NEW YORK WORLD'S FAIR 1964 1965 - - New York State Pavilion

[TheJediKenneth]

Nice memory. Too bad no sound.

[InsomniacGirl]

I visited the World's Fair many times as a young child. Lots of great memories. Driving past the remains years later, I always experienced an empty, sad feeling. So sad to see the way it is now, but thank you for posting this. :-)

[Rob34212]

@InsomniacGirl I get the same emotions too. I went to the Fair dozens of times as a little kid and remember the vibrance of this place and the excitement I always felt. Memories of my long passed grandparents taking me here, school field trips and even my wife (who I didn't know back then) recalls cutting her foot here and going to a first aid station she thinks was in this pavillion. Glad too see this too, but saddened a bit how it's been left to decay. Oh well, life goes on :)

[PKingman]

I was there as a 20 year old kid in 1965.  It was a happy time. Seems like just yesterday.

[BlueMoonLightDreams]

@PKingman please tell me, how did they build it, and when did they start destroying it? wow i never thought there were so much to see, i always thought it was just always with trees and land...

[PKingman]

@BlueMoonLightDreams I'm the wrrong person to ask.

[jtaforJesus]

this is some really great footage...really really sad though....almost scary in a way, like a ghost town. probably wouldn't bother me so had i never gone, but i went several times.

[slantyrock]

yesterday i chased a guy, he climbed up to the top of the tallest tower and was running around in circles, so i just waited for him to face me then i let the annihilator bullets rip and killed him.

[vettesex]

How the city, state and all -ALL OTHERS - THAT HAVE THE MEANS.... to preserve this site and what remains are not doing so... it's criminal. Why let it rot? Why let it just decay and of course, in time, tear it down? I was ten yrs too young to attend (born in '74) but long to know more about something so awesome as this fair. I wish I could have seen the Westinghouse time capule and watched them lower it..... Isn't there anything to be done to preserve what remains?

[jtaforJesus]

@vettesex i so agree with you! i am lucky that i am old...i got to go several times, thanks to wonderful grandparents and parents (i was 7.) now i wish i could go back and film what remains before they are gone forever. I've such wonderful memories!!! this video actually brought tears to my eyes...it's such a shame...

[JettRink50]

Someone did climb up a few years ago I think

with ropes and took the most beautiful photos

of the Manhatten skyline.

[musicom67]

You were lucky to see these photos... I've yet come upon ANY pictures taken from these towers (either then or currently), but can imagine they'd be quite a nice viewpoint.....

[Fretkillr]

Led Zepplin player there. This structure was in Men In Black.

[dino47]

that zepplin show cost me 3 dollars 4o years ago

[althegamefreak]

its so sad it's sitting there.Disney got the opportunity to make to disneyland of new york but did'nt do it and instead thought of it for florida.if you go to epcot in walt disney world the pavilions there are like the same of the world's fair.

[awaseniu]

Speaking as someone who remembers the fair it is sad, sad, sad, sad, sad

[KeyFay987]

I urge all you NY State Pavilion fans to search this youtube video title:

"New York World's Fair, NY pavilion 1972"

10 amazing minutes from a McCloud episode from 1972. Amazing that even then the towers looked as good as they did. Enjoy!

[nmorales]

I have ticket stubs from 4 shows:

Aug 1, 1969 - Rhinoceros

Aug 9, 1969 - Buddy Miles Express, Santana, and Pacific Gas & Electric

Aug 15, 1969 - Savoy Brown Blues Band

Sept 20, 1969 - Iron Butterfly, Muddy Waters and Blues Image

All shows $3.00!

[mytunacasserole]

anybody know why they got rid of just about everything but kept this stuff? i can't believe they had to tear it all up.

[catastropheinny]

they didn't. most of the other pavilions were actually shipped out to other states and are used for other things like hotels, recreation centers and radio stations. Also the Queens Museum of Art is one of the prior pavilions.

[wilbar2922]

I was at their show at the Pavillion and if I remember right, at one point John Bonham fell off his drum kit.

[kidmenota]

I also remember being at that concert, definately at the NYS Pavillion, and I do remember Bonzo falling backwards off his drum set. Did that end the concert ? Do yo remmeber the date ? what other performers played ? Wouldlike to piece together this show, as it definately does not appear on the official website of LZ.

[wilbar2922]

I don't remember the date but I know it was in the summer of 1969.I don't think his fall ended the show.Sorry-wish I could provide more info.

[Brainpumper]

seen better days

[dino47]

i went to a led zeppelin concert at the pavillion in 1969 for three dollars , was anyone else at this concert ? after the show someone climbed to the top of the unisphere /

[catmandave55]

I was absolutely there. This concert is not even on the master list on the Zep site. Albert King opened. It was awesome! Dave

[dino47]

thanks / the opening act escaped a my memory/ we were fortunate to have led zeppelin perform their first album and some Yardbirds tunes for us at Our pavillion / / the sound acoustics were "in your face" / and it it was only 3 dollars for an admission ticket/see my channel for more Flushing Meadows films

[rf396]

actually zeppelin played at The Singer Bowl just a few hundred yards away in 69 with The Jeff beck Group and Ten Years Atfer

[stvnrea]

well that's depressing

[richlberry]

Yeah I Live in FLushing And dont get me wrong they are truly an Icon of Queens thats How U recognize QUeens the Unisphere the Mets and The PAvillion Towers but I had gone there once to tag Up and My friend almost died we were on a pair of steps and we were getting pretty High and we eventually got to this area that had alot of mold in it we had to leave

I never had the want to tag again that shit was scary

[AdognamedOp]

I climbed the stairs with my friends back in the early eighties. The stairs were rotting out at that time but we got up to the top where we were attacked by a huge mass of startled pigeons... lol,,,ahhh the good ole days!

[hippiebeat]

I climbed the stairs too, but my hands started to freeze from the cold metal ,it was winter at the time, and i started to get scared as there were quite a few steps missing and the ones that were there I didn't know for sure if they would hold up....bummer to see it in its state even then,as I had been there as a kid in 1965 when the NY state map from Texaco was gleaming and new and the worlds fair was a great place to be at,everyone was having a good time.....

[sbro98]

what a dump - should be torn down. my dad worked at the NY pavilion as a security guard and I got to hang out there often. on the ground floor, there was a display of a super safe clunky-looking vehicle supposed to protect occupants in a 50 mph crash.

[Bogframe]

I was at the fair when I was 4 and 5 years old. I hadn't been back until I brought my wife to the fairgorunds last year. It was sad to see this beautiful pavillion gone to seed like this. I remember the rife up, the mosaic floor and the fantastic stained glass ceiling. Maybe someone with money could restore it to its former glory before it's too late.

[novaapw]

Thanks, be nice to see. I remember walking on it when it was new.

[novaapw]

Wow, it's been years since I have seen it up close and inside. Looks like the floor map is very long gone too.

[musicom67]

I'll soon be posting old camcorder video from 1985 showing off this floor... From what I could see 4 years ago, it's about 75% complete with holes where weeds and trees broke through :)

[td814]

too bad all the stained glass is gone from the roof

[thewizboy]

Was used as Munchkin land in 1978 for the movie muscial THE WIZ starring Diana Ross

[scotpens]

The towers were also seen in an episode of "McCloud" and in "Men in Black" (with the circular tops altered by matte paintings).

[vulcanjedi]

Excellent. This structure is large enough to get great detail on virtual earth. Sad though because I was there in 1965 when I was 4 and have plenty of slides from it.

[Cooleemee43]

You should consider finding a way to transfer your slides to digital and upload a favorite song with a slide show here on Youtube.

[ChristopherPlatt]

Designed by Phillip Johnson. The New York State Pavilion fell victim to the New York City fiscal crisis of the early 1970's. Repair and restoration have long been rumored.  Something will have to be done soon just to stabilize the structure... stabilization will soon become

[retrodashmatic]

What an interesting contrast to the publicity video I was just watching. Thank you for sharing this.