Welcome to the World's Fair Newsletter:
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Perisphere Ponderings
View the Perisphere Ponderings index.
Ford
The Cycle of Production: The Architectural Forum deemed “unquestionably the most impressive display at the fair,”exemplified Henry Ford's dictate for instructive exhibits, but, in a most innovative and entertaining manner.
The Road of Tomorrow: The half-mile, spiral road of reinforced concrete and paved with non-skid Monocork, passed through a portion of the pavilion and then encircled the exterior garden and provided riders with the highest view of the fairgrounds from any pavilion.
The Novachord: Hammond Organ's first electronic tube based instrument. Employing 168 vacuum tubes and circuit ideas borrowed from ENIAC, the world's first computer, the novachord resembled an organ with keyboards rotary knobs.
Read: Ford 
General Motors
One had to wonder when General Motors selected Norman Bel Geddes to create their exhibit for “The World of Tomorrow.” He had been tossed out of high school for drawing caricatures of his superintendent on the blackboard. And ... he was now regarded as a premier industrial and stage set designer, Bel Geddes might not have been everyone's first choice. Thankfully the exposition gods on high blessed this unusual choice.
Read: General Motors
Rathbones & the Parachute Jump
New York radio station WOR was broadcasting live from the veranda of Washington Hall in the Amusement Zone late in the evening of July 12. A commotion around the nearby Parachute Jump caught the broadcaster's eye and from a little past 11:30 P.M. until 4:45 A.M. the next morning, he narrated the thrilling adventure of two of New York's most prominent socialites.
Read: Rathbones & the Parachute Jump
Trylon Tidbits
Small pieces of news and interesting information compiled by David J. Cope.
New Tidbits for June
New on the Web
Railroads on Parade - Book of the Pageant : The 20-page book is available for reading on-line.
Railroads on Parade records the magnificent progress of rail transport in America for the past 110 years. It begins with the first efforts of men who, inspired with bold vision and foresight, worked to achieve and it leads to a glowing picture of railroad operation in the United States of 1939.
Maine - the Place to Live, Work and Play
The 28-page Booklet about the state of Maine which was given out at the Maine exhibit in the Court of States, is available to read on-line.
Philip A. Medicus films
Reel 2 - Part 3
Philip Medicus filmed the Fair in color on Kodachrome. These films can be found on YouTube and on the Internet Archives. There are a total of 17 of the Medicus films which I will add to both my YouTube channel and here on the World's Fair Website.
Presented here is the fifth of the seventeen, Reel 2 - Part 3.
The silent film has a run-time of approximately of 17:41 minutes
Below the movie is a list of the attractions and their approximate time location.
- Return to:
- World's Fair Films
- Newsletter Index
| Time | Subject | |
|---|---|---|
|
0:06 1:22 5:14 5:24 9:01 9:17 9:36 9:49 9:58 10:06 10:19 10:21 10:50 11:09 11:07 11:33 11:59 12:56 13:21 14:19 13:36 13:38 13:48 14:51 14:56 15:06 15:13 15:30 15:52 16:38 |
Wild West Rodeo Cuban Village Archery Glenn Gray - band & Jitterbug Washington Hall Metero Speedway Laffland Cyclone ride Alive Shoot the Works Dodgem Snapper Aerial Joy Ride Piel's Rondevoo Great White Way Heinekin - Zider Zee Fountain Lake Florida Amusement Zone at Night American Museum of Natural History Gang Busters Strange as it Seems Admiral Byrd's Penguin Island Burlesque Living Magazines Glass Blowers Temple of Knowledge Nature's Mistakes Aquarcade Nite water show & Fireworks |
People Seeking Information:
From: David Matlow
“I am looking for any material from the Jewish Palestine Pavilion at the 1939 World's Fair. I know that there are pieces out there that I do not have, and am looking to augment my collection.”
Please contact me if you have something that you believe would be of interest to David. I will put the two of you in contact with each other.
From: Kathy Cooke
My grandfather was involved in the Florida display at the 1939 Worlds Fair. Afterward, he obtained some rattan furniture that was in the display. I now have the furniture and am looking for evidence that it was in the exhibit.
The cushions are removable and are not original. I have the sofa, 2 chairs, 2 end tables and the rounded sofa table which I believe came from the fair. Also a photo of markings on the bottom of the end table.
Click on each image to enlarge.
Please contact me if you know anything about the furniture and I will inform Kathy.
View the current list of questions. If you have a question email me and I will add it to the list.