A look at the 1939-40 New York World's Fair
I hope to have a more detailed tour of the Fair available later, but wanted to get things started with this sample of original photos. The CD and Set numbers show which of the Photo CDs the picture is from.
Like other world's fairs, this one provided the giants of industry with an opportunity to showcase the latest technology. Here we see the innovative streamlined locomotive S-1, designed for the Pennsylvania Railroad by Raymond Loewy (who also designed the classic Coke bottle). This huge locomotive sat on a set of rollers, which allowed it to run under steam power, turning its wheels, right next to visitors. (CD #2 Set 3 #10)
Other companies showed how their products were built. Firestone invited everyone inside for a view of how tires were made, from raw material such as rubber trees all the way to a freshly minted tire. (CD #2 Set 3 #17)
This photo shows the genius of Paul Manship. He designed the world's largest sundial, seen in front of the Perisphere, as well as smaller statues located across the site. The one closest to the camera is part of a series celebrating the various times of day. It was called "Moods of Time - Morning". (CD #2 Set 3 #27)
This giant statue of George Washington reflected one of the themes behind the Fair, namely a celebration of the 150th anniversary of his presidential inauguration. To fully appreciate the size of this statue look at the orchestra playing at the base. The designer was James Frazier, who also designed the Buffalo Nickel. (CD #2 Set 3 #35)