Mario's Tribute to the 1964 NY World's Fair

1 NY World’s Fair August 1964. I was fortunate to have been there to see the World’s Fair. The Unisphere is still on the property and can be seen from the Grand Central Parkway in NYC.

2 Official 1964/1965 New York World’s Fair Map. The NY World’s Fair Celebrates the Automobile. It was held for two years.

3 1964½ Mustang Convertible debut. The Ford Mustang debuted on April 17, 1964, at the New York World’s Fair, revolutionizing the American car industry. There were 121,538 early version "1964½" Mustangs with generators and later in August 1964 they had alternators and are considered true 1965 models. Over 417,000 were built in total.

4 1964½ Mustang Convertible introduced April 17,1964. With its sporty design, low price and customizable features and many options, it instantly captured the youth market.

5 1965 Ford Mustang Fastback introduced in September 1964 in front of the Ford Pavilion at the 1964 World's Fair in NY. Over 417,000 Mustangs were sold in its first model year, launching the “pony car” class.

6 Amphibicar on display for a ride. The 1964 New York World's Fair was an International exposition at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, New York City.

7 Aerial view of the Transportation and Travel Pavilion and Port Authority Heliport. The Fair included exhibitions, activities, performances, films, art, and food presented by 80 nations and 24 U.S. States.

8 Bell System Pavilion. The five sections of the 646-acre fairground were the Federal and State, International, Transportation, Lake Amusement, and Industrial Areas.

9 Chrysler Pavilion. The Fair showcased mid-20th-century American culture and technology. The car ride was a tour of the pavilion.

10 Chrysler Pavilion. The sections were designed in various architectural styles. Anyone could host an exhibit if they could afford to rent the land and pay for a pavilion.

11 Chrysler Pavilion. There were several amusement and transport rides, various plazas and fountains, and at its peak, 198 restaurants, some of which were popularized by the fair.

12 Chrysler Pavilion. There were more than 30 entertainment events, 40 theaters, and various music performances.

13 Chrysler Pavilion. Exhibitors displayed sculptures, visual art and artifacts, and consumer products such as electronics and cars.

14 Chrysler Pavilion Giant Car on display. The 1964 World's Fair introduced and showed many consumer products.

15 Chrysler Pavilion Giant Car. Color television was popularized at the fair as well as electronic devices that could display personalized data to visitors.

16 Chrysler Pavilion Giant Engine. The Fair also displayed technologies such as Picturephones and IBM computers.

17 1963 Chrysler Turbine Concept Car was shown.

18 1963 Chrysler Turbine Concept Car.

19 1963 Chrysler Turbine Concept Car on display.

20 The Chrysler Typhoon Turbine Concept Car was also introduced at the Fair in 1964.

21 Dodge Hell driver’s car at the Auto Thrill Stadium.

22 Dodge Hell drivers stunt driving. Fans loved the show.

23 Ford Pavilion. Some pavilions incorporated personal computers into their exhibits.

24 Ford Pavilion Skyway. A ride in a new Ford car around the Ford Pavilion was very popular and a great marketing ploy.

25 Ford Pavilion Futuristic Bus. Many visitors saw touchtone phones for the first time while at the Fair.

26 Ford Pavilion. Other innovations, such as thermonuclear fusion power plants, undersea hotels, underground houses, jet packs, and Corfam synthetic leather were popular.

27 Ford Aurora Concept Car Introduced in March 1964 as a rolling laboratory of new ideas in styling and engineering.

28 1964 Ford Aurora Concept Car. The Aurora featured revolving seats, so that the front passenger could face the passengers in the bench seats at the back, in a living room-style layout.

29 Ford Skyway. Take a ride in a new Ford. Great sales gimmick.

30 Fords Magic Skyway. The ultimate marketing bonanza of its time riding a new Lincoln Continental.

31 Lee Iacocca and Donald Frey with the Ford Mustang. Within one year of the model's debut, Ford built over 417,000 Mustangs for eager buyers. A milestone commemorated on the “417 by 4-17” license plate.

32 Ford Mustang on display in the Ford Pavilion. A pop culture icon seen in films and music. The Mustang remains a symbol of freedom, power and American spirit even today.

33 Ford Mustang on display at the Ford Pavilion.

34 Ford Mustang Fastback on display at the Ford Pavilion.

35 Ford Mustang Show Stopper advertisement at the 1964 NY World's Fair. The new Mustang by Ford.

36 Paul Anka with the 1962 Ford Cougar 406 Concept Car at the Cavalcade of Custom Cars that was held in the Transportation & Travel Pavilion at New York World's Fair in 1964. The car is currently owned by Howard Kroplick of Roslyn NY. I was fortunate to see the car in person in his collection.

37 General Motors Pavilion. Huge building shaped like a Spaceship.

38 1964 GM Runabout a 3 wheel 4 passenger Concept Car.

39 1964 GM Runabout 3 wheel Concept Car introduced at the Fair. It had two built-in shopping carts in the trunk. Makes shopping easier with its hatchback.

40 1964 GM Runabout Concept Car on display. 3 Wheel drive for easy maneuvering.

41 1964 GM Firebird IV Concept Car at the Fair. It was presented as part of “Tomorrowland” at the 1964 World’s Fair. An onboard television and refrigerator promised all the comforts of home.

42 1964 GM Firebird IV Concept Car. A punch card would be inserted to program the car’s destination into its computer, and a large central display would plot the car’s progress.

43 1964 GM-X Stiletto Concept Car. It was designed to have an aerospace design, aircraft steering, a maintenance monitoring system, toggle switch controls, and three-way communication speakers.

44 GM-X Stiletto Concept Car. The instrument cluster featured 30 flashing lights, 29 controls and 16 gauges. You entered the car by folding the roof and the rear section up.

45 GM Pavilion GP35 Locomotive. A 4-axle diesel-electric locomotive was built by GM Electro-Motive Division between July 1963 and December 1965 and by GM Diesel between May 1964 and January 1966.

46 General Motors Pavilion lit up at night.

47 Grand Central Parkway. In the 1950s, several businessmen devised plans for a World’s Fair in 1964, and the NY World's Fair 1964 Corporation was formed in 1959.

48 Greyhound Bus Pavilion. U.S. president Dwight D. Eisenhower approved the Fair, and construction began in late 1960, with over 100 exhibitors signed up for the Fair over the next three years.

49 Helicopter view of World’s Fair. The Fair ran for two six-month seasons from April 22 to October 18, 1964, and from April 21 to October 17, 1965.

50 Kodak Pavilion. Exhibitors designed their own pavilions and construction contractors hired members of local labor unions to build the structures.

51 Monorail at the 1964 Fair. This ride took you all around the park for a Birdseye view. 10,000 people would be employed during construction.

52 Monorail at the 1964 Fair. Commemorative postage stamps were issued to celebrate the Fair, both inside and outside the U.S.

53 Metal Art Structure made of various cars. New York license plates also bore slogans advertising the Fair.

54 Space Park as it appeared in December 1963 before its official opening.

55 New York World's Fair 1964/1965. Scale Model of the Ford Motor Company Pavilion.

56 New York World’s Fair 1964/1965. Several hotels were built nearby to accommodate Fair visitors. Public transit and roads linking the venue were also upgraded.

57 The Fair’s theme was “Peace through Understanding” and its symbol was the Unisphere, a stainless-steel model of Earth at 140 Feet tall.

58 Puppet show building at the Fair. Private businesses promoted their products for the Fair and discount tickets were sold in advance of the opening.

59 Texas Pavilion Tram. Construction of the first building, an administration structure, began in August 1960 and was finished in January 1961.

60 The Unisphere is one of the Fair's remaining structures. The site had previously hosted the 1939 New York World's Fair.

61 The Fair's Fountain of the Planets. Exhibitors would be able to begin erecting pavilions by 1962.

62 The Unisphere was selected as the Fair's symbol in early 1961. Unisphere and surroundings at the 1964 New York World’s Fair.

63 Sightseeing Helicopter for tourists. By the beginning of 1962 more than 60 nations, the governments of 30 U.S. States and 50 Companies agreed to exhibit at the Fair.

64 The New York State Pavilion (left) and the Unisphere (right) remain in Flushing Meadows, Queens NYC

65 US Royal Pavilion. At the end of 1962, several state and international pavilions were being built, while work in the industrial and transportation areas was progressing.

66 US Royal Tires Ferris Wheel. On April 22, 1963, exactly a year before the fair's opening, the U.S. President John F. Kennedy activated a clock that would count down to the opening.

67 US Royal Ferris Wheel. The night before the fair opened the television series “The Bell Telephone Hour” broadcasted an opening celebration.

68 USA Space Park. The World's Fair officially opened at 9 am on April 22, 1964. The first visitor was a college student from New Jersey. In total just over 51.6 million people attended. I was Lucky to be one of them.

69 NY World’s Fair Post Cards.

70 NY World’s Fair Ad.

71 NY World’s Fair Ad.

72 NY World’s Fair License Plate. I had one of these plates on my 1959 Pontiac.