10 NYC Remnants of the 1939 World’s Fair at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park

The 1939 World’s Fair was a hopeful moment amidst of sea of international political turmoil, just before the start of World War II. Its theme, “Building the World of Tomorrow,” encapsulated the scale and scope of what the organizers intended. It was the largest of any international fair that came before it, measured in terms of visitors, size, cost, and other factors, and featured the participation of not only countries (60 of them) but also international corporations like General Motors, Wonder Bread, IBM and more.

The remnants of the 1964 World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park are readily apparent, but those from the 1939 World’s Fair require quite a bit more digging. From 1964, the most notable holdouts include Philip Johnson’s New York State Pavilion (the subject of much controversy and rehabilitation efforts), the Unisphere, various buildings like the space-age looking building, Terrace on the Park, and numerous sculptures.

Here are ten remnants from the 1939 World’s Fair, uncovered and researched on request by one of Untapped Cities’ readers!

1. A Time Capsule Buried for the 1939 World’s Fair

Marked only by a marble disc in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, an 800-pound tube was buried in 1939 and still sits fifty feet under the ground. The time capsule was ceremoniously lowered at the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company exhibit at the 1939-40 New York World’s Fair, slated to be opened 5000 years from its burial date – year 6939. There were 35 items inside, selected to represent life in the era, including a Sears Roebuck catalog, Life magazine, a newsreel, and other every day items. Reflecting the interest in agriculture (there was a whole food part of the 1939 World’s Fair), numerous seeds like wheat, corn, tobacco, rice and soy, were also included. Everything was sealed in nitrogen.

It would be the first time an object like this would be called a “time capsule,” a term devised by New York public relations counselor George Edward Pendray. In 1965, another time capsule was buried for the 1964-65 World’s Fair, just ten feet from this one with a scheduled open date of 6939 as well.

Read more about the 1939 time capsule here.

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2. The 1939 World’s Fair Subway Line

There is a line of the IND (Independent) subway that no longer exists, created specifically for the 1939 World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. Near the Forest Hills-71st Street stop (along today’s M/R lines), the World’s Fair Line began at a flying junction (a rail crossing where tracks cross over ground level trucks via a bridge) and ran through Jamaica Yard. Two tracks that formerly went up to or through the yard storage area were extended, turning north along the east side of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park atop a pine wooden trestle built atop marshland and ending at a new station, the World’s Fair Terminal Station. The spur was a total of 2 miles, built at cost of $1.7 million.

The IRT and BMT lines also ran World’s Fair trains, but those special trains ran along existing routes. As the IND was the only line “the city then owned directly,” reported the New York Times, it seemed necessary at the time to build this extension and terminal.

Though there were some plans to make the line permanent following the closure of the fair, the idea was dropped due to a combination of expense, political pressure and other factors. Robert Moses wasn’t able to convince the city yet that Flushing held development promise. Demolition of the World’s Fair Line began on January 15th, 1941. Jamaica Yard returned to its original state, but the signals added for the spur still remain in use.

The 1964 World’s Fair also had its own subway line and cars. Discover what happened to them here.

3. Queens Museum Building

The New York City Building, now the home of the Queens Museum, was constructed for the 1939 World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. After the fair, the building served as both a roller skating rink and an ice skating rink. Between 1946 and 1950, the New York City Building was the home of the United Nations General Assembly.

After the United Nations left Flushing, the building returned to its prior use as a skating rink. It would later be incorporated into the 1964 World’s Fair as well. Today, it is one of only two remaining buildings from the 1939 World’s Fair that is still standing in its original location.

4. Parachute Jump on Coney Island

The Parachute Jump is commonly associated with Coney Island – and rightfully so. The landmarked structure has spent most of its life there. It was built originally, however, for the 1939 World’s Fair and was purchased by the Tilyou family that owned Steeplechase Park. The Parachute Jump has such staying power, it has outlived the original Steeplechase Park and the threat of demolition by Fred Trump, father of Donald Trump.

The renaissance of the Parachute Jump began in the 1980s, when it was designated a city and national landmark. Rehabilitation of the structure began in the early 1990s, and a complete restoration was completed in the 2000s, under the purview of the NYC Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC).

5. Trees at The Queens Botanical Garden

The Queens Botanical Garden was launched under the name Gardens on Parade at the 1939 World’s Fair, a 5-acre area in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. In 1946, the location was expanded at the same site and relaunched as “The Queens Botanical Garden Society.” In preparation for construction of the 1964 World’s Fair, the garden relocated across the street to its current location east of College Point Boulevard. Some of the original trees were moved there as well, including two blue atlas cedars that frame the tree gate sculpture at the main entrance of the Botanical Garden today.

6. Replica Benches at the Queens Botanical Garden