Enjoy a rare photo of a parade float entitled “Noah’s Ark” that Bill Tracy was constructing for the Mary’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in his New Jersey workshop, circa 1956. In 1953, Macy’s department stores contracted Bill Tracy to design and build window displays and floats for use in their famous parade in NYC, and they had a unique business relationship for many years before he eventually separated from the organization. Back then, Tracy was in business as the Tracy Parade and Display Company.
It’s interesting to note that Tracy’s close ties with Macy’s early on is a primary reason he used so many different types of mannequins in his early dark ride projects. He simply had easy access to them and it was cheaper to use a mannequin than sculpt a new mold from scratch.
As we watch the parade this morning, it’s important to remember that Tracy had a large influence in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade early on, and his creativity and ingenuity is undoubtedly still present in the spirit of the impressive parade float lineup that owns our television screens on Thanksgiving year after year.
The Bill Tracy Project 