Adventures of Urban Life

Flushing Meadow Park Located in Queens is one of the most peaceful and historic places I have been to. The area is surrounded by landmarks and interesting scenery, with the recently constructed City Field as well as the location of the 1939 and 1964 World’s Fair. With the arrival of the fresh snow the park seemed kind of vacant but there were definite signs of life in the footprints of previous visitors and the large snowmen that were sporadically placed throughout the area.
As I entered the park I walked over a ramp which overlooked the train yard of the 7 train (which I am pretty familiar with since my father works there.) I found a map and looked for some landmarks that I would be interested in. I never realized how large the park actually was. It extends for miles with small trails intertwined with the trees and greenery. For my purposes I chose to see the main attractions. I walked over the Sphere of Globe, which was about a half mile from the entrance. I had seen the sphere many times in movies and pictures but never up close.
I noticed a few things about the sphere itself that I had never realized before. The map on the globe was a topographic map, meaning that it shows differences in height and mountain ranges through the various places depicted. I found it very interesting that this type of map was chosen to be displayed rather than a map depicting borders or boundary lines.

Located next to the sphere was the site of the World’s Fair of 1939 and 1964. Now rusted, the location seems to be a reminder of the greatness and wonder of the fair. People all over the world were drawn to this one point to view the marvels of their time. I couldn’t help but to think of what a World’s Fair in 2010 would look like… electronics, fast food, roller coasters? Nothing we haven’t seen before.
In addition to these main attractions, Flushing Meadow Park has a museum and a theater in close proximity to the sphere and World’s Fair remains, both of which were closed at the time.
As I attempted to make my way out of the park from the way I had come in I noticed a circle on the floor that was mostly covered with snow. I tried my best to dig around it in order to get a better view; it was a time capsule most likely buried during the time of the second World’s Fair. On the circle was a list of things that were buried, including a Beatles album, cigarettes, and birth control pills- certainly the mark of the 60’s. While the entire trip to the park definitely had me thinking about the past, I considered the time capsule the most interesting find. It really made me think about how people lived 50 years ago and what they really considered important.

Desireé B. Caro