Barry asked several bloggers their memories of the 1982 World’s Fair in Knoxville. I was a Memphis high schooler during that event and too busy being the center of my own universe to attend the World’s Fair, even if it was just a few hours away. I remember my small town TN Aunt and Uncle taking my two young cousins to the event. Their first day at the event, they were met by such huge lines and crowds that they retreated to their hotel and spent their entire visit at the hotel pool.
Our Nanny in Richmond went to the 1982 World’s Fair and brought us back rulers with aerial photos of the different venues (or were they illustrations?) and I bet that ruler is still in a drawer at Mom and Dad’s. We were living in New Orleans at the time so the trip wasn’t even a consideration.
That was actually Nanny and Granddaddy from Wilmington. They came through Knoxville when they drove down to Kenne
rfor a visit taking you and I back to Wilmington via Jacksonville, FL (remember the trampoline and the inlet with the pier?). That’s the same trip that Granddaddy put the Caddy in the ditch to avoid hitting the car that unexpectedly stopped in front of us.The pictures made me want to see a World’s Fair. We moved from New Orleans to New Jersey as New Orleans prepped for the 1984 World’s Fair. Thw United States has not hosted a World’s Fair since 1984.
In 1897 Nashville hosted the World’s Fair. See also.
An interesting tidbit: Many exhibitions and rides created by Walt Disney and his WED Enterprises company for the 1964 New York World’s Fair (which was held over into 1965) were moved to the world-famous Disneyland after the closing of the Fair. Many of the rides are still operating today like “it’s a small world”, “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln”, and “Carousel of Progress” (since moved to the Walt Disney World Resort).