1964-65 New York World's Fair Groundbreaking and Dedication Booklets

DEDICATION OF THE FLORIDA CITRUS TOWER
AT THE NEW YORK WORLD'S FAIR 1964 • 1965

JUNE 24,1963

*:■.**-

The following message, addressed to The Honorable
Farris Bryant, Governor, State of Florida ; The Honorable
Robert Moses, president, The New York 1964-65 World's
Fair; and The Honorable Sara Banks, chairman, Florida
Citrus Commission, was received from The Honorable
Comer J. Kimball, chairman, Florida World's Fair
Authority :

"I sincerely regret that I am unable to be with you
today in person for the dedication of the Florida site for
the New York World's Fair in 1964-65.

"It is only because of the foresight and courage of the
Governor of the State of Florida that we record today this
milestone in the progress of this project.

"Little did we realize more than a year ago when our
first meeting was called by the Governor and when the
unanimous decision was made that Florida should par-
ticipate in the coming World's Fair that in such a short

period of time construction would be so far along on the
3.12 acre State site.

"The 17 dedicated members of the Florida World's
Fair Authority are to be congratulated for the unlimited
use of their intelligence, their diverse talents and their
valuable time in putting together this project which we
know will be one of the most interesting and exciting in
this, the greatest of all international expositions.

"Our Exhibition Hall will feature fabulous exhibits
representing cities and counties, business and industry
and our university system. The main central area in this
structure will feature an outstanding display of the cul-
tural arts which will be changed periodically and which
will be on loan from both public and private collections.
We have every confidence that the Florida site will be
among the most beautiful, educational and entertaining
of all."

Cover: Florida's 3.12 acre site with a 500-foot lake front will feature a spectacular 110-foot high illuminated Citrus
Tower topped by a huge orange, about 15 feet in diameter. Among the exhibits will be porpoise shows, Florida movies and
fashion shows. Architects for Florida's exhibit are Pancoast, Ferendino, Skeels, Grafton and Burnham, and Connell, Pierce,
Garland and Friedman, both of Miami, and the contractors are the George A. Fuller Company of New York.

1963 New York World's Fair 1964-1965 Corporation

Excerpts from transcription of remarks made by
officials of the Florida World's Fair Authority,
Inc., and the World's Fair, at dedication cere-
monies at the New York World's Fair, Monday,
June 24, 1963.

AMBASSADOR RICHARD C. PATTERSON, JR.
[Chief of Protocol}: Governor Bryant, Mr. Stensgaard,
distinguished members of the Florida Citrus Commission,
Mr. Moses, General Potter, ladies and gentlemen. It is a
great privilege to be here today at the dedication cere-
monies for the Florida Citrus Tower. Our first speaker is
General William Potter, executive vice president of the
New York World's Fair Corporation.

GENERAL WILLIAM E. POTTER: Governor Bryant,
Mr. Moses, Mr. Banks, members of the Florida Citrus
Commission and friends. I'm very proud to take part in
this dedication today because it involves a State whose
way of life differs from that of most other states. I never
will forget when the decision was made by Governor
Bryant that Florida would participate in the Fair — from
then on things moved. To my knowledge no other state
has the knowledge and ability to use public relations and
promotions to a greater advantage than Florida, Governor
Bryant.

Florida is blessed with civic leaders. When the Gover-

nor decided on Florida's participation in the Fair he ap-
pointed a commission of some of the greatest leaders that
I have ever seen, and they picked a Chicagoan who came
to Florida to retire, to design the exhibit, get it going and
manage it. I congratulate you, Governor, and I congratu-
late the people of Florida for doing a wonderful job.

AMBASSADOR PATTERSON: Thank you, General
Potter. Our next speaker is a great American, admired and
well-known throughout the world for his outstanding
achievements which have benefited our nation, our states
and our cities during his brilliant and fruitful career dedi-
cated to the service of the public. I have the high honor
to present The Honorable Robert Moses, president of the
New York World's Fair.

THE HONORABLE ROBERT MOSES: Governor
and friends. The Florida exhibit is in roughly the same
place that it was at the last Fair. I still think it's the very-
best spot for a state exhibit, and I don't say that because
the Governor is here with his associates, but because I
believe it. They have more space, they have a bigger ex-
hibit, they have more to show, and as General Potter said,
they certainly know how to exploit their wares.

If you have to select one field in a fair which would
appeal to the country, the hemisphere and the world, it
would be private enterprise. Private enterprise today is
very mixed up with government, and when the two co-
operate and work together you get pretty nearly ideal
results. What impresses people from abroad and people
from the big hinterlands here in the United States is what

Ambassador Richard C. Patterson, the Fair's Chief of Proto-
col, speaking at the dedication of the Florida Citrus Tower.
On the right is Brenda Sue Scarborough, Florida Citrus
Queen, and in the background are members of the Fair and
the Florida World's Fair Authority. Guy Lombardo, whose
production "Around the World in 80 Days" is playing at
New York's Jones Beach Marine Theatre, is shown to the
right of Miss Scarborough.

enterprises of this kind are able to show. By way of con-
trast with what countries behind the Iron Curtain are doing
this shows what we are able to do.

We welcome Florida here as a top-notch State produc-
tion and we haven't the slightest doubt of its success.
I would now like to present the Fair medallions to Mr.
Banks, Mr. Bayless, Mr. Stensgaard and Mr. Robertson.
Thank you.

AMBASSADOR PATTERSON: Thank you very
much, President Moses. The next speaker is the distin-
guished governor of Florida. He's distinguished in many
ways: he's been an attorney; he's a graduate of three uni-
versities; he was elected to the Florida State House of
Representatives in 1942 and resigned to enter the Navy
where he was in combat much of the time during his three
and a half years of service. He was reelected to the House
from 1947-1955 and he served as speaker of the House
in 1953. I have the high honor and privilege to present
to you The Honorable Farris Bryant, Governor of the
State of Florida.

THE HONORABLE FARRIS BRYANT, GOVER-
NOR OF FLORIDA: Mr. Ambassador, Mr. Moses, Gen-
eral Potter, gentlemen from Florida and ladies. I was
interested in the remarks made about Florida's participa-
tion in this Fair. General Potter said that I made the
decision to come here. That is not true; the decision to
participate was made by circumstances which permit no
other decision. We thank you, Mr. Moses and General
Potter, and those who are associated with you, for the

vision that you have had to embark upon this venture.
It's Florida-like in concept. It looks to the future. Like
Florida, it looks to the world. We like to think that com-
ing here, we will do ourselves a great favor because we
will expose those things about Florida, which are unique
and beautiful, to the millions of people who are so fortu-
nate as to come here. We will also have an opportunity to
make contact with the rest of the world.

I can tell you .that Florida will have an exhibit here that
will be consistent with your highest wishes for it. I'm glad
to see that General Motors and New York State selected
sites close to the Florida exhibit. We're going to see to it
that their judgment is borne out by developments here.
If we are true to the responsibility and measure up to the
opportunity that we have, we will extend a hand of friend-
ship and invitation to millions of people who will pull up
their roots, extend their businesses and come down to
make Florida, industrially and sentimentally, their home.

We know that as a result of your efforts and what we
are able to contribute, the New York World's Fair will go
down in history, as did its predecessor, as the outstanding
event of its particular half of the twentieth century. It is a
pleasure to be with you today. Thank you.

AMBASSADOR PATTERSON: Thank you so much,
Governor Bryant. I'm now going to introduce four or
five people up here on the dais. The first is very active
in civic affairs in Florida. He is the chairman of the Florida
Citrus Commission and has devoted his entire business
career to the citrus industry. Mr. Sam A. Banks, will you

Farris Bryant, Governo
Florida Citrus Queen,
Fair, at the dedication

r of Florida, Brenda Sue Scarborough,
and Robert Moses, president of the
of the Florida Citrus Tower.

take a bow?

The next man is a cum laude Phi Beta Kappa, graduate
of the University of Florida. He has received many deco-
rations for combat service in World War II. Since 1957
he has been general manager of the Florida Citrus Com-
mission and during that time the work has multiplied and
grown in many ways. I. take great pleasure in introducing
Mr. Homer E. Hooks.

And this is Mr. Paul Robertson, chairman of the Adver-
tising Committee of the Florida Citrus Commission — an
important Commission, for without it you might not sell
your citrus crops.

Our next visitor is a member of the Florida World's
Fair Authority, and a very important businessman who
was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1936. He is president
of the Consolidated Financial Corporation which controls
large grove acreage and packing houses, and he is also a
bank president. I give you Mr. Elgin Bayless.

Now I want to introduce one of the fine men, good
men, a man that New York City owes much to: Guy
Lombardo.

MR. GUY LOMBARDO: Mr. Moses, Governor
Bryant. I am very happy to say that I'm part of the Florida
picture and I'm part of the New York picture with our
Jones Beach show "Around the World in 80 Days," and
I think that's a pretty good way of life — a winter job in
Florida and a summer job up here. I'm certainly happy
to be here. I know this is going to be one of the finest
exhibits at the Fair. Thank you very much.

AMBASSADOR PATTERSON: Thank you, Guy
Lombardo. I'm going to ask Mr. Stensgaard to come for-
ward and say a word. For half a century he's had an
extremely distinguished career in the fields of marketing
promotion and advertising, and has received, believe it
or not, more than 100 awards in national competitions
related to creative design and showmanship in selling.
He came out of retirement to be executive director of the
Florida's World's Fair Authority, and has had many other
successes. I have the privilege to give you Mr. W. L.
Stensgaard, executive director of the Florida World's Fair
Authority.

MR. WILLIAM L. STENSGAARD: Here Florida will
bring to you the greatest show in our history. We know
that the millions of people whom we expect here will, in
a great part, come to Florida to spend their lives with us
on a sunny day like this all year round. Thank you.

AMBASSADOR PATTERSON: Thank you very
much. And now I would like to introduce Miss Brenda Sue
Scarborough, Florida's Citrus Queen, who is here for the
citrus tree planting. She's a lovely, cultured and educated
lady from one of our great states. Miss Scarborough, please
come up here and say a word to us.

MISS BRENDA SUE SCARBOROUGH: Thank you.
It's a very great privilege to be here today, and I hope to
get back when everything is completed.

AMBASSADOR PATTERSON: Thank you. Now,
ladies and gentlemen, we will conclude this ceremony by
planting the Florida citrus tree.

FLORIDA WORLD'S FAIR AUTHORITY, INC.

Comer J. Kimball, Chairman and President

MEMBERS OF THE AUTHORITY CONSTITUTE THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Wendell Jarrard, Chairman
William J. Clapp
Floyd B. Bowen

Raleigh W. Greene, Jr.
Joseph R. Martin
Don Shoemaker

McGregor Smith

Jim Wellman

Comer Kimball, Ex-Officio

FINANCE COMMITTEE
Chairman

McGregor Smith, Chairman
Florida Power and Light Co.
Miami, Florida

Edward Ball, President

Florida National Group of Banks

Jacksonville, Florida

Jim Walter, President
Jim Walter Corporation
Tampa, Florida

John H. Phipps, Owner
Phipps Broadcasting Stations
Tallahassee 2, Florida

Charles P. Lykes, President
Lykes Brothers, Inc.
Tampa, Florida

DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION
COMMITTEE

Chairman

Joseph R. Martin, Manager
The Chemstrand Corporation
Pensacola, Florida

Raymond K. Mason, President
Mason Enterprises
Jacksonville, Florida

LIAISON COMMITTEE
Chairman

William J. Clapp, President
Florida Power Corporation
St. Petersburg, Florida

Henry C. Coleman, President
The Commercial Bank
Daytona Beach, Florida

F. Elgin Bayless
Consolidated Finance
Sebring, Florida

SPONSOR REPRESENTATIVES

Chairman

Wendell Jarrard,

Chairman-Director
Florida Development Commission
Tallahassee, Florida

Floyd B. Bowen, President
Florida State

Chamber of Commerce
Bartow, Florida

Raleigh W. Greene, Jr., Chairman
The Florida Council of 100
St. Petersburg, Florida

EXHIBITORS COMMITTEE

Chairman

Jim Wellman, President

Wellman and Lord

Lakeland, Florida

H. Loy Anderson, President
First Federal Savings and Loan
West Palm Beach, Florida

PROMOTION COMMITTEE
Chairman

Don Shoemaker, Editor
The Miami Herald
Miami, Florida

Dick Pope, Sr.
Chairman of the Board
Cypress Gardens, Florida

W. L. Stensgaard,

Executive Director
E. A. Soucy, General Manager

Headquarters and Exhibits
307 Poinciana Plaza
Palm Beach, Florida

NEW YORK WORLD'S FAIR
1964-1965 CORPORATION
Flushing 52, N. Y. Tel. 212-WF 4-1964

ROBERT MOSES, President

THOMAS J. DEEGAN, JR., Chairman of the Executive Committee

WILLIAM E. POTTER, Executive Vice President

CHARLES POLETTI, Vice President, International Affairs and Exhibits

STUART CONSTABLE, Vice President, Operations

WILLIAM BERNS, Vice President, Communications and Public Relations

ERWIN WITT, Comptroller

MARTIN STONE, Director of Industrial Section

GUY F. TOZZOLI, (Port of New York Authority) Transportation Section

ERNESTINE R. HAIG, Secretary of the Corporation and
Assistant to the President

WILLIAM WHIPPLE, JR., Chief Engineer