The Second Oldest Man-Made Object in NYC is in Flushing Meadows

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    It might be surprising to know that most of the world’s countries boycotted the ’64-65 World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. It wasn’t because of any particular animus or grudge against the United States or New York City…it was just that there had already been a previous World’s Fair in Seattle in 1962, and most countries devoted their resources to that Fair. Nevertheless, 36 countries were represented, among them Jordan, whose young King Hussein presented this 30-foot, approximately 30-ton high marble column, built by the Romans during their occupation of the Holy Land in 120 A.D. in the city of Jerash. It was originally part of the temple of Artemis, goddess of the hunt.

    According to the NYC Bureau of Parks, the Jordanian pavilion was a splendid “multi-peaked-and domed structure with an undulating roof, and surfaced in gold mosaic and shimmering blue glass.” The column is also marked by a tablet on the park path. It’s likely the second-oldest man-made object in a New York City park (after the Egyptian obelisk known as “Cleopatra’s Needle” in Central Park, which is fully 3500 years old).

    You can find it by walking a few paces east of the Rocket Thrower, along the soccer field.

    Kevin Walsh writes at Forgotten New York. His book of the same name is also available.

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