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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

1963

1963

474 Media in collection ∙ page 1 of 5

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. Soviet Socialist Republics Building at night

World's Fair. Soviet Socialist Republics Building at night

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.

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, railroad exhibit, modern locomotives. Canadian Northern 6400, detail

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

World's Fair. Fireworks VIII

World's Fair. Fireworks VIII

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

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

World's Fair night views. Perisphere and ramp I

World's Fair night views. Perisphere and ramp I

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

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

World's Fair, Railroad Building. Main interior II

World's Fair, Railroad Building. Main interior II

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. Courtyard near British Pavilion

World's Fair. Courtyard near British Pavilion

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

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

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

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

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, Italian Line restaurant, Italian Building. Bar entrance door

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

World's Fair night views. General Electric tower IV

World's Fair night views. General Electric tower IV

World's Fair night views. Italian Building II

World's Fair night views. Italian Building II

World's Fair, railroad pageant. Poke bonnet III

World's Fair, railroad pageant. Poke bonnet III

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. 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 night views. Italian Building, detail

World's Fair night views. Italian Building, detail

World's Fair. Holland Garden, to Polish tower

World's Fair. Holland Garden, to Polish tower

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

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

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

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

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

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

World's Fair, Schaefer Center. Main restaurant

World's Fair, Schaefer Center. Main restaurant

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. Italian Pavilion at night, detail of Marconi monument

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

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, railroad exhibit locomotives. N & W 1206, general view

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

World's Fair, Italian Building. General view

World's Fair, Italian Building. General view

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

World's Fair. New England exhibit general view I

World's Fair. New England exhibit general view I

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

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

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

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

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

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

World's Fair, Ford Motor Building. Loading ramps

World's Fair, Ford Motor Building. Loading ramps

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

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

World's Fair. Orrefors crystal fountain

World's Fair. Orrefors crystal fountain

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, Railroad Building. Pageant, the Atlantis

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

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. Dream of Venus facade II

World's Fair. Dream of Venus facade II

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, Florida building. General west facade, from parkway I

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

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

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

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

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

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 night views. Lagoon pool water fountain display

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

World's Fair, Florida exhibit. Suwannee River diorama

World's Fair, Florida exhibit. Suwannee River diorama

World's Fair. Trylon & perisphere IV

World's Fair. Trylon & perisphere IV

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. 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, Elgin National Watch Co. Fountain and pool, exterior

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

World's Fair, Florida Building. Orange sherbet bar

World's Fair, Florida Building. Orange sherbet bar

World's Fair. Women in costume near Swiss Pavilion

World's Fair. Women in costume near Swiss Pavilion

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

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

World's Fair. DuPont Building at night

World's Fair. DuPont Building at night

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. Heineken's on the Zuider Zee II

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

World's Fair, railroad pageant. Railroad Building corridor

World's Fair, railroad pageant. Railroad Building corridor

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, railroad pageant. Poke bonnet IV

World's Fair, railroad pageant. Poke bonnet IV

World's Fair, railroad pageant. View III

World's Fair, railroad pageant. View III

World's Fair, Railroad Building. Main interior I

World's Fair, Railroad Building. Main interior I

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, railroad pageant. View VIII

World's Fair, railroad pageant. View VIII

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

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

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, 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, Italian Line restaurant, Italian Building. Main restaurant, long axis view

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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. Trylon & perisphere III

World's Fair. Trylon & perisphere III

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, concert hall. Exterior from northeast

World's Fair, concert hall. Exterior from northeast

World's Fair, railroad exhibit locomotives. Eastern R.R. locomotive, general view

World's Fair, railroad exhibit locomotives. Eastern R.R. locomotive, g...

World's Fair. Italian Pavilion, waterfall, and Marconi monument II

World's Fair. Italian Pavilion, waterfall, and Marconi monument II

World's Fair. Holland Pavilion garden, structure with bells and fountain

World's Fair. Holland Pavilion garden, structure with bells and founta...

World's Fair, Railroad Building. Court I

World's Fair, Railroad Building. Court I

World's Fair, Italian Line restaurant, Italian Building. Bar, view from rear alcove

World's Fair, Italian Line restaurant, Italian Building. Bar, view fro...

World's Fair, railroad exhibit. Historic locomotives at Court of Railways

World's Fair, railroad exhibit. Historic locomotives at Court of Railw...

World's Fair. Pavilion

World's Fair. Pavilion

World's Fair night views. U.S. Steel and reflections, overhang, and Petroleum Building

World's Fair night views. U.S. Steel and reflections, overhang, and Pe...

World's Fair. Trylon & perisphere I

World's Fair. Trylon & perisphere I

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, Railroad Building. Pageant, the Tom Thumb

World's Fair, Railroad Building. Pageant, the Tom Thumb

World's Fair. Holland Garden, from Polish Building

World's Fair. Holland Garden, from Polish Building