Finished Tomorrow-land by Joseph Tirella. Here are ten interesting facts gleaned from the book:

(1) The first meeting between a pope and US president occurred on American soil on October 4, 1965 at the Waldorf Astoria (Pope Paul VI and LBJ).

Limestone Fun Fact: Stayed there in October 2012 during NYCC.

(2) A report on the Fair’s financial management from city comptroller Abraham Beame cited an expensive air-conditioning unit that had been lost.

(3) Philip Johnson designed the NY State Pavilion. The circular towers remain and are being restored.

(4) William E. Potter, Moses’ building czar, worked for the Walt Disney Co. and was instrumental in the construction of Walt Disney World. He has a window on Main Street USA above the confectionary that reads: General Joe’s Building Permits Licensed in Florida Gen. Joe Potter, Raconteur

(5) Eero Saarinen collaborated with Charles Ames on the IBM Pavilion. The former was the architect of the TWA Flight Center (Bird Terminal) at JFK.

(6) Warhol’s mural Thirteen Most Wanted Men was painted over to avoid controversy.

(7) A City Destroying Itself: an Angry View of New York by Richard J. Whalen. History repeats itself.

(8) The Ford Motor Company used the Fair to introduce the Ford Mustang. Disney designed the Magic Skyway for the Ford Pavilion.

(9) Former president Harry S. Truman was at the opening ceremony.

(10) The controversial (and never constructed) LOMEX (Lower Manhattan Expressway) would have connected Long Island and New Jersey.

(11) Flushing Meadows-Corona Park was the second largest park in the five boroughs in 1967 with 1,258 acres when the Fair Corporation relinquished control to the New York City.

Bonus Quote (for a Long Islander): “Closer to Flushing Meadow, Moses improved the Van Wyck Expressway, a six-lane connecting highway. All these roads would lead commuters directly to the World’s Fair and the new ballpark, Shea Stadium, that was being built at the same time.”