#nyc history
Music Hall, New York World’s Fair
Source:NY Public Library
Music Hall / Music Building at the fair, described on a postcard as follows:
The Music Building is modern and functional in design: of fireproof construction, and is equipped with the latest stage mechanisms and appliances. The auditorium is egg-shaped, without balconies or interior columns, and thus affords perfect vision. The square end of the building which rises to a height of 80 feet houses a magnificent stage from which many impressive musical presentations will be given.
The postcard (different art on the end):
A look inside, which included an “egg-shaped” auditorium:
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American Art Today Building, New York World’s Fair
Source:NY Public Library
Rendering of a the Contemporary Arts Building, also called the American Art Today Building because that was the name of the exhibit. I imagine it was filled with all kinds of modernist art.
Here’s a photo of the actual building:
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New York World’s Fair
Source:NY Public Library
Pretty sure George Washington was the biggest sculpture at the fair. Look at the second picture and for scale check on the person sitting at the base. This sculpture stood at a the end of a huge reflection pool, which was lit up at night, and backed by the Trylon and Perisphere.
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“Means of Communication,” Communications Building, New York World’s Fair
Source:NY Public Library
Monumental mural by Eugene Savage. This photo looks to have been taken during construction. A later photo:
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“Asbestos: The Magic Mineral,” New York World’s Fair
Source:NY Public Library
The fair was all about promoting new and wonderful discoveries, like…. asbestos. This is TOO much. I don’t know what building this was on. Another view of the asbestos suit:
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Aquacade, New York World’s Fair
Source:NY World’s Fair
I have a 10-DVD set of documentary footage of the fair and when I got to the Aquacade, it blew my mind. Even more amazing in color. Basically this was a huge performance venue which included a WATER stage as well as a large dance/skating stage. They performed what were essentially LIVE versions of Busby Berkely dance routines and Esther Williams movies. So, big synchronized swimming affair set to music, people skating in formation on stage, etc. There were elaborate costumes and of course lots of bathing beauties, like:
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Hall of Pharmacy, New York World’s Fair
Source:NY Public Library
The Hall of Pharmacy, painted as a billboard advertising its own opening date (or perhaps that of the 1940 season). Trylon and Perisphere in the background.
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WPA Building, New York World’s Fair
Source:NY Public Library
Fantastic mural, “Maintaining America’s Skills” by Philip Guston. It looks like they’ve included a woman engineering tableau.
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Mural by Andrew Durenceau, Metals Building, New York World’s Fair
Source:NY Public Library
A few of the monumental murals at the Metals Building. There are various references to Greco-Roman gods, plus of course industry. The photo with the two people posed in front is “Strength and Power.”
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Gay New Orleans Village, New York World’s Fair
Source:NY Public Library
The fair included numerous “villages” – clusters of themed buildings, attractions, food halls, etc. – and one of them was a “Gay New Orleans” village. Basically a party area. The huge hall pictured offered “Swing Mardi Gras,” with Swing dancing every night, free (with your fair ticket).
A better view of the building, in the winter between 1939 and 1940:
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Going to the Fair, Preview of the New York World’s Fair 1939
Scans of the awesome book I found on Etsy, which presented a preview of the fair. This is the cover and the first few pages.
Then comes this “Introduction” about how “YOU MUST COME TO OUR WORLD’S FAIR”:
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One is a wanderer, two is company, and up to ten is a group tour at the Museum.
Whether you’re bringing your family from out of town, a crew of colleagues, or a few friends, there’s a tour for you! Led by a team of art historians and educators, our group tours are available for many of our exciting collections as well as our special exhibitions. Experience our galleries together and discuss art with a focus on NYC history, female artists, Ancient Egyptian art, identity and representation, and more.
Group tours accommodate up to ten people and last about an hour and fifteen minutes. Get more information on pricing and availability: https://bit.ly/3qscSSE
Utagawa Hiroshige (Ando) (Japanese, 1797-1858). Cotton-Goods Lane, Odenma-cho, No. 7 in One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, 4th month of 1858. Woodblock print. Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Anna Ferris, 30.1478.7
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Bridges of New York City under construction. Each held the title of longest suspension bridge in the world when it was built.:
Brooklyn Bridge (1887)
Williamsburg Bridge (1903)
George Washington Bridge (1931)
Verrazano Bridge (1964)
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Today’s #UrbanExploration post concerns the building known as the Piano Factory aka the Sohmer & Co. Piano factory building on Vernon Boulevard and 31st Avenue in Astoria, New York.
Built in 1866, the building was built in the Romanesque Revival style with a two sided clock tower corner and a copper trimmed mansard roof.
The building was the home of the Sohmer & Co. Piano factory for over a decade. In 1982 the company moved its operations to Ivoryton, Connecticut. For the next couple of decades, the building’s ownership changed hands multiple times. In 2007 the building earned landmark status number 2172 courtesy of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. The building is now a residential building.
#UrbExNYC #SohmerAndCompany #SohmerAndCompanyPianoFactory #ThePianoFactory #ArchitecturalHistory #EngineeringHistory #NewYorkHistory #NYHistory #NYCHistory #AstoriaHistory #QueensHistory #AmericanHistory #USHistory #History #Historia #Histoire #Geschichte #HistorySisco
https://www.instagram.com/p/CdJTBlUun8u/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
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Today’s #UrbanExploration post takes us to the Financial District to the building known as 1 Wall Street Court aka the Beaver Building aka the Cocoa Exchange aka to John Wick fans as The Continental Hotel.
The building was designed by Clinton and Russell in the Renaissance Revival style and was completed in 1904. Tenants included the The building served as the headquarters of the Munson Steamship Line Company from 1904 until 1921 and the New York Cocoa Exchange from 1931 to 1972.
The building became a NYC in 1995 by being recognized by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission and was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 2005. In 2006 it was converted to residential condominiums.
#1WallStreetCourt #BeaverBuilding #NewYorkCocoaExchange #JohnWick #TheContinentalHotel #ArchitecturalHistory #EngineeringHistory #NewYorkHistory #NYHistory #NYCHistory #AmericanHistory #USHistory #History #Historia #Histoire #Geschichte #HistorySisco (at 1 Wall Street Court)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CcZF1ncuGuS/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
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I love it when old signs that are painted on a building reappear when a building gets torn down/renovated. This sign for a Studebaker auto dealership still has its bright blue color. On Fordham Road between Cambreleng and Belmont Avenues.
#OldSigns #Studebaker #Bronx #BronxHistory #NewYorkHistory #NYHistory #NYCHistory #AutomotiveHistory #AmericanHistory #USHistory #History #Historia #Histoire #Geschichte #HistorySisco (at Fordham Road NYC)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CeZaBkROu8u/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
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Today #UrbExNYC post comes from the County of Kings in the form of the iconic Coney Island landmark Nathan’s Famous, on the corner of Stillwell and Surf Avenues.
Polish immigrant Nathan Handwerker opened his first nickle hotdog stand in 1916 and the original stand has expanded to the location you see here. As of 2019, Nathan’s had 213 locations worldwide.
#NathansFamous #NathanHandwerker #UrbanExploration #BrooklynHistory #NewYorkHistory #NYHistory #NYCHistory #CulinaryHistory #FoodHistory #History #Historia #Histoire #Geschichte #HistorySisco (at Nathan’s Famous)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CdytRZEu47w/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
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