Category Archives: World’s Fair

The 1933-1934 Century of Progress Homes

On our Freakin’,’Tiquen 2017 vacation, we visited the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore to see five examples of the Century of Progress homes from the 1933-1934 Chicago World’s Fair.

Century of Progress Historic District

After the fair closed, several of the exhibit houses were purchased by Robert Bartlett. His intention was to keep them as perpetual exhibits and to intrest potential buyers in his development, Beverly Shores. Two of the houses were transported to the site by truck; the others were floated by barge from the fair site to the Indiana shore.

Moving the Wieboldt-Rostone House image form Library of Congress

The five houses are:

Cypress Log Cabin

The Cypress Log Cabin

The Cypress Log Cabin

 

House of Tomorrow

America’s First Glass House

The House of Tomorrow – currently under restoration

Armco-Ferro House

The Armco-Ferro House

The Armco-Ferro House

Florida Tropical House

The Florida Tropical House

The Florida Tropical House

Wieboldt-Rostone House

The Wieboldt-Rostone House

The Wieboldt-Rostone House

Access to the park where the houses are located is free. Be aware of frequent and sometimes hidden STOP signs. Parking is limited but there is 15 minute parking available in front of the houses.

A Century of Progress

Today, the houses are leased by the Park Service to private tenants. The houses are undergoing a complete restoration to return them to their 1933 appearance. Tours are given once a year in October and reservations are required. For information about park hours and tour information, click HERE.

Anthony & Chris (The Freakin’, ‘Tiquen Guys)

 

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Reference Library Update – Heinz Exhibit Brochure, 1939 New York World’s Fair

Heinz Exhibit Brochure

Cover of the Heinz Exhibit Brochure.

For this reference library update we have scanned a brochure from the Heinz Exhibit. One of the more popular exhibits at the 1939 New York World’s Fair, it was famous for their give away of pickle pins.

 

 

Heinz Pickle Pin.

Heinz Pickle Pin given away at their 1939-1940 New York World’s Fair exhibit. Image from Wolfsonian.org

Heinz Dome, 1940.

The Heinz Dome in 1940. In the second season of the fair the Goddess of Perfection moved from inside to the roof of the dome. Image from 1939nyworldsfair.com

To see the entire brochure, click on the cover above.

Anthony & Chris

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Reference Library Update: The Great Lakes Exposition, 1936

Poster for the Great Lakes Exposition.

The Great Lakes Exposition poster.

 

This reference library update is a PDF of a souvenir picture book of this mid-1930’s world’s fair in Cleveland, Ohio in 1936 & 1937. Often overshadowed by the fairs of Chicago (1933-1934) and New York and San Francisco (1939-1940), is The Great Lakes Exposition. Cleveland was not the only city to host a world’s fair in 1936, there were also fairs in Dallas, Texas and San Diego, California.

 

I’m always seeking out world’s fair collectibles, especially the lesser well-known ones. So when I saw this souvenir book in Antiques Center at the People’s Store in Lambertville, NJ, I grabbed it. It is the only item that I have from The Great Lakes Exposition.

So travel to Cleveland and the fair by clicking on the cover of the book below and enjoy.

 

Souvenir book of the Great Lakes Exposition.

Great Lakes Exposition souvenir book. 1936.

Anthony & Chris (The Freakin’, Tiquen Guys)

 

Earlier World’s Fair Post: New York World’s Fair Souvenirs 1939 – 1940

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New York World’s Fair Souvenirs 1939 – 1940.

Give away advertising thermometer.

Give away advertising thermometer.

On April 30, 1939 the New York World’s Fair opened on a 1,216 acre site of reclaimed dump that was described by F. Scott Fitzgerald in the 1925 novel The Great Gatsby as “the valley of ashes”. It was a monumental undertaking that was completed in less than five years. The fair was dominated by the Trylon and Perisphere, a 610 foot obelisk and 180 foot diameter sphere. It was the Theme Center and iconic symbol of the fair and was prominently depicted on most of the souvenirs sold.

 

For background on the fair here are  links to a few excellent websites –

1939 New York World’s Fair

1939nyworldsfair

fairfilm

 

“The World of Tomorrow” was exemplified by the transportation zone and especially General Motors’ huge pavilion that contained the most popular exhibit at the fair, Norman Bel Geddes’ Futurama, a look into the United States of 1960. The fair left indelible memories for everyone who attended it, and they purchased a variety of items to remember their trip to the future, like those pictured below.

 

Painted wood Trylon and Perisphere, mini Jasperware vase and a Chase electric candle.

Painted wood Trylon and Perisphere, mini Jasperware vase and a Chase electric candle.

 

The Kan-O-Seat was purchased at an antique mall in Red Bank, New Jersey in 1985. This must have come in handy while waiting in the hours long line to see Futurama.

 

 

I have several items from the fair made of SyrocoWood, a compressed, molded wood pulp that looked liked carved wood. Syroco, Inc. was a Syracuse, New York company that produced giftware, including many different souvenirs for the fair. Here are some examples from my collection.

 

 

When Chris and I were in Michigan a couple of years ago, we came across this game at an antique mall for five dollars.  I haven’t played it as yet.

 

 

On the same trip, I also purchased this Pathegram film viewer with three rolls of film. Licensed from Pathe, one viewed still images on little rolls of 16mm film through a red and black bakelite viewer.

 

 

The were many different picture books for sale at the fair, I bought this one, that was still inside it’s original mailing envelope.

 

A picture book with it's original mailing envelope.

A picture book with it’s original mailing envelope.

 

 

One of my earliest World’s Fair souvenirs, the Dunhill Silent Flame Table lighter, was bought in 1975 for four dollars at the Englishtown Auction (it is just a large flea market) located in central New Jersey. The base is made of black bakelite which is usually topped by a fan dancer. This version replaced her with the Trylon and Perisphere. It worked on two “c” cell batteries. To operate it, one takes the wand (which is filled with lighter fluid) out of the base resting it on the rail and touching the end to the metal figure in the middle completing the electrical contact and igniting the wand.

 

Dunhill Silent Flame Table lighter, World's Fair edition.

Dunhill Silent Flame Table lighter, World’s Fair edition.

 

Probably my most unusual World’s Fair tie-in collectible is my Bissell “Thirty-Nine” carpet sweeper. In a time when they had electric vacuum cleaners nothing said the future or “The World of Tomorrow” more than a carpet sweeper (?). I had never seen one before and have never seen one since, so I’m glad I swept it up (pun intended).

 

 

The American Potters exhibit showcased the works of several important pottery companies, including Homer Laughlin (the makers of Fiestaware), which made this souvenir plate – and in my opinion – the nicest of all the World’s Fair plates.

 

 

 

The fair closed at the end of its second season, on October 27, 1940. Today at Flushing Meadow Park, very little remains from the 1939-1940 fair. The New York City Building, which houses the Queens Museum, is the only structure left. So it is left to all the films, photos and souvenirs to remind us of a long gone “World of Tomorrow”.

 

Chris & Anthony (The Freakin’, Tiquen’ Guys)

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