Century 21 Digital Collection
Preview up to 100 items from this collection below. Seattle’s 1962 World’s Fair showcased Seattle as a space-age city. See photos, brochures, postcards and other items related to Seattle’s 1960s vision of the future.
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Christian Science Pavilion east of Space Needle
Christian Science Pavilion of the Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair), sponsored by the Churches of Christ, Scientist, in Washington State. "The story of Christian Science and the founding of its church by Mary Baker Eddy nearly 100 years ago are offered in this exhibit of an established world-wide religion. The purpose of the display is to show how the rules of Christianity may be utilized today--and tomorrow--in solving all kinds of human problems. Joseph Elsom, Mgr." (Official press book: Seattle World's Fair 1962. Seattle: Century 21 Exposition, 1962, p. 39.)
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_00191
Date: 1962-05-19
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Sermon in [i.e. Sermons From] Science Bldg. to right; S.E. corner Warren & Thomas Str.
Sermons from Science Building, Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World’s Fair). “True brick panels, without any backing and weighing up to a ton, were attached to steel H-Columns to provide the finish interior and exterior walls of the Sermons from Science Building (architects: Johnson, Nesland & Sibold; general contractor: Gwinn Construction Co.). The panels, up to 5x9 ft. each, are made of Inca ceramic brick with holes for the placement of reinforcing steel. Exterior sides for one portion of the structure were glazed and fired in a cobalt-blue finish. The bricks were laid at the manufacturer's Newcastle plant and installed by the brickmasons on the building site, where the 2,000-lb. panels were lifted by a special suction cup device.—Builders Brick Co., 3900 Ninth S., Seattle. (No. 3)” (An Architect’s Guidebook to the Seattle World’s Fair. Seattle, Pacific Builder and Engineer, April 1962, p. 46)
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_00260
Date: 1962-02-13
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U.S. Post Office; Space Needle; Wash. View west on 2nd Av. No.; North of Thomas Str.
Space Needle Post Office on Boulevards of the World, Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World’s Fair). “Surrounding the Coliseum is 94,200 sq. ft. of exhibit space in clear span structures of concrete columns and tilt-up walls with a steel joist roof system and metal decking and insulation. The concrete, laid out in a repetitive form which has become the architect's trademark, relieves what might otherwise have become a monotonous perimeter facade.” (An Architect’s Guidebook to the Seattle World’s Fair. Seattle, Pacific Builder and Engineer, April 1962, p. 19)
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_00804
Date: 1962-04-28
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Exhibit at United Nations Pavilion; Int. Mall; View N.W.
United Nations Pavilion, Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World’s Fair). “A lounge, film center and display of the work of the United Nations constitutes the U.N. exhibit. The pavilion is a meeting place for visitors to talk to officials and persons from the United Nations’ member countries. The American Association for the United Nations sponsors the pavilion. Miss Lee Minto, Director.” (Official press book: Seattle World's Fair 1962. Seattle: Century 21 Exposition, 1962, p. 38.)
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_01029
Date: 1962-06
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Space Needle looking south
Space Needle, Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World’s Fair). “The Space Needle, a modernistic totem of the Seattle World’s Fair, was conceived by Eddie Carlson as a doodle in 1959 and given form by architects John Graham Jr., Victor Steinbrueck, and John Ridley. When King County declined to fund the project, five private investors, Bagley Wright, Ned Skinner, Norton Clapp, John Graham Jr., and Howard S. Wright, took over and built the 605-foot tower in less than a year.” (Walt Crowley, “Space Needle (Seattle).” HistoryLink.org, http://historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=1424)
Identifier: spl_wl_sec_01757
Date: 1962-05-07
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Sidewalk Art Studio
Sidewalk art studio at the Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair).
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_00081
Date: 1962-06
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View east from Monorail station; Space wheel; train
Gayway, Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair). "The Gayway is a $2 million operation designed by two experts in the amusement business: J. W. Patty Conklin, a 50-year veteran who handles amusements for the Canadian National Exposition in Toronto, and Harry Batt, who operates the Lake Ponchartrain Amusement Park in New Orleans." (Official press book: Seattle World's Fair 1962. Seattle: Century 21 Exposition, 1962, p. 62.) The Alweg Monorail was constructed for the Century 21 Exposition to carry passengers between downtown Seattle and the exposition grounds.
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_00529
Date: 1962-07
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Architect: J. Chiarrelli; Model of planned municipal auditorium conversion; View so. from Mercer To the right is new 800 seat auditorium
Model of Mercer Arena, Opera House, Exhibition Hall, and Playhouse, Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair). “The brand-new Opera House (225 Mercer Street) [designed by Priteca and Chiarelli] had been constructed within the shell of Seattle's old Civic Auditorium -- which New York Times critic Harold C. Schonberg described as a ‘6,000 seat, flat-floored, unpleasant’ space that had ‘held just about everything but bullfights.’ Now the hall was the 3,100 seat pride of the town's arts establishment.” (Peter Blecha, “Century 21 Exposition (1962): Performing Arts at the Fair.” HistoryLink.org, http://historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=9371. The remaining buildings in this model were designed by Kirk, Wallace, McKinley & Associates.
Identifier: spl_wl_sec_00030
Date: 1959-08
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Fire Dpt. on fair ground
World’s Fair Fire Department, Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World’s Fair). “The World’s Fair has its own fire department…The truck is kept in the basement of the Armory on the fairgrounds.” (Seattle Times, August 15, 1962, p. 18.)
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_00978
Date: 1962-04-08
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Institutional Kiosks at Seattle World's Fair
Brief article from Perspectives, a periodical published by the Washington State Department of Instutions. Article discusses the department's plans for participation in the Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair).
Identifier: spl_c21_2737473
Date: 1962-01
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