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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Washington State Governor Albert Rosellini on platform. Seated behind him is William Clay Ford, grandson of Henry Ford, founder of Ford Co.
Ceremonies held at 3rd Avenue N and Mercer St in anticipation of upcoming Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair). Events included the completion of a cross-country trip by "Model T and other Ford automobiles...[which] was a re-creation of a race which opened the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, forerunner of the Century 21 Exposition...; a parade; speeches by William Clay Ford of Dearborn, Mich., a grandson of the founder of the Ford Motor Co.; a rocket-firing by Governor Rosellini; speeches by Dean H. Eastman, president of the Chamber of Commerce, Century 21 music and groundbreaking for the construction of the exposition's State Building." (Seattle Times, June 23, 1959, p. 1)
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_00012
Date: 1959-06-23
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Jewish Transcript, v. 27, no. 14, Mar. 30, 1959
Identifier: spl_jt_3018327_27_14_1959
Date: 1959-03-30
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Space Needle and International Fountain at night; view S.E., 1962
Space Needle and International Fountain, Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World’s Fair). On the Space Needle: “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 ). On the International Fountain: “The fountain, a fitting symbol of the fair, graces the center of Boulevards of the World. Designed by Japanese architects Kazuyuki Matsushita and Hideki Shimizu, the fountain is centered in a huge bowl-shaped granite plaza. Its surface is composed of irregular white rock chips suggesting a rocky plain on some unexplored asteroid far beyond the reaches of this galaxy.” (Official souvenir program, Seattle World's Fair, 1962. Seattle: Acme, p. 55.) <br><br>Clarence E. "Gene" Voiland was a West Seattle pharmacist who enjoyed using his new Balda Baldamatic I 35 mm camera.
Identifier: spl_c21_jv_018
Date: 1962
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View S.W. of Blvd. West early morning; To left is partial view of playhouse
Boulevards of the World, Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair). "The Boulevards of the World area is the shopping center of the fair. Stores, stands and kiosks displaying the goods and gifts of a dozen nations line the gay and colorful thoroughfares that tie the five theme Worlds of Century 21 together." (Official Guide Book, Seattle World's Fair 1962. Seattle: Acme Publications. p. 119.)
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_00947
Date: 1962-10
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Lunchtime; View east on Harrison from 2nd Av. North; weather foggy
Construction on grounds of Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair).
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_00142
Date: 1962-03-07
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Flower house on Blvd. East
Boulevards of the World at the Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair). "The Boulevards of the World area is the shopping center of the fair. Stores, stands and kiosks displaying the goods and gifts of a dozen nations line the gay and colorful thoroughfares that tie the five theme Worlds of Century 21 together. Exotic shops and restaurants are on Boulevard East, Boulevard West, Freedom Way and United Nations Way. In among the bazaars are fine restaurants and elegant exhibits. In the streets, kiosks display food and favors for sale, while along the edges are benches for the sightseers." (Official Guide Book, Seattle World's Fair 1962. Seattle: Acme Publications. p. 119.)
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_00238
Date: 1962-07
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U.S. Science Pavilion; Hatching chickens
United States Science Pavilion, Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair). “Beneath five arching towers representing man’s constant striving for knowledge for the universe will be presented the most significant scientific display ever assembled…It is the United States Government’s Science Exhibit, a $9,000,000 program of participation including a giant six-building pavilion and unique exhibits dedicated to showing the peaceful uses of science. Stepping out of the textbook into the techniques of showmanship will be the authentic story of the tremendous break-throughs in the barriers which now stand between man and his conquering of space, his control of weather, disease, and over-population of the world.” (Washington State Dept. of Commerce and Economic Development. Seattle World's Fair preview. Seattle: Acme Publications, 1961, n.p.)
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_00852
Date: 1962-10
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Brusselles [i.e. Bruxelles] Waffle House; Opera House right background; view N.E.
Belgian Waffle House (Gaufres de Bruxelles), Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair): "Belgian waffles are famous for being widely introduced at a worlds fair, and most reference books say that it was the 1964-1965 New York Worlds Fair. They are wrong. The tasty treats were a hit first in Seattle. The New York version was a lighter waffle and is better known today, but the Belgian Waffle House was a popular spot with the Seattle crowds." (Bill Cotter, Seattle's 1962 World's Fair. 2010: Arcadia Publishing, p. 101.)
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_00414
Date: 1962-04-01
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2 houses 165 (left) and 161 (right west) Harrison Str.
Future site of the Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World’s Fair). In 1956, the City of Seattle’s Civic Center Advisory Committee selected land surrounding the existing Civic Auditorium at the foot of Queen Anne Hill for the site of the Century 21 Exposition and a future Civic Center for the city. In 1957, the city acquired the property through condemnation. With a few exceptions, including the Civic Auditorium (which was transformed into the Opera House) and the National Guard Armory (which became the Food Circus), most existing buildings were demolished. This set of photos documents the site before demolition began.
Identifier: spl_wl_sec_00274
Date: 1957
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View so. on Boulevard East; Kodak sales girl at right
The Eastman Kodak Pavilion at the Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair). "At the Eastman Kodak Pavilion, on American Way across from the Bell System Pavilion, camera and film technicians operate a photography information service. The technicians assist visitors with special problems they may have with cameras and offer advice on the use of cameras and film. In addition, there are displays of photography." (Official Guide Book, Seattle World's Fair 1962. Seattle: Acme Publications. p. 60.)
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_00341
Date: 1962-06-19
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