10 replies to this topic

[johnf]

Having had Seattle in 1962, Spokane in 1974 and Vancouver, B.C., in 1986, the Pacific Northwest certainly had more than its share of world's fairs in those decades. But there was briefly some serious consideration to a fair in 1989 in Tacoma, Wash., to make the 100th anniversary of Washington's statehood. In fact, the state Legislature even authorized a commission to study the idea. But it obviously never led to an event.

I also remember reading that there was apparently some kind of planning that took place for a fair in 1976 in Philadelphia, the year of our Bicentennial. But that also went nowhere.

I also read one time that, either in the 60s or 70s, there was some discussion about a fair somewhere in the Los Angeles area -- I think perhaps it was proposed for nearby Corona. But that's all I know about it.

[Joey Chernov]

Also, as the other post this this category will tell you, the third generation of Miami's Interama was also planned as a centennial celebration.

[kpsz1]

There was a US government fair at Kennedy Space Center's VAB in 1976.
I still have the "live" printout I received from the Mars Viking.

[Joey Chernov]

There was a US government fair at Kennedy Space Center's VAB in 1976.
I still have the "live" printout I received from the Mars Viking.

Oh really? Can you tell us more about this, I love hearing information about both the fairs and the Space Centre!

[Jim]

The Britannica Book of The Year for 1966 states that Long Beach in California was considering a fair for later in the decade and that (and get this) Detroit "hopes to tie in a world's fair with its Olympic bid." I am not sure what year they were considering but I think it must have been 1972. It was progressive major Jerome Cananaugh who had those visions for Detroit and there is nothing wrong with that. Then, of course, came 1967 and the terrible riots which destroyed 100 sqare blocks of Detroit (much of which has never been rebuilt) and Detroit's implosion began.

[Marc Williams]

The Britannica Book of The Year for 1966 states that Long Beach in California was considering a fair for later in the decade and that (and get this) Detroit "hopes to tie in a world's fair with its Olympic bid." I am not sure what year they were considering but I think it must have been 1972. It was progressive majoy Jerome Cananaugh who had those visions for Detroit and there is nothing wrong with that. Then, of course, came 1967 and the terrible riots which destroyed 100 sqare blocks of Detroit (much of which has never been rebuilt) and Detroit's implosion began.

There was a recent world's fair conversation for Detroit here: http://detroityes.co...ead.php?t=2484.

[Jim]

It appears that the Detroit bid, supported by Mayor Jerome Cavanaugh, was for 1968. That forum with the discussion of a world's fair for Detroit is interesting. I lived in the Detroit area for several years and I think if it ever did come to pass, the Belle Island location would be very appealing. However, that poor city is in such dire trouble (the city's population dramatically declines every year) that I do not see how it could really happen.

[RocketThrower]

When I 1st moved to Oklahoma in 1984 many locals talked of how Oklahoma was trying/had tried for a Worlds Fair. Anyone hear know anything about this? Oklahoma City could really have benefitted from this in the 80s/90s by having a fair revitalize what has now slowly grown into the m.a.p.s. project and canal.

[Jim]

I have found a site that lists proposed fairs which never materialized. The California State University at Fresno's Henry Madden Library has a large collection of memorabilia from fairs that WERE held and it included a list of exposition proposals that remained just that--proposals.

Go to Google and type in Henry Madden Library and the link will appear.

I suspect the greatest fair prosposal that never got off the ground was the 1942 Universal Exposition in Rome. Land was cleared; some construction took place and then that crackpot Mussolini decided to enter the war and plunge Italy into total disaster. I believe some of the buildings, including the massive Palazzo della Civita Italiana (built in that cold, imperial and impersonal style so loved by the fascists), still stand.

The proposed fair's acronym was EUR and that is the name used to identify that land near Rome today.

[Joey Chernov]

Go to Google and type in Henry Madden Library and the link will appear.

I successfully went to the website, but I do not see anything other than books regarding the fair -unless that is what you are referring to? I couldn't find the lists, memorabilia ect...

[Jim]

Joey,

For some reason I cannot get the web address so try this:

Go to Google and simply type in "World's Fairs that were never held".

When I do this, it directly opens to a list posted by the Henry Madden Library of expositions planned but never completed. That page will provide a link to information about the library's world's fair collections.

I hope this works for you.

Jim