TRADESHOW HISTORY
The Magic of Today. The Miracles of Tomorrow. THE 1939 NEW YORK WORLD’S FAIR
Overhead view of the New
BY BOB MCGLINCY
The 1939 New York World’s Fair opened on April 30, the 150th anniversary of George Washington’s New York City inauguration. The Fairgrounds were huge, hosting 62 countries, 35 US states, 1,500 businesses, and covering 1,200 acres—an area approximately the size of 200 city blocks. What would it be like to go back in time, and walk through the Fair? Entering the Fair Visitors entered the Fairgrounds off Corona Avenue, passing between either the north or south gate. The back of the Chrysler Building bordered the street, the Railroad Building was to the far left, and the Aviation Building to the far right. Once inside, past the Chrysler Building, were the massive pavilions for Goodrich, General Motors, Ford and Firestone. The Fairgrounds were laid out in seven geographical color-coded zones, each representing different areas of interest. Liberty Lake and the Amusement Zone were in the distance at the far back 22 Apr/May/Jun 2025 Exhibit City News
right. Rising majestically in the center, visible from midtown Manhattan, were the two landmarks of the Fair: a three-sided, 610-foot-tall tower; and a 200-foot wide, 18-story sphere. The Trylon and the Perisphere Crowds gravitated towards these icons as if pulled by a tractor beam. After entering the Trylon, the group herded up the world’s tallest escalator, then funneled into the Perisphere. The interior was twice the size of Radio City Music Hall and showcased an imagined glimpse into the year 2039. Spectators stood on a rotating platform, above a diorama displaying “the utopian landscape of the future.” The “ride” took six minutes. Then the awe-stuck guests descended the Helicline: an 18-foot wide, 950-foot long ramp that circled the Perisphere and offered a panoramic view of the Fairgrounds and the New York skyline. Back on the ground, there were so many things to see and do that it was almost
a sensory overload. There were parades, flags, lights, colored fountains, music, sculptures, people, murals, stunning architecture, and souvenirs. There were 200 foreign, domestic, and corporate pavilions, and over 300 places to eat. The Amusement Zone was larger than the entire Paris Expo of 1937, and housed 50 major concessions, including some after-dark, adult entertainment. Engaging audiences The Fair promoted technology and business as the pathway to a better tomorrow. The 100 corporate pavilions ranged in size from 10,000 square feet (the House of Jewels) to 300,000 square feet (General Motors). Many corporations had their own separate stand-alone structures; others joined together exhibiting similar products inside one building. Crowds enjoyed seeing new products and watching live demonstrations. Innovations and Displays AT&T introduced the first electronic voice synthesizer, VODER, which mimicked
human sounds. They offered hourly lottery winners free long-distance calls anywhere in the country. Borden presented “The Dairy World of Tomorrow.” A 50-foot-high glass rotunda enclosed a revolving platform, where a herd of 150 pedigreed cows were mechanically washed, dried, and milked.” Elsie the Cow proved to be the star of the show, and a hit with children at the Fair. Carrier constructed a 70-foot-tall replica of an igloo, with two 40-foot-tall thermometers—one displaying the temperature outside, and the other the temperature inside (which some days was 20 degrees cooler). Air conditioning had been installed in some commercial buildings but was unknown to most of the public. An added bonus inside was an Aurora Borealis simulation displayed on the ceiling. In 1940, a dozen other pavilions provided the cooling comfort of air conditioning. Chrysler offered a simulated rocket ride to London. They produced the first public animated 3D film, “In Tune with Tomorrow;” it demoed