2 replies to this topic

[Bill Cotter]

An interesting read. I never knew LA had tried for a fair that year.

 

http://www.wired.com...never-built-la/

[expoboy]

Bill, that is quite a find.  Interesting that the Los Angeles World's Fair proposal has a comparison inset that includes the already designed Trylon and Perisphere.  The other unbuilt projects are also interesting, especially the original concepts for what eventually became the LAX Theme Building.

[Jim]

The line, "there is less of a spirit that anything is possible in Los Angeles," is not unique to LA.  It is an attitude that pervades our time.  In the 1930's, at the height of the Great Depression, this nation ventured on amazing projects including TVA, Hoover Dam and hundreds of civil projects which still benefit us today.  And so many US cities hosted world's fairs on the belief they would provide jobs, community life would be improved and lasting civic pride would result.  That positive spirit is notably scarce in 2013.

 

It is also interesting that the story states LA wanted to host a fair in 1939 but did not get it.  Any city could have hosted a fair that year and NY's fair certainly did not deter San Francisco.  It is not as if they were awaiting BIE approval.  I understand the federal dollars etc., but had LA jumped out early, it could have had a shot at a fair.