On April 30, 1939, the New York World’s Fair opened in New
York City. The opening ceremony, which featured speeches
by President Franklin D. Roosevelt (below) and New York
Governor Herbert Lehman, ushered in the first day of
television broadcasting by RCA in New York.
A TV camera (right) at the New York World’s Fair.
On April 30, 1939, the New York World’s Fair opened in New York
City. The opening ceremony, which featured speeches by President Franklin D. Roosevelt ( above) and New York Governor Herbert
Lehman, ushered in the first day of television broadcasting in New
York (below).
Photographs of an early telecast from the 1939 Worlds Fair.
On April 30, 1939, the New York World’s Fair opened in New York
City. The opening ceremony, which featured speeches by President
Franklin D. Roosevelt and New York Governor Herbert Lehman,
ushered in the first day of television broadcasting in New York.
Spanning 1,200 acres at Flushing Meadow Park in Queens, the
fairground was marked by two imposing structures–the “Perisphere”
and the “Trylon”–and exhibited such new technology as FM radio,
robotics, fluorescent lighting, and a crude fax machine. Norman Bel
Geddes designed a Futurama ride for General Motors, and users
were transported through an idealized city of the future. Sixty-three
nations participated in the fair, which enjoyed large crowds before
the outbreak of World War II interrupted many of its scheduled
events.
President Roosevelt speaking at the opening of the New York
World’s Fair.
Sweden and France were the first countries to form the buffet concept. The
smorgasbord originated in Sweden as a way to feed hungry out-of-town
visitors. The offering started out small with just bread and butter, which in
the Swedish language translates to “smorgasbord”. The menu grew to
include salted fish, eggs and boiled vegetables, moving on to cold cuts,
warm entrees and salads, ending the spread with dessert and coffee. The
French offered a more refined display featuring lavish “buffet” tables.
The Swedish folks brought their smorgasbord to America at the 1939
World’s Fair in New York. The sizable selection of food was located
atop a rotating platform inside the Three Crowns restaurant (below).
The smorgasbord at Three Crowns went on to inspire other buffet-style
restaurants in the 1950’s.
(CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE)
