New York City hosted the 1939 World’s Fair in Flushing, Queens. To show off the city’s water system that tapped mountain springs as far as 100 miles away, the Cartographic Survey Force, a branch of the Works Progress Administration, constructed a 3-dimensional model of the system out of wood and plaster for @ $100,000 (about $1.5 million in today’s dollars).
Measuring 32 feet by 20 feet it was too big to be put on display at the fair and instead was put into storage. It was shown once in 1948, at the city’s Golden Anniversary Exposition and then forgotten. In 1991, DEP’s chief architect Michael Cetera discovered it sitting in the Jerome Avenue Pumping
Station (built 1906) when he was charged with renovating the landmark building. It was in rough shape after 40 years of neglect. In 2006, it was restored by McKay Lodge Conservation Laboratory in Ohio and put on display at the museum in 2008.
You can now see the map for yourself and hear about its story from Michael Cetera and NYC water educator Matt Malina.
This is a family friendly event. The Queens Museum also has a scale model of the entire city that is not to be missed. This event is free with a suggested $5 entrance fee to the museum.
