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CHANGES DURING THE FAIR |
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CHANGES DURING THE FAIR |
Although many of the exhibits at the Fair were the results of years of planning and design, there were many changes made during the two year run. Some changes were relatively minor, such as new paint schemes or signage, while in other cases, entire pavilions were changed. This page, which is a work in progress, lists some of these changes. More will be added as they become available, so please stop back again for the latest update.
| Africa |
A roof was added during the 1964 season to provide shade for the dancers.
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| American-Israel Pavilion |
Views of the pavilion from 1964 show plain wooden exterior walls.
In 1965 large copies of postage stamps from Israel were added.
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| AMF Monorail |
The famous Aston Martin DB5 featured in the movie "Goldfinger" was added as a display at the station for 1965.
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| Amphicar Rides |
These unusual amphibious vehicles were added for the Fair's second season.
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| Amphitheatre |
When the Fair first opened the Amphitheatre on Meadow Lake was home to "Leonidiff's Wonder World", an ambitious stage show.
The show was a costly flop and soon closed. At that point the Amphitheatre was briefly occupied by the "Summer Time Revue" starring Clay Cole.
That show also closed early and for the rest of the season the Amphitheatre was unused. The 1965 season proved to be a better one for this veteran of the 1939-40 New York World's Fair, for it was taken over by the State of Florida and featured the very popular "Florida Citrus Water Ski Show."
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| Avis Pan American Highway Rides |
The Pan American Highway Gardens were a
tranquil but generally ignored spot in 1964.
The area was much busier - and far more noisy - with the arrival of a Avis go-cart track in 1965.
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| Bargreen Buffet | Originally planned as
the Argentina Pavilion, the building was turned into the Pavilion of
Fine Art after the original developers ran out of money and were unable
to complete construction.
In 1965 the building became the Bargreen Buffet, a restaurant complex.
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| Belgian Village |
The Belgian Village ran into financing and construction difficulties during construction, so much of the complex was unfinished when the rest of the Fair opened. The complex was finally opened on August 1, 1964.
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| Bounty | The
replica of the infamous HMS Bounty was only at the Fair for the 1964
season, as few visitors made it from the main Fair site over to the
Marina.
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| Bourbon Street | When the Fair first opened the area
was known as "Louisiana's Bourbon Street".
A fallout between some of the financial backers led to the removal of the "Louisiana's" portion of the sign in early 1964.
The area received a new entrance design late in the 1964 season that replaced the bland walls and giant figures with facades designed to look like New Orleans architecture. The words "Bourbon Street" in a variety of fonts, sizes, and colors were added to the exterior wall facing the Minnesota Pavilion.
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| Carnival | The Texas Pavilions
closed after the 1964 season and were replaced with Carnival, which
featured a disco and small amusement rides, in 1965.
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| Carousel Park | This area didn't open until July
1964. It received new lighting on top of the carousel as well as a new
paint scheme for the 1965 season.
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| Centralamerica and Panama | When Panama decided not
to return for the 1965 season, the pavilion's name was changed by
crudely pulling the lettering off and leaving a very messy scarred wall
behind.
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| Century Grill | While the guidebook made it sound
like the Century Grill would be tough to pass up, most Fairgoers did
exactly that. The grill was located just inside the Peter Stuyvesant
Gate at the Transportation Area, and it's likely that most visitors
raced right past it on their way into the main part of the Fair. The Century Grill did
not return for the 1965 season, being replaced by the tacky looking
"Steak Town USA".
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| Chrysler | In 1964 the main building and rocket at Chrysler
featured mostly white paint schemes
Later in the season several of the panels were painted in brighter colors.
The 1965 season saw much more colorful designs:
In 1964 the mechanical Dragonaut animal was green:
It was repainted in 1965 to a more visible red:
The interior of the Giant Engine received a brighter paint scheme for the 1965 season.
The pavilion also featured an exhibit where visitors
could pose for pictures in openings in a giant license plate. A new
registration sticker was added to the plate in 1965. |
| Chunky Candy | Originally
a glass tunnel carried newly made candy bars to a wrapping area, but
they often melted in the sunlight and an awning was added to protect
them during the 1964 season. |
| Churchill Center | In 1964 this
geodesic dome-topped building was used for a variety of exhibits under the
rather generic name of "The World's Fair Pavilion" or just "The
Pavilion".
In 1965 it was used solely for a tribute to Sir Winston Churchill, who had passed away earlier that year.
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| Coca-Cola | When the Fair opened there was a
blank wall above the pavilion entrance, as seen here just above the
Greyhound Escorter:
By July 3, 1964 a new red and gold mural had been added with depictions of people enjoying soft drinks:
Sharp-eyed viewers will note that the curb in front of the building had been painted yellow, probably as the result of people tripping on their way in! The entrance fountain was little more than a barren concrete basin in 1964.
For 1965 a new center fixture was added with surrounding planter boxes.
There were some changes for 1965 in the vending area, with new drink dispensers and simplified signage.
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| Dancing Waters | The inflatable Dancing
Waters pavilion disappeared sometime in 1965.
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| Continental Circus/Continental Park | A victim
of low attendance, the circus did not return for the 1965 season. The
space was empty for part of the year and later used for a small
collection of children's rides called Continental Park.
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| Demonstration Center | New for 1965, this pavilion was
housed in the former Hall of Education building.
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| Eastern Airlines | Eastern got a new roof
and color scheme for the 1965 season.
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| Fiesta | In 1964 a
large grassy area was located between the IBM and Festival of Gas
pavilions.
In 1965 this area became the "People to People Fiesta International Market", more commonly known as just Fiesta.
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| Ford | The famous
glow-in-the-dark badges were given out at this outdoor booth in 1964. It
was gone in 1965 and the badges were distributed inside the main
pavilion.
Other reported changes: Exterior: |
| General Electric | The popular pavilion often had long
lines, and in 1964 they were wound through an empty area next door.
Confused visitors often didn't know where the line started, and the
crowds made it difficult to get through the area.
In 1965 a covered waiting area was added, helping to reduce some of the crowd control issues while also providing guests a welcome respite from the hot New York sun.
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| General Motors | The General Motors pavilion was very
popular, leading to long lines right from Opening Day. As large as the
building was, it wasn't large enough to accommodate the waiting crowds,
leading to long lines in the harsh New York weather.
A covered waiting area was added sometime after the Fair opened. This second view from the New York State observation towers, taken in late July, 1964, shows the blue and white canopy used to keep guests out of the sunlight.
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| Greece | When the Fair opened the pavilion was
almost all white with one large mural near the front entrance.
Later in 1964 it sported a more colorful mural that stretched across the front of the building.
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| Greyhound Escorters | These unique rental
vehicles are a great way to date a photo to 1964 as they were only used
for the Fair's first season.
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| Greyhound Glide-a-rides | In 1964 there were no
route signs on top of the tractor units. In 1965 some, but not all,
tractors had signs designating the route they were taking. If there's a
sign on top it's a 1965 view.
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| Hall of Education | This pavilion closed after the 1964
season and the building was used the next year as the Demonstration
Center.
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| Hall of Free Enterprise | In 1964 the entrance to
the building sported the slogan "The Greatest Good for the Greatest
Number". This was changed in 1965 to read "The Hall of Free Enterprise". |
| Hall of Science | A last-minute addition to
the Fair, the Hall of Science was under construction for much of the
1964 season. Some of the exhibits on the lower level opened earlier, but
the pavilion wasn't finished and dedicated until September 9, 1964.
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| Hong Kong | There were two junks at
the entrance to the Crown Colony Club area in 1964. One was removed for
the 1965 season to provide more room for a snack bar.
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| IBM | When the Fair first
opened the egg-shaped portion of the pavilion was covered in a repeating
series of the "IBM" logo in the company's distinctive typeface. To get
more attention at night, several sets of the letters were replaced with
illuminated letters shortly after opening day. This shot from July 1964
shows work underway to add the new letters.
The newly added lights can be seen in this view of the pavilion at dusk.
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| Indonesia | Unfortunately politics and financing
woes led to the early closure of the Indonesia pavilion. Faced with
several months of unpaid rent bills, the World's Fair Corporation
ordered the pavilion closed in 1965. For the rest of the Fair the
building stood empty, with a simple set of barricades blocking the
entrance.
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| Japan | In 1965
the word "SHOW" was removed from signs on the side of the building, but
it was still visible.
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| Jaycopter | The first Jaycopter,
which was red, was replaced
mid-way during the 1964 season with a larger yellow model.
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| Kodak | The "Madcap Theater"
area was added in 1965. |
| Les Poupees de Paris | When the
pavilion opened in 1964 the signage was relatively low key.
Later in the season new signs were added proclaiming that the new 1965 edition was already there.
In 1965 the statues on the roof were removed and new signage added in several languages proclaiming that the show was a "smash hit".
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| Lowenbrau | When the
Fair first opened the area was billed as "Lowenbrau Munich".
The area was re-named to "Lowenbrau Gardens" during the first season of the Fair. This included the signage on the beer wagon that traveled around the Fair site.
There was also a change to the band stand, with a canopy added for the 1965 season.
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| Meadow Lake Bridge | This view dated July 1964 shows an
unbroken walkway on the right side of the Meadow Lake Bridge:
A slide dated September 1964 shows a newly constructed wooden staircase:
By 1965 there was also a ramp opposite the stairs:
It appears the stairs and ramps were added to make
it easier for those passing by to detour for a visit to the nearby
Bourbon Street. |
| Mexico | In 1964 a replica of
an ancient Aztec calendar could be found on the pavilion's patio.
In 1965 the calendar was replaced by a 16-ton stone head of Olmec. His name appears to be known but not the significance of the piece.
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| Minnesota | A statue of "Big Ole", a
giant-sized Viking warrior, was added for 1965, along with a Viking
ship. Additional Viking displays were also added inside the pavilion.
Unfortunately Big Ole's massive sword proved to be too tempting a target for some rowdy visitors and was broken off midway through the season.
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| New England | A press
release described one of the changes for 1965: A 150-foot ski slope,
towering 60 feet in the air, will be located beside the Regional Theme
Building. Live skiing demonstrations will be given several times daily.
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| New Jersey | In 1965 a
bright yellow stripe was added to a roof facing the New York State
Pavilion observation towers with the message: New York and World's Fair Souvenirs See Them Made Here Free Drawings Everyday
Only one large state seal was there in 1965, and the photos were gone.
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| New York City Building | When the Fair first
opened the New York City Building featured two major exhibits, which
were both prominently featured on signage on the building side that
faced the Unisphere. The giant panorama model of the city lasted both
seasons, but you had to look fast to see the other one, "Dick Button's
Ice-Travagaza".
The ice show was one of the first to close, due to low attendance, and the sign was covered over for the remainder of the 1964 season.
In 1965 the sign was revised to list the panorama, much like the one on the other side of the wall that was first seen in 1964. The two signs weren't identical, though, as the different number of letters originally in the sign for the ice show meant that the letters had to be spaced out slightly differently.
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| Oklahoma | One of
the kiosks became a Chicken Delight restaurant for the 1965 season.
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| Pan American Highway Gardens | The gardens were a
tranquil but generally ignored spot in 1964.
The area was much busier - and far more noisy - with the arrival of a Avis go-cart track in 1965.
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| Paris | When the pavilion first opened the
designers somehow had neglected to have any signage listing its name,
which was added several weeks later. The wooden sculpture located at the
entrance in 1964 was replaced by a group of flagpoles flying the French
flag for 1965 - along with larger signage.
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| Pavilion of Fine Art | Originally planned as
the Argentina Pavilion, the building was turned into the Pavilion of
Fine Art after the original developers ran out of money and were unable
to complete construction.
In 1965 the building became the Bargreen Buffet, a restaurant complex.
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| Pennsylvania | This exhibit was added for the 1965
season.
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| Pepsi | Snow White
and the Seven Dwarfs were part of the Disney characters seen at or near
the Pepsi Pavilion in 1964.
They were replaced for the 1965 season by Chip ' Dale.
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| Polynesia | In 1964
the Polynesia Restaurant had small covers near the stage areas to block
some of the sunlight. More substantial covers were added for 1965.
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| Port Authority | In 1964 there were two
Sikorsky helicopters on display outside the pavilion.
The 1965 season featured a vintage Ford Tri-Motor airplane as part of an American Airlines exhibit. When the Fair first re-opened for the season the plane was surrounded by a small chain, and was in front of a blank wall. By June the chain had been replaced by a more formidable fence, and the wall sported aviation artwork.
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| Protestant and Orthodox Center | When the
pavilion opened the Coventry Charred Cross exhibit used ornate silver
lettering.
By September 1964 the lettering was changed to a simpler gold style.
The lettering was a problem throughout both seasons. Pictures often show letters were missing, either from falling off or being pried off by vandals and/or souvenir hunters.
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| RCA | When the
Fair first opened the sign outside RCA proclaimed it the
OFFICIAL COLOR TV
By August 1964 the sign had been changed to read COLOR TELEVISION
The odd spacing between several of the words would remain that way for the rest of the Fair. The words "COLOR" were changed, though, by September 1964 to use colored letters instead of the original all-back ones.
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| Santa Maria | In 1965
the ship's name was added at the entrance gate and the ship's stern,
starboard side, and crow's nest.
Also for 1965, a small restaurant under a tent was added at the admission gate in an area that was a gravel path for the first season.
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| Sierra Leone | Economic woes led to the closure of
this pavilion at the end of the 1964 season. The building became the
United Nations pavilion in 1965.
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| Simmons | In 1964 the
pavilion listed "Land of Enchantment and Rest Alcoves" on its signage.
In 1965 the Land of Enchantment was gone.
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| Sinclair |
This display of baby brontosauruses was added for the
1965 season.
The bird flying over the eggs disappeared sometime
during the year. |
| Steak Town USA | This restaurant replaced the Century
Grill for the 1965 season.
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| Swiss Sky Ride | In 1964 the support
pylons were white. The faces were painted red in 1965, with the sides
left white.
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| Texas Pavilions | The Texas Pavilions
closed after the 1964 season and were replaced with the Carnival Disco
and small amusement rides in 1965.
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| Tower of Light | When the
pavilion first opened the name of the show inside, "The Brightest Show on Earth,"
was included on the signage at the pavilion entrance.
"The Brightest Show on Earth" sign was gone by June 1964.
The pavilion had a new show for 1965, "Holiday With
Light." |
| Tower of the Four Winds | Disney's fanciful tower
outside the Pepsi-Cola Pavilion featured a yellow frame in 1964 and was
repainted white for 1965.
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| Transportation & Travel | In 1964
Allied Van Lines had a display behind the main building featuring a
large orange moving van, and the U.S. Army showed off a moveable scissor
bridge.
In 1965 they were replaced by an exhibit on the U.S. Navy's Polaris missile and a Nashua mobile home display.
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| Travelers Insurance | In 1964
the roof was painted a solid red.
A "T" in a white circle was added for 1965.
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| United Nations | When Sierra Leone decided not to
return for the 1965 season the pavilion got a new paint job and a new
owner, resurfacing as the Pavilion of the United Nations.
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| United States | The sign at the entrance to the
pavilion went through numerous changes during the Fair. At first it
sported just the pavilion's name and a raised eagle.
At some point in early 1964 the name and title of "Norman K. Winston, Commissioner" was added.
This new signage didn't last long and was quickly and crudely covered over.
The next change saw the "Norman K. Winston, Commissioner" wording moved to the lower right.
All of those visitors posing for pictures quickly took a toll on the lights at the base of the sign, resulting in misalignment or complete destruction.
In 1965 a small guardrail was then added to protect the lights, with additional security provided by the Boy Scouts.
1965 also saw the introduction of a new display, "The Hall of Presidents." It featured memorabilia from the nation's chief executives, not robotic figures like the later show at Walt Disney World.
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| United States Space Park | The X-15 mock-up was
updated between seasons from an X-15-1 (tail number 66670) to represent
the re-built version of the second X-15 aircraft, the X-15A-2 (tail
number 66671). New external propellant tanks were added to it as well
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| Unknown snack bar | A small snack bar was added for 1965
to a vacant slice of land between the Guinea and Sermons from Science
pavilions.
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| Unknown souvenir stands | A small souvenir stand was added in
1965 at the intersection of the Avenue of Commerce and the Court of the
Sun, just behind the Industrial Common and the Tiparillo Bandstand. It
can be seen just above the oval-shaped Family Phone Booth.
Another souvenir stand was also added to the area for 1965. It can be seen at the bottom of the 1965 view of the General Electric waiting area, located earlier on this page. It evidently sold film as well as other items.
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| U.S. Royal Giant Tire | When the Fair first
opened the hub caps on the Giant Tire read "US Rubber".
The hub caps were changed in late July or early August 1964 to reflect the parent company, UniRoyal, as part of a company-wide rebranding.
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| Vatican | The Father Mendel
Garden of Heredity was added for 1965. The area used was a grass lawn
in 1964. The garden was formally dedicated on June 20, 1965.
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| Venezuela | In 1964 the entrance area featured a
small plaza and garden.
In 1965 a statue of Simon Bolivar was added.
Actually, there were two different statues of Simon Bolivar! The one pictured above was replaced later that month with a different one. It was on the same pedestal, but the actual bust itself is completely different.
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| WBT 2,000 Tribes | In 1964 the two totem
poles at the side of the building were partially blocked off by plants.
The area around the totem poles became a photo opportunity site in 1965, with a larger concrete pad, signage for the pavilion, and a short walkway from the street.
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| West Virginia |
The West Virginia pavilion featured a pleasant patio looking at one end during the 1964 season.
The area was rebuilt for the 1965 season as a rather unattractive indoor dining area. The addition doesn't match the rest of the pavilion design at all. A new sign with the pavilion's name was added as well.
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| World's Fair Pavilion | In 1964 this
geodesic dome-topped building was used for a variety of exhibits under the
rather generic name of "The World's Fair Pavilion" or just "The
Pavilion".
In 1965 it was used solely for a tribute to Sir Winston Churchill, who had passed away earlier that year.
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