian Line restaurant, Italian Building. Mural in dining room IV

World's Fair, Italian Line restaurant, Italian Building. Mural in dini...

World's Fair. Water lily pond with carp II

World's Fair. Water lily pond with carp II

World's Fair, railroad pageant locomotives. Locomotive II, close-up from back

World's Fair, railroad pageant locomotives. Locomotive II, close-up fr...

World's Fair, railroad pageant. View V

World's Fair, railroad pageant. View V

World's Fair night views. Westinghouse, general view

World's Fair night views. Westinghouse, general view

World's Fair. View from trylon and perisphere toward AT&T Building

World's Fair. View from trylon and perisphere toward AT&T Building

World's Fair. Time and the fates of man in front of perisphere at night

World's Fair. Time and the fates of man in front of perisphere at nigh...

World's Fair, Italian Line restaurant, Italian Building. Kitchen II

World's Fair, Italian Line restaurant, Italian Building. Kitchen II

World's Fair, Ford Motor Building. Stairs to loading platform, from below

World's Fair, Ford Motor Building. Stairs to loading platform, from be...

World's Fair, Italian Line restaurant, Italian Building. Mural in dining room III

World's Fair, Italian Line restaurant, Italian Building. Mural in dini...