1964 World's Fair

Development

Before European settlement of the area, the site of the 1964 World's Fair, Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, New York City, was a natural wetland straddling the Flushing River. In the early 20th century, the site was occupied by the Corona Ash Dumps, before it was selected as the site of the 1939–1940 World's Fair. The theme of the 1939–1940 was "the world of tomorrow"; the event was unprofitable, recouping only 32% of its original cost. After the 1939 fair, the site was used as a park, but fell into disrepair due to a lack of funds. The development of the 1964 fair coincided with social upheavals of the early 1960s, including the civil rights movement, Vietnam War protests, and the aftermath of U.S. President John F. Kennedy's assassination.