"The Elephant Towers"

The palaces of Ming the Merciless, perhaps? But no.

In 1939, at the peak of American culture, the nation held not one but two world's fairs — the World of Tomorrow in Flushing, New York City, of which many of you may have heard, and the 1939-40 Golden Gate International Exposition in San Francisco, the "Pageant of the Pacific," which today is somewhat more obscure.

Both fairs were exuberant celebrations of Flash Gordon-like American Deco, California's showing more of an Asian flair. The architectural features of the Golden Gate included the twin Elephant Towers guarding the west entrance to the fair, designed by Donald Macky.

Before he kicked off the American space age (and that's not entirely exaggeration), Chesley Bonestell was one of the world's most accomplished architectural artists, often called upon to render the planned appearance of significant buildings -- like these. Image published in the June 1937 special issue of 'Pencil Points,' a magazine devoted to architecture and design.