The World Of Tomorrow

Exciting view of the 1939 New York World’s Fair sponsored by the Goodrich Corporation.

The 1939 New York World’s Fair was billed as a look into the “World of Tomorrow”, where the ravages of the Great Depression are kept at bay by the miracle of modern technology. Futuristic design, spearheaded by the iconic Trylon and Perisphere (direct center) and the slogan “Dawn of a New Day” set the tone for the over 40+ million attendees.

This bird’s eye view gives a fantastic perspective of the fairgrounds and is oriented with south at the top, perhaps to give a better perspective of the Goodrich Arena. Just a few of the available attractions in the arena are presented in photographs alongside the image, such as the daredevil Jimmie Lynch’s jump over a flatbed truck and a gigantic guillotine used to test the endurance of Goodrich tires. Text at the bottom describes another exciting opportunity – “drive a car yourself on the water-drenched Goodrich speedway…step on the gas, slam on the brakes, and experience the quickest, safest, split-second stop that you’ve ever experienced on wet pavement.” Apparently simulated car crashes were a big draw. On the verso of the map is a colorful map of New York City transit, showing several approaches to the fairgrounds in Queens.