39 40 NY Worlds Fair WG 024

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39 40 NY Worlds Fair WG 024
39 40 NY Worlds Fair WG 024

New York World’s Fair 1939-1940
I am proud to present the photos of William Gruenberg of the New York World’s Fair of 1939-1940. These are all scans from original prints of the fair taken during the two year span of the fair. This period in world history was a tumultuous time, as Europe was about to be plunged into the opening stages of World War II, and by 1940 the United States (although still officially neutral) was itself preparing for war. The theme of the 1939 edition of the fair was “The World of Tomorrow”, and in 1940, a very short lived hope of “Peace and Understanding”. The fair was however a great success over the two year period, and was presented at a very high level, with extraordinary architecture, and great works of sculpture throughout the fair grounds. It was here that television was introduced to the masses attending the fair.
New York itself was emerging from a long nationwide depression from the 1930s and the fair was to spread optimism for the future of the city and the economic powerhouse it was. It also spawned a huge amount of construction in highways and bridges to speed travelers to the fairgrounds. One of the largest construction projects nearby LaGuardia (called New York Municipal) Airport, to provide easy access to the fair and to Manhattan. Unfortunately the airport did not officially open until October 1939, missing the first year entirely. However visitors were able to reach the fairgrounds by way of special Pennsylvania and Long Island Rail Road trains from Pennsylvania Station to the newly built World’s Fair station (now called Mets-Willets Point). By the elevated Flushing Line to Willets Point (today’s Flushing Line), and by way of the new Queens Blvd IND subway line which had a special branch constructed from Kew Gardens along what is today’s Van Wyck Expressway to the Fair Grounds.
William Gruenberg (1897-1977) was a native of Berlin, Germany and immigrated to New York in the early 1920s to escape the severe economic conditions of depression and inflation, which by the end of the decade would also come to the United States. He like my father, were highly skilled Tool and Die Makers, and found ready employment in the once common machine shops located in Manhattan. He was also a skilled photographer as these photos clearly show, and like my father developed and printed their own photos. Later when color slide film came out, he became a member of the New York Color Slide Club, winning several awards.

J.F. Ciesla
June 2015

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Taken on: June 15, 2015
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Sets appears in:   • 1939-1940 New York World's Fair   
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