Collection on the 1964-1965 New York World s Fair, 1959-1967 (bulk dates 1961-1964) 14 boxes dd Museum of the City of New York 1220 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10029 Telephone: 212-534-1672 Fax: 212-423-0758 research@mcny.org www.mcny.org Museum of the City of New York. All rights reserved. Prepared by Annie Tummino with Assistance from Hoang Tran, August 2013 Description is in English. Descriptive Summary Creator: Museum of the City of New York Title: Collection on the 1964-1965 New York World s Fair Dates: 1959-1967, bulk 1961-1964 Abstract: Like the 1939-1940 New York World s Fair 25 years earlier, the 1964-1965 Fair was held at Flushing Meadows in the Borough of Queens. The Fair s theme was Man s Achievements in an Expanding Universe, symbolized by the 250 ton, 12-story high steel Unisphere. The collection documents multiple aspects of the Fair from an administrative and visitor perspective, including planning and construction, promotion, exhibits, navigation and post-fair park development. The collection includes guides, pamphlets, maps, photographs, souvenirs, publications, commemorative objects, art sketches, correspondence, reports, bulletins, proposals, press packets, tickets, and postcards. Extent: 14 boxes Accession Numbers: As an artificial collection, multiple accession numbers are represented. Language: English; one item in Italian. 1
Historical Note Like the 1939-1940 Fair 25 years earlier, the 1964-1965 New York World s Fair was held in Flushing Meadows in the Borough of Queens. The Fair was envisioned in 1958 by a group of civic-minded citizens led by Charles Preusse, a City administrator, and Thomas F. Deegan, a public relations expert, and strongly supported by New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller and President Dwight Eisenhower. By 1959, a nonprofit corporation was formed with 300 members who provided the initial capital needed to lease the 600 acres from New York City and begin preparations for the Fair. With help from the U.S. Department of State, nearly 80 nations were secured to participate. However, the Bureau of International Expositions did not officially sanction the Fair and several large European nations did not participate. In May of 1960 Robert Moses was appointed President of the Fair Corporation. As New York City Parks Commissioner during the 1939-1940 Fair, Moses was pivotal in the selection of Flushing Meadows as the Fair site, and his goal was to create a permanent world-class park in the area. He also used the impending 1964 Fair as a means to justify expanding and improving highways and bridges in the area. The Fair ran for two seasons, from April 22 to October 18, 1964, and from April 21 to October 17, 1965. The Fair s exhibits were grouped in five major exhibition areas: International, Federal and State, Industrial, Transportation, and Amusement. The official themes were Man s Achievements on a Shrinking Globe in an Expanding Universe, and Peace Through Understanding, symbolized by a 250 ton, 12-story high stainless steel Unisphere. Presented as a gift from the U.S. Steel Corporation, the Unisphere depicts earth as it would appear from 6,000 miles in space, encircled by rings representing the orbits of satellites. The Fair was a product of the space age with exhibits like General Motors Futurama taking passengers on a trip to the moon. The Fair s sunny vision of democracy and international cooperation took place against a backdrop of increasing turbulence, epitomized by the civil rights movement at home and the escalation of the Vietnam War abroad. The Fair s opening day ceremonies were disrupted by hundreds of protesters led by the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), who sought to draw attention to racial inequality faced by African- Americans. With over one billion dollars invested, the 1964-1965 Fair was likely the largest and most expensive in the history of World s Fairs. Approximately 51 million people attended, making it the most visited Fair in U.S. history. Yet, the Fair was considered a financial failure and often criticized for its conservative tone and overthe-top commercialism. However, there is no doubt that the Fair left an indelible impression on the millions of visitors who experienced its whimsical and futuristic world. After the Fair closed in October 1965, the Fair Corporation fulfilled its obligation to restore Flushing Meadows to a municipal park, using funds from the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority. Although most of the buildings and exhibits were torn down, structures from the Fair can still be seen in the park today, including the Unisphere, Hall of Science building, rockets from the Space Park, the Port Authority Heliport, and the New York State Pavilion. The New York City Building, originally constructed for the 1939-1940 Fair and utilized once again for the 1964-1965 Fair, is now home to the Queens Museum of Art. Various fountains and sculptures from the Fair also adorn the park. Bibliographic Note 2
The End of the Innocence: The 1964-1965 New York World s Fair by Lawrence R. Samuel. Syracuse, N.Y. : Syracuse University Press, 2007. The 1964-1965 New York World s Fair by Bill Cotter and Bill Young. Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 2004. New York Public Library, Finding Aid for the New York World s Fair 1964-1965 Corporation. New York World s Fair, 1964/65, accessed September 30. 2013: www.nywf64.com Scope and Content The collection spans from 1959 to 1967, with the bulk of the materials dating from 1961 to 1964. The collection is particularly strong on the Fair s early development, supporting research on the planning and promotion of the grounds, exhibits, events, buildings, and pavilions. Also of note are several collections of color slides by amateur photographers that capture the look and feel of the Fair. Overall, the collection provides a unique perspective on three distinct phases of the Fair: planning, operation and demolition. Materials from 1959-1964 document the planning phase, including maps, development plans, reports, bulletins, correspondence, art sketches, proposals, clippings, publications, and a large collection of publicity photographs depicting design renderings of Fair structures. The Donald Oenslager papers, grouped in the Administrative series, specifically detail Oenslager s involvement in the Fair s fountain and lighting program between 1961 and 1963. The Fair itself, visited by over 50 million people during the 1964 and 1965 seasons, is captured by press kits, guides, pamphlets, maps, tickets, postcards, publications, clippings, photographs, color slides, souvenirs, and commemorative objects. Finally, the demolition of the Fair and plans to restore the area as a municipal park are documented via photographs, clippings, reports, and publications from 1964-1967. Arrangement The collection is arranged in 10 series: Series I: Administrative, 1959-1964, (bulk 1961) Series II: Promotional, 1960-1967 Series III: Visiting the Fair, 1964-1965 Series IV: Areas and Exhibits, 1963-1964 Series V: Press and Publications, 1962-1964, undated (bulk 1964) Series VI: Photographs, 1960-1965 Series VII: Commemorative Objects, 1964 Series VIII: Architectural Elements Series IX: Artwork Series X: Audiovisual materials The majority of the materials have been interfiled and arranged by subject. Some series are further arranged in sub-series (see series descriptions for more detail). An exception to this includes the Donald Oenslager papers, which are grouped as a sub-series in Series I: Administrative, in order to maintain provenance and original order. Photographs are grouped in sub-series by creator, with original order preserved when possible. Series and Sub-Series Descriptions 3
Series I: Administrative, 1959-1964, (bulk 1961) The Administrative series documents the management, duties, and activities of the New York World s Fair 1964-1965 Corporation, including communications with exhibitors, concessionaires, vendors, personnel, and consultants. This series has been arranged in two sub-series: Sub-Series A: New York World s Fair Corporation, 1959-1964 Sub-Series B: Donald Oenslager papers, 1960-1963 (bulk 1961) Sub-Series A: New York World s Fair Corporation consists of a small collection of papers primarily documenting pre-fair planning and promotion. Sub-Series B: Donald Oenslager papers were grouped together in order to maintain provenance and original order. These materials document Oenslager s work as a Design Consultant of Lighting and Fountains for the Fair Corporation. The bulk of the records consist of correspondence between Oenslager and various design consultants and Fair staff. Also included are photographs, design sketches, draft proposals, scripts, business cards, minutes, schedules, salary and wage records, and budgets. A good deal of the material relates to Oenslager s proposal for the New York City Tricentennial Celebration. There is also an original working draft of sheet music by Robert Russell Bennett, a prominent American composer hired by Oenslager for the project. Biographical Note Donald Oenslager (1902-1975) was an American stage designer and professor born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He began his career as a theater actor in New York City and went on to study theater design in Europe. In 1925 got his first major job as a designer for the ballet Sooner or Later. For the next three decades he excelled in the field, winning a Tony Award for his work on the Broadway production A Majority of One in 1959. From 1925 until his death in 1975, Oenslager also taught design at the Yale School of Drama. Acquisition note Donated by Mrs. Donald Oenslager in 1976. Activity 21417, Assigned: X2013.162. Series II: Promotional, 1960-1967 This series consists of materials aimed at promoting the Fair to citizens, the media, corporations, shareholders, and government officials and agencies. Materials include publicly released reports, news releases, press packets, official bulletins, exhibit proposals, and related materials. The bulk of the materials were created between 1960 and 1963 by the Fair Corporation. The series includes 10 issues of the Fair Corporation s Progress Report from 1961 through 1965; Fair News, the Fair s official bulletin; an Opening Day press kit; and a number of plans and reports for redeveloping Flushing Meadows-Corona Park after the closure of the Fair in October 1965. For internal publications see Series I: Administrative. For media coverage of the Fair, see Series V: Press and Publications. Series III: Visiting the Fair, 1964-1965 4
This series provides evidence of the visitor experience navigating the Fair and the larger New York Metropolitan area. Materials include ticket stubs, maps, pamphlets, guides, and postcards. Maps include general maps of the Fair, souvenir maps provided by exhibitors, and maps with routes to the Fair by bus, train, and automobile. The Fair Corporation s Official Guide provides detailed information regarding the overall scheme of the Fair and its exhibits. Materials created by hotels and other commercial interests provide evidence of the tourism industry surrounding the Fair. Postcards consist of both blank and narrated postcards with stamps. This series is arranged in four sub-series: Sub-Series A: Admissions Sub-Series B: Maps Sub-Series C: Guides Sub-Series D: Postcards For maps or guides relating to specific areas or attractions see Series IV: Areas and Exhibits. Series IV: Areas and Exhibits, 1963-1964 This series is comprised of brochures, pamphlets, souvenirs, maps, news releases, guides, and other ephemera relating to specific buildings, pavilions, exhibits, and attractions. The materials are arranged in sub-series according to the organization of the Fair s five exhibit areas: Industrial, International, State & Federal, Transportation, and Lake Amusement. The Freddy Wittop sketches feature three costume sketches in color mounted on boards for the To Broadway With Love musical held at the Music Hall in the Lake Amusement Area. The Alvin Colt sketches feature 30 costume sketches in color mounted on boards for the Wonder World musical held at the Amphitheater located in the Lake Amusement Area. This series has been arranged in five sub-series: Sub-Series A: Industrial area Sub-Series B: International area Sub-Series C: Federal and State area Sub-Series D: Transportation area Sub-Series E: Lake Amusement area Series V: Press and Publications, 1962-1964, undated (bulk 1964) This series consist of newspapers, clippings, magazines, and other publications with coverage of the Fair between 1962 and 1964. Together, the materials document the Fair s construction, development, activities, and milestones as well as its reception by the public and critics. Many newspapers and clippings in the collection were rapidly deteriorating. Those available through public library databases in the New York area were recorded, with all bibliographic details, in Appendix D. Preservation copies were made of all fragile materials not widely available to the public. The originals of all items in stable condition were re-housed in acid-free folders. 5
This series has been arranged in four sub-series: Sub-Series A: Books Sub-Series B: Clippings Sub-Series C: Newspapers Sub-Series D: Serials Files in each sub-series are arranged alphabetically and then chronologically within folders. For publications by the Fair Corporation see Series I: Administrative and Series II: Promotional. Language of Materials Note: Materials in English, except for one serial in Italian titled Epoca. Series VI: Photographs, 1960-1965 This series is arranged in six sub-series by creator. Original order was maintained when possible. Collections that did not contain evidence of original order were grouped by subject. Sub-Series A: 1964 New York World s Fair Publicity Department photographs, circa 1960-1965 Sub-Series B: P. Demontagut photographs, 1964-1965 Sub-Series C: William A. Dobak photographs, 1964-1965 Sub-Series D: M. Picker photographs, 1963-1965 Sub-Series E: Small photographic collections, 1964 Sub-Series F: World s Fair photographs within larger collections, 1961-1965 Sub-Series A: New York World s Fair Publicity Department photographs, circa 1960-1965 This sub-series consists of prints from the Publicity Department of the 1964 New York World s Fair. Most of the photographs depict design renderings and models of exhibits distributed prior to the opening of the Fair. There is also a small quantity of photos depicting the Fair in operation after it opened. Some of the photos are accompanied by captions providing contextual information and demonstrating the Fair s marketing strategies. The photographs are arranged in sub-series based on the Fair s five areas and then filed alphabetically by exhibit. The Industrial Area is the most frequently depicted. The subsub-series I: General includes images of the Unisphere, grounds, employees, visitors, fountains, notable figures, and unidentified buildings. This sub-series is arranged in six subsub-series: SubSub-Series 1: Industrial Area SubSub-Series 2: International Area SubSub-Series 3: Federal and State Area SubSub-Series 4: Transportation Area SubSub-Series 5: Lake Amusement Area SubSub-Series 6: General Administrative History 6
Many of these photos are stamped "Return to Look Library. Presumably, they were sent to Look magazine by the Fair s Publicity Department for hopes of inclusion in the magazine. Although the gift paperwork is unclear, they were likely part of a donation to the Museum by Cowles Communications, Inc. in 1969, one of several large donations of negatives, contact sheets, and photographs by the publisher. Not all of the photographs bear this stamp, so it s possible that some of the photographs originated from other unknown sources. However, all appear to be publicity photographs distributed by the 1964 New York World s Fair Corporation. Sub-Series B: P. Demontagut photographs, 1964-1965 This sub-series consists of 210 Ektachrome slides donated by P. Demontagut. The collection features images from the perspective of a typical visitor going from one exhibit to another. The largest group of slides captures general scenes of the grounds. The second largest group of slides captures the Fair at night. Smaller quantities of images capture aerial views, exhibit interiors, Fair transportation, and the Fair s harbor. There are two slides of buildings in Manhattan. This sub-series is arranged in eight subsub-series: SubSub-Series 1: Night shots SubSub-Series 2: Grounds SubSub-Series 3: Aerial views SubSub-Series 4: Buildings SubSub-Series 5: Interiors SubSub-Series 6: Transportation SubSub-Series 7: Harbor SubSub-Series 8: Non-Fair Biographical and Acquisition Note: Demontagut was a resident of the Bronx at the time of the donation. Other biographical information has not yet been located. Activity 29836, assigned F2013.158.1-%. Sub-Series C: William A. Dobak photographs, 1964-1965 This sub-series consists of 161 color slides by William A. Dobak taken in 1964 and 1965. The collection captures activities and exhibits in all five Fair areas: Industrial, International, Federal and State, Transportation, and Lake Amusement. General scenes of the grounds, the Unisphere, visitors, sculptures, and fountains are also depicted. The bulk of the images consist of aerial views (32 slides); fountains and fireworks at night (approximately 25 slides); the Belgian Village in the International Area (16 slides); and the United States building in the Federal and State Area (10 slides). The original order of the slides has been maintained. Most likely the arrangement was created by the donor, or possibly by a prior Museum volunteer. To facilitate access, the slides are intellectually arranged in the inventory in the following subsub-series: SubSub-Series 1: Industrial 7
SubSub-Series 2: International SubSub-Series 3: Federal and State SubSub-Series 4: Transportation SubSub-Series 5: Lake Amusement SubSub-Series 6: General Biographical Note: William A. Dobak (1905-1987) was a lifelong employee of AT&T who took photographs as a hobby. At the time of the 1939 New York World s Fair he lived nearby in Flushing, Queens. Many of his images appear in Trylon and Perisphere: 1939 New York World s Fair, which was published in conjunction with exhibitions at seven NYC institutions in 1989 on the 50 th anniversary of the Fair. Acquisition Note: Donated by William A. Dobak s wife, Norma Dobak, in 1991. Activity number 25676, assigned: X2013.161.1 161. Sub-Series D: M. Picker photographs, 1963-1965 This sub-series consists of approximately 837 Kodachrome slides by M. Picker taken between 1963 and 1965. The collection features a wide array of subjects with careful photographic composition. There are multiple strengths within the collection. First, there are 183 slides capturing the construction of Fair buildings and exhibits. Second, there are 317 slides capturing International Exhibits; 74 slides of the Belgium Village exhibit; 30 slides of the African Pavilion exhibit; 43 slides of the Mexico exhibit; and 38 slides of the Spain exhibit. Third, there are 79 slides capturing the Fair s Opening Day events and activities. The rest of the collection consists of smaller quantities of slides (15 or less for each subject) depicting the Federal and State area, Transportation area, Industrial area, Unisphere, Fair visitors, fireworks, and aerial views. The original order of the slides has been maintained. Header slides introduce each section. These categories form the basis of the following 14 subsub-series: SubSub-Series 1: Construction SubSub-Series 2: Opening SubSub-Series 3: International-Africa SubSub-Series 4: International-Mexico SubSub-Series 5: International-Spain SubSub-Series 6: International-Belgium SubSub-Series 7: International-General SubSub-Series 8: Federal and State SubSub-Series 9: Transportation SubSub-Series 10: Industrial SubSub-Series 11: Unisphere SubSub-Series 12: Fountains, Fireworks, and Aerial SubSub-Series 13: People SubSub-Series 14: General Biographical and Acquisition Note: 8
The official deed for the collection was not located, but a mailing label indicates that the slides were donated by Lester Picker, a resident of Havre de Grace, Maryland. Biographical information on M. Picker has not yet been found. Sub-Series E: Small Photographic Collections, 1964 This series consists of collections of 25 or less photographs arranged in three subsub-series: SubSub-Series 1: General Electric Research Laboratory photographs SubSub-Series 2: New York Herald Tribune photographs SubSub-Series 3: Joseph Veach Noble photographs The General Electric Research Laboratory photographs consist of black and white photographs of the Diamond Exhibit. The New York Herald Tribune photographs consist of black and white photographs of the Dinoland Exhibit at the Sinclair Oil Pavilion. The Joseph Veach Noble photographs are comprised of negatives and prints of the Industrial Area and the Unisphere. Noble was a Director of the Museum of the City of New York in the 1970s. Sub-Series F: World s Fair photographs within larger collections, 1961-1965 This sub-series is comprised of photographs of the 1964 New York World s Fair located within larger non-world s Fair related collections. This sub-series is arranged in two subsub-series: SubSub-Series 1: Wurts Bros. SubSub-Series 2: Turid Lindahl The Wurts Bros. collection includes a small quantity of negatives depicting the Fair from 1961-1965 and several prints circa 1964. Turid Lindahl donated a single black and white photograph depicting the construction of the Unisphere in 1963. Series VII: Commemorative Objects, 1964 This series is comprised of a variety of souvenirs and commemorative objects that were either sold at various outlets or distributed for free at the Fair. A majority of the materials include the inscription New York World s Fair 1964-1965 and/or the officially licensed World s Fair Unisphere logo. Items are listed alphabetically by object type and include an address book, ashtrays, an irradiated dime, a beret, book, buttons, booklets, an hourglass, serving dishes, drinking glasses, plates, an inflatable blow up toy, plaques, clips, serving utensils, and trays. Series VIII: Architectural Elements The Museum of the City of New York does not possess World s Fair related architectural elements. The forthcoming joint finding aid with the Queens Museum of Art will list their holdings in this area. 9
Series IX: Artwork The Museum of the City of New York does not possess World s Fair related artwork. The forthcoming joint finding aid with the Queens Museum of Art will list their holdings in this area. Series X: Audiovisual The Museum of the City of New York does not possess 1964 World s Fair related audio-visual materials, with the exception of a recording of the Triumph of Man, listed in Series IV: Areas and Exhibits. The forthcoming joint finding aid with the Queens Museum of Art will list their holdings in this area. Language of Materials Materials are in English with the exception of one serial titled Epoca in Italian. Access and Use The Museum of the City of New York collections must be examined on site. Appointments to examine materials must be made in advance by contacting the Archivist through e-mail at research@mcny.org. Collection use is subject to all copyright laws. Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the Rights and Reproductions Office at the Museum of the City of New York. For more information please contact: Rights and Reproductions office Museum of the City of New York 1220 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10029 Telephone: 212-534-1672, ext. 3375 Fax: 917-492-3960 rights@mcny.org Administrative Information Preferred Citation Title, date. Collection on the 1964-1965 New York World s Fair, 1959-1967. Museum of the City of New York. Accession # (if applicable). Custodial History This collection was compiled over several decades by Museum staff. Acquisition Information Materials in the collection were donated by Fair visitors, employees, the Fair Corporation, amateur and professional photographers, and media outlets. Donations were accumulated between 1973 and 2013. Notable acquisitions include: 1976 donation by Mrs. Donald Oenslager of her late husband s papers. Donald Oenslager worked as Design Consultant of Lighting and Fountains for the Fair Corporation. 10
The Wurts Bros. photographs include a small quantity of images depicting the 1964-1965 Fair. Costume sketches by Freddy Wittop for the To Broadway With Love musical and by Alvin Colt for the Wonder World show. For a full list of donors, see Appendix A. You may consult the archivist for specific acquisition information for particular objects. Processing Information This collection was processed by Project Archivist Annie Tummino with assistance from Archival Fellow Hoang Tran from March to July, 2013, as part of a Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) Hidden Collections grant. The CLIR grant is a collaborative effort with the Queens Museum of Art. A forthcoming finding aid will intellectually unite the World s Fair collections from both institutions. The majority of the Museum s materials had previously been maintained as an artificial collection (grouped by subject rather than donor), with only a rudimentary and incomplete inventory to facilitate access. The archivists physically re-housed and intellectually described these materials, arranging them in Series and Subseries. The Postcard Collection, Pamphlet Collection, and Fairs Collection also contained World s Fair materials; these were physically removed and integrated with the Collection on the 1964-1965 New York World s Fair. Provenance was preserved for photographic collections, as well as original order when available. All photographs were re-housed and intellectually described with biographical notes provided for each creator. Additional objects including decorative arts items, textiles, theater material, sculptures, and toys which have are related to the World s Fair but exist within previously established collections were intellectually described within the schema of the finding aid but were not physically integrated with the collection. These are listed as stored separately in the box column of the inventory and may be examined pending consultation with the Archivist. Related Material Museum of the City of New York Collection on the 1939-1940 New York World s Fair Collections in Other Repositories Queens Museum of Art, Collection on the 1964-1965 New York World s Fair (forthcoming finding aid will intellectually unite this collection with the City Museum s collection) New York Public Library, New York World s Fair 1964-1965 Corporation Records New York Public Library, Robert Moses papers, 1912-1980 New York City Department of Records, Municipal Archives Collections, Department of Parks, 1850-1960 MTA Bridges & Tunnels Special Archive Queens Historical Society Queens Library, New York World s Fair Collection 11
Donald G. Larson Collection on International Expositions and Fairs, California State University, Fresno World s Fair Historical Society Access Points Personal names Demontagut, P. Dobak, William A., 1905-1987 Moses, Robert, 1881-1981 Noble, Joseph Veach, 1920-2007 Oenslager, Donald, 1902-1975 Picker, M. Corporate names Clarke and Rapuano New York World s Fair 1964-1965 Corporation Wurts Brothers (New York, N.Y.) Topical subjects Amusements Architecture Corporations, American Exhibitions Fairs Industries New York World's Fair (1964-1965) Popular culture Technology--Social aspects Tourism Transportation Geographic subjects Flushing Meadows-Corona Park (New York, N.Y.) Flushing Meadows Park (New York, N.Y.) Queens (New York, N.Y.) Container List Please email research@mcny.org for a container list. 12