Jump to content

Forums

  1. The World's Fair Community

    1. Announcements

      Find out what's new at The World's Fair Community.

      1,089
      posts

    2. Introductions

      New to the World's Fair Community? Long-time reader but never posted? Take a moment and say hello!

      988
      posts

    3. Suggestion Box

      Submit ideas for The World's Fair Community here.

      813
      posts

    4. Affiliated Websites

      2,492
      posts

  2. The Great Fairs

    1. 1851, London, England - The Great Exhibition

      The Great Exhibition was held in Hyde Park, London, England from May 1 to October 11, 1851 and is considered the first world's fair. It took place in the Crystal Palace designed by Joseph Paxton.

      74
      posts

    2. 1889, Paris, France - Universal Exposition of 1889

      The Exposition Universelle de 1889 was a World's Fair held in Paris, France from May 6, to October 31, 1889. Remembered most for the Eiffel Tower.

      64
      posts

    3. 1893, Chicago, United States - World's Columbian Exposition

      The World's Columbian Exposition was held in Chicago, Illinois, United States from May 1 to October 31, 1893. It celebrated the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' discovery of the New World.

      210
      posts

    4. 1904, Saint Louis, United States - Louisiana Purchase Exposition

      The Louisiana Purchase Exposition was held in the St. Louis, Missouri, United States from May 1 to October 31, 1904. The Fair celebrated the centennial of the Louisiana Purchase.

      117
      posts

    5. 1915, San Francisco, United States - Panama-Pacific International Exposition

      Staged to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal, and drawing over 19 million visitors in only nine months, the Pan-Pacific International Expo rose like a literal jewel from the ashes of San Francisco's 1906 Earthquake and Fire.

      136
      posts

    6. 1933-34, Chicago, United States - A Century of Progress International Exposition

      A Century of Progress International Exposition was held in Chicago, Illinois from 1933 to 1934 to celebrate the city's centennial. The theme of the fair was technological innovation. Its motto was "Science Finds, Industry Applies, Man Conforms".

      584
      posts

    7. 1939-40, New York, United States - The 1939-40 New York World's Fair

      The 1939-40 New York World's Fair, located on the current site of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, was one of the largest world's fairs of all time. The fair ran for two seasons and over 44 million people attended.

      8,536
      posts

    8. 1939-40, San Francisco, United States - Golden Gate International Exposition

      The Golden Gate International Exposition was held in San Francisco, California to celebrate the opening of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge. The exposition's first season ran from February 18, 1939 through October 29, 1939 and its second season was from May 25, 1940 through September 29, 1940.

      300
      posts

    9. 1958, Brussels, Belgium - Expo '58

      Expo 58 was held in Brussels, Belgium from April 17 to October 19. It was the first major World's Fair after World War II.

      214
      posts

    10. 1964-65, New York, United States - The 1964/1965 New York World's Fair

      The 1964/1965 New York World’s Fair, located on the current site of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. The fair ran for two seasons and took place without sanctioning from the Bureau of International Expositions.

      69,238
      posts

    11. 1967, Montreal, Canada - Expo 67

      Expo 67 was held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from April 27 to October 29, 1967. It was considered to be the most successful World's Fair of the 20th century, with over 50 million visitors and 62 nations participating.

      3,545
      posts

    12. 1970, Osaka, Japan - Expo '70

      Expo '70 was held in Osaka, Japan from March 15 and September 13, 1970. This was the first World's Fair held in Japan, 77 countries participated and over 64 million visitors attended.

      196
      posts

    13. 2010, Shanghai, China - Expo 2010

      World Expo Shanghai 2010 will be held in Shanghai, China from May 1 to October 31. Its theme is "Better City, Better Life."

      381
      posts

  3. World's Fairs & Expositions

    1. 1840 to 1859

      89
      posts

    2. 1860 to 1879

      49
      posts

    3. 1880 to 1899

      37
      posts

    4. 1900 to 1919

      179
      posts

    5. 1920 to 1939

      348
      posts

    6. 1940 to 1959

      8
      posts

    7. 1960 to 1979

      1,121
      posts

    8. 1980 to 1999

      794
      posts

    9. 2000 to 2019

      315
      posts

    10. 2020 to 2039

      4
      posts

    11. World's Fair Bids

      41
      posts

  4. Something for Everyone

    1. Fairs That Never Were

      Many fairs have been proposed over the years. Projects start with great fanfare and then fade away. These are their stories.

      150
      posts

    2. Events

      Do you have a free world's fair related event you'd like to publicize? A picnic or get together? Post your event here.

      2,678
      posts

    3. Community Chat

      General discussion, something for everyone.

      16,648
      posts

    4. Festival of Laughing Gas

      It's a cavalcade of comedy! A parade of parody, delightful deadpan and silly slapstick. Something funny for everyone.

      3,565
      posts

  5. Commerce Zone

    1. The Souvenir Shop

      Have a Fair collectible you would like to sell? Are you trying to find a buyer for a one-of-a-kind item? Do you buy and sell world's fair memorabilia? The Souvenir Shop is the place for you.

      1,532
      posts

    2. Commercial Events

      Want to promote a world's fair related commercial event? Are you having a collectibles show? Is there an admission fee? Commercial Events is the place for you.

      310
      posts

  • Posts

    • Ken
      At Home by Bill Bryson

      By Ken · Posted

      One error I see here refers to "a brick paved promenade lined by dozens of full grown oak trees". There were only a few large trees contained within the Crystal Palace - most of them being beneath the barrel-vaulted central transept. The entire floor of the Crystal Palace was constructed of wood planks, with narrow spaces between each of the boards so that the automatic sweeping machines could sweep dust and small debris to the ground below. Air was circulated throughout the building by the placement of louvered openings, as the individual glass-pane windows were stationary and did not open.
    • Jim
      At Home by Bill Bryson

      By Jim · Posted

      I find Bill Bryson to be a creative and elegant writer and I am presently reading At Home:  A Short History of Private Life, a book Mr. Bryson wrote about ten years ago.  It is a well researched and very creative history of the evolution of middle class life in the UK.  Mr. Bryson has alternated his home between New England and Scotland for close to 40 years. In any event, Chapter One is a must read for any world's fair enthusiast.  Mr. Bryson focuses his attention like a laser beam on the 1851 Great Exhibition.  The entire greenhouse concept was never envisioned by those planning the exhibition.  With only two years to plan and construct the buildings, time had been wasted in angry and unproductive "committee"  meetings.  Enter Joseph Paxrton, a private gardener, a land owner and a Liberal M P representing Coventry.  Recognizing that the Exhibition planners were in trouble and that too much time had already  passed for the planners to have time to complete a suitable display building. Paxton contacted the committee and proposed what amounted to a vastly enlarged version model of a smaller greenhouse he had built for his plants.  His glass and iron design would be called The Great Conservatory.  Paxton had created and developed a stronger prefabricated glass and he had developed techniques for construction with iron.  He promised completion in twelve months and would build a conservatory that was 1,848 feet long, 408 feet wide and 108 feet tall.  It required 4,500 tons of iron, 60,000 square feet of timber and 293.000 panes of glass.  It took 2,000 men just eight months to complete what would become the largest indoor space on earth and it came in well under budget. To prevent too much trapped heat, Paxton designed three foot panes of glass to open and close and encourage air flow.  Vast ground level pools snd the largest fountain complex in the world, at that time, also helped to cool the temperatures in the building.  In the center of the vast structure, there was a brick paved promenade lined by dozens of full grown oak trees. Twenty-five  thousand plants and trees from across the globe were planted and on display. Mr. Paxton saved the exhibition which was so well received that 6.5 million people paid for the thrill of exploring the inventions, machinery, artistry, food, clothing, music, dance, and science of over 60 participating nations. Much like Seattle Century 21 planner, Edward Carlson, who sketched his concept of a tower (which became the Space Needle) on the back of a cocktail napkin while sitting in a skyline defining tower in Stuttgart, Joseph Paxton drew his plans for the mammoth Hyde Park  building on an ink blotter.  What amounted to a simple doodle became the largest single structure in the world and won the imagination and devotion nearly seven million visitors in six months. Mr. Bryson continues his story with all sorts of additional statistics about the Crystal Palace and he describes its removal (led by Paxton) to Sydenham after the fair had ended. The fair had turned a profit and some of that money was used to pay for the preservation of the Crystal Palace.  People loved it.  I learned far more about the Great Exhibition and its spectacular Crystal Palace than I can relate here.  I urge you to explore the first chapter.  It 'is brilliant and endlessly fascinating.  You'll become a Crystal Palace expert and you will be sorely tempted to read the entire book.  
    • Bill Cotter
      NEW world's fair film "FACE OF A NATION: What Happened to the World's Fair?"

      By Bill Cotter · Posted

      Thanks. I have a LAPD meeting I chair that night and don't think I can make it. Drat. I really would have liked to have seen it. If you hear of any other dates please let me know. How's the leg doing???
    • cupaloy
      NEW world's fair film "FACE OF A NATION: What Happened to the World's Fair?"

      By cupaloy · Posted

      Bill - It will be screened on March 20 at the old Helms Bakery in Culver City. Here is the link for tickets   https://www.aialosangeles.org/event/wia-worlds-fair-film-screening/
    • sunguar
      The go-karts were a 1965 addition

      By sunguar · Posted

        I found something interesting while trying to locate the site of this go-cart ride. I believe it was located near the Formica Pavilion (house?) in an area called "Enterprise Common".  What is interesting is the fact that this area changes its physical shape from the 1964 Time-Life map to the 1964-1965 Time Life map.  It seems to widen in the latter map.  (Strange) The question I have is why was this area paved in 1964 with nothing on the site? There is also a paved (cement?) nearly circular area in the River Commons area (called a Bandshell) which I originally thought was the location. Interestingly, the area does not show up in the 1964 Time-Life map, but does show up in the 1964-1965 Time-Life map as an area with two access roads.   (Changes from 1964 to 1965: Bill: It seems an area in the River Commons area was paved for the 1965 season.  Also, a larger area was paved in an area called "Parade Ground" behind the Pavilion of American Interiors.  The Time-Life maps show the changes and I'm looking for some aerial shots to confirm.  I'm not sure if you want to include this in your "Changes During the Fair" topic on your website).  

  • Who's Online (See full list)

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      16,204
    • Total Posts
      117,048
×