This remarkable pictorial work consists of 5 double page maps and a 4 page fold out map, highlighting New York City, the World's Fair Grounds, and various zones within the fair, including the Exhibition Zone, International Zone, Transportation Zone and Amusement Area.
This pictorial map booklet was created for the 1939 New York World’s Fair, held at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, New York. Designed by Tony Sarg, a renowned illustrator and puppeteer, the booklet contains six colorful maps intended to guide visitors through the fairgrounds and provide an overview of transportation routes to and from the fair. Each map is richly illustrated, with a playful and informative tone that reflects the excitement and optimism of the era.
The booklet includes six maps, each depicting a different aspect of the fair and its surroundings. The first map, illustrating Manhattan and Queens, serves as a transit guide and highlights four primary means of transportation: train, automobile, subway, and boat. It employs distinctive colors and symbols to represent transit routes, including railroad tracks for trains, yellow roads for cars, and orange lines for subways. Important landmarks such as Central Park, Union Square, and Washington Square are labeled, along with seventeen Loew’s theaters located throughout Manhattan. Vignettes provide additional information, noting that boats offer direct routes to the fairgrounds, parking costs fifty cents, and that 100 Greyhound buses, 538 electric and wheelchairs, and 15 tractor trains are available for use within the fair.
The second map, known as the Panorama, provides an expansive overview of the fairgrounds, extending from Flushing Bay to Fountain Lake, where nightly fireworks displays took place. An index is included, dividing the fair into its four main zones and listing the major attractions within each area. The illustration features a whimsical touch, with King Neptune in Flushing Bay humorously lamenting that Grover Whalen, the fair’s organizer, has “cramped his style” with all the fountains. A cherubic North Wind figure is depicted blowing air from a bellows, and the top border includes an image of The Enchanted Forest.
The remaining four maps focus on specific sections of the fair. The Exhibit Area map details the primary exhibition spaces, where advancements in science, industry, and consumer products were on display. The International Zone map highlights the global pavilions, where nations from around the world presented exhibits celebrating culture, industry, and diplomacy. The Amusement Area map captures the fair’s entertainment district, featuring theaters, rides, live performances, and attractions, including Macy’s Toy World, a small zoo, and refreshment stands. The map’s decorative borders include humorous vignettes of fairgoers commenting on their excitement for various exhibits and their desire to purchase a Coca-Cola or an ice cream. The final map, illustrating the Transportation Zone, outlines the fair’s internal transit systems, including bus routes, walkways, and key entry points for visitors navigating between the fair’s zones.
The booklet, when folded, measures 11 x 11 inches. The five smaller maps unfold to a size of 11 x 22.5 inches, while the large Panorama Map measures 11 x 44.5 inches.
The 1939 New York World’s Fair was one of the most ambitious expositions of the 20th century, embodying the theme “The World of Tomorrow.” Tony Sarg’s pictorial maps capture the grandeur and excitement of the event, making this booklet a valuable historical artifact.