The 1962 seattle worlds fair and its legacy is a new book about the history of the 1962 worlds fair and seattle center. The century 21 exposition, also called the seattle world s fair, was held from april 21, 1962, to october 21, 1962. Click image to download a highresolution pdf of this ad. In the six months between the opening and the october 21, 1962, closing, nearly 10 million people attended the fair. Stein, this 300page, image rich hardcover book will be released october 21, 2011. The series revisits the seattle times souvenir edition that was published before the fair. In 1962, some of the northwests most important architects. The 1962 seattle world s fair and its legacy by paula becker 20111021 paula becker.
This is the third of a fivepart series on the 50th anniversary of the 1962 seattle worlds fair. The next morning, nixon visits with a young admirer, before returning to the fair with his family for a second day s look. It is also remembered for elvis presleys movie, it happened at the worlds fair. Aug 2, 2015 pictures from century 21 seattle world s fair.
The space age theme indicated big ideas but, when compared to other worlds fair of the era, the exposition was a lowkey event. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1962 worlds fair, authors paula becker and alan stein put together this fantastic book all about the seattle worlds fair. When seattle invented the future brings to life the textures and sounds of seattle in the late 50s and early 60s. See more ideas about worlds fair, seattle and world. Stein, historylink staff and paula becker 2011, reinforced at the best online prices at ebay. Six days before the opening of the fair, the new york times wrote about it seattle. The 1962 worlds fairwhen seattle invented the future vimeo. But talk of the fair started more than a decade earlier, and the pis first mention of a fair came in a oneparagraph brief on jan. But these structures, including keyarena and the pacific science center, are the lasting architectural legacy of the century 21 exposition, better known as the seattle worlds fair. When seattle invented the future the 1962 worlds fair, a sixmonth celebration of science and technology, featured an exciting mix of culture, cuisine and celebrity, drawing more than 10 million visitors from around the world to the then relatively unknown mill town of seattle. The 1962 world s fair was in large part a monument to boeing and its influence on the urban area. A colorful collection of exhibits turned 74 acres of rundown buildings into a futuristic wonderland where dozens of countries and companies predicted life in the future. The 1962 worlds fair has quite a few buildings still standing. Jul 29, 2016 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1962 world s fair, authors paula becker and alan stein put together this fantastic book all about the seattle world s fair.
Memorable quotes and exchanges from movies, tv series and more. The two attractions that have come to symbolize seattles worlds fairthe monorail and the space needleare private enterprises built on public property. The seattle worlds fair opened when i was 1 year old. Jfk opens the seattle worlds fair april 21, 1962 duration. Pcad seattle worlds fair, space needle, seattle, wa. Looking at this book makes me wished i was old enough in 1962 to remember when it was first opened. The gold were not for sale and one is in the smithsonian. The seattle worlds fair was the event that gave us a civic. May 14, 2012 aerial view of the space needle and surrounding area in seattle in 1962. Not surprisingly, celebrations are underway this year looking back. Nixon 191994 visits the seattle worlds fair with his wife pat 191993, and his daughters julie b. Oct 06, 2010 the seattle world s fair opened when i was 1 year old. As worlds fairs go, the century 21 exposition is not a big one. Seattle worlds fair 1962 memories public group facebook.
The seattle worlds fair is best remembered for the space needle and alweg monorail. This era these people come vividly to life in the future remembered. The century 21 exposition also known as the seattle world s fair was a world s fair held april 21, 1962, to october 21, 1962, in seattle, washington. Jun 07, 2007 jfk opens the seattle world s fair april 21, 1962 duration. Im sending a copy to the girlfriend that shared the fun taking the story back to its roots, this book give you a understanding of what a community effort should look like. The 1962 seattle worlds fair and its legacy is a new book about the history of the 1962 worlds fair and seattle. Jan 05, 2020 1962 photo, item 78891, courtesy of the seattle municipal archives. There are about thirty different food places, arranged around three open spaces like rings in a circus. Science pavilion arching towers and the 550foot space needle topped by a. Seattles business, civic and cultural leaders and longtime residents tell of. Oct 19, 2011 the research on the home by the authors were uncovered in a new book, the future remembered. Unlike a lot of other worlds fairs, seattle used the fairgrounds to build a wonderful civic center. Through historical photographs and archival footage, the 1962 seattle worlds fair brings to life the textures.
The 1962 seattle worlds fair and its legacy hardcover. Other memories have faded, however, so reading this book helped me to recall other fair activities that i witnessed and participated in. Food circus 1962 seattle worlds fair heres a descripti. Jun 28, 2012 on august 10, 1962 former vicepresident richard m. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. A bibliography listing the highlights of archival, print, and photographic materials relating to the seattle worlds fair in 1962. Its how we hoped the future world becolorful beyond imagination. The research on the home by the authors were uncovered in a new book, the future remembered.
Walt disney draws large crowd, the seattle times, september 23, 1962, p. The 1962 seattle world s fair and its legacy by paula becker 20111021. I still remember visiting it when i was a bit older than that. The 1962 seattle worlds fair, as it will look on opening. This exposition was seattles second international exposition, preceded by the. In interviews, seattles business, civic and cultural leaders and longtime residents tell of the excitement.
This book did a marvelous job of bringing back the fun memories of that year. Developed in partnership with and written by paula becker and alan j. Although the future remembered is an oversized, coffeetable book, there is plenty of text, and the story of how the seattle worlds fair came to be is quite a tale. The century 21 exposition was held in seattle, washington, united states from april 21 to october 21, 1962. Another structure erected at the seattle center for the 1962s worlds fair was the house of the immediate futures direct predecessor. Science pavilion arching towers and the 550foot space needle topped by a revolving restaurant. The first home to fall is a twostory, eightroom woodframe house at 619 nob hill avenue future site of the mercer street parking garage. Expomuseum 1962 century 21 exposition, seattle, washington, usa.
For personal viewing the 1962 worlds fairwhen seattle invented the future on vimeo. They invited the whole world to visit for the 1962 seattle world s fair, and more than nine million people took them up on the offer. Not surprisingly, celebrations are underway this year looking back at the last fifty years while also looking forward. Century 21 exposition drew 10 million visitors remarkable for a fair staged in a lesserknown city far from the public eye and captured america at the peak of cold war tensions, on the. Located in the seattle center, the site of the 1962 world s fair. Oct 21, 2011 the 1962 seattle world s fair was one of the highlights of my high school years. This appeared in the march 16, 1962 issue of life magazine as well as a roughly similarly dated issue of saturday evening post. By 1955, the councilman had generated considerable interest in his idea from decision makers at the state and city level, and in. Jul 20, 2012 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1962 world s fair in seattle, habitat for humanity constructs a prefabhybrid home that incorporates various future thinking green technologies. I was 5 years old at the time and for me, the fair was a magical place, filled with multicolored lights, wonderful sights and smells and exciting rides. They were the high relief type and came in a 9 coin set. Being a life long fan of the seattle worlds fair, this book filled in the gaps between my memory of attending the fair as a 7 year old kid, and wanting the story of it as an adult. It is therefore paradoxical that the businessmen, politicians, and journalists who initially conceived, promoted, and planned the exposition during the mid1950s were actually quite concerned that boeing was having too much influence on the city. Between april 21 and october 21, 1962, close to 10 million people visited the seattle worlds fair.
That a modern worlds fair would be held in seattle in 1962 was, in many ways, absurd. The future remembered is one of those books that you wished were put out for everything that interests you. The series revisits the seattle times souvenir edition that was published before the fair opened on april 21, 1962. A defining moment in the history of seattle, this fair began life as the brainchild of city councilman al rochester. Nixon 191994 visits the seattle world s fair with his wife pat 191993, and his daughters julie b. The 1962 worlds fairwhen seattle invented the future on vimeo. It was a little fantasy world planted right in the middle of sprawling seattle.
Historical photographs and film of the 1962 seattle worlds fair bring this documentary to life. The 1962 seattle world s fair and its legacy, and published on the eve of the. The entire era and all the people who made the fair possible are vividly portrayed in their coffeetable book, the future remembered. Seattle celebrates its 1962 worlds fair the new york times. The 1962 seattle worlds fair, as it will look on opening day, april 21, 1962, in seattle, washington. Astronauts, elvis, sky rides, royalty, the kennedys, religion, topless showgirls, the space needle, the monorail, cold war jitters, futuristic speculation. The next morning, nixon visits with a young admirer, before returning to the fair with his family for a. Historylink staff historians becker and stein shared wonderful photographs, images and stories from their new book. The 1962 seattle worlds fair and its legacy last week. An imagerich history of the 1962 seattle worlds fair, known as. Although the future remembered is an oversized, coffeetable book, there is plenty of text, and the story of how the seattle world s fair came to be is quite a tale. The seattle worlds fair prompted the great northern to place what may have been its only twopage magazine ads. The 1962 seattle world s fair and its legacy hardcover october 21, 2011.
Century 21 the 1962 seattle world s fair bill cotter and albert fisher look back at one of the most successful world s fairs in history time. Jan 09, 2012 although the future remembered is an oversized, coffeetable book, there is plenty of text, and the story of how the seattle world s fair came to be is quite a tale. Through historical photographs and motion pictures, the 1962 worlds fair. Disneyland cashes in on worlds fair crowds, the seattle times, september 23, 1962, p. The 1962 seattle worlds fair century 21 exposition had it all, optimistically looking ahead to theorize and imagine what the future might hold. She cowrote with alan stein the book alaskayukonpacific exposition.
First, you visit whichever food place you want, then you bring your food back, and meet your family at one of the tables at ring side. But talk of the fair started more than a decade earlier, and the pi s first mention of a fair came in a oneparagraph brief on jan. The future remembered book the seattle public library. May 06, 2012 the 1962 fair was a vision of the future, with the space needle, the monorail, and pavilions devoted to a century 21 theme, said mr. It featured a gayway amusement zone, like our fair, and pavilions and exhibits from the government and around the. The century 21 exposition also known as the seattle worlds fair was a worlds fair held april 21, 1962, to october 21, 1962, in seattle, washington. The future remembered the 1962 seattle worlds fair and its legacy book. Paula becker and alan stein, authors of the book the future remembered, share stories about century 21. The century 21 exposition also known as the seattle world s fair was held between april 21 and october 21, 1962 drew almost 10 million visitors. The century 21 exposition also known as the seattle worlds fair was held between april 21 and october 21, 1962 drew almost 10 million visitors.
On april 21, 1962, the century 21 exposition better known today as the seattle worlds fair was officially opened in seattle, washington, in the northwest united states. As planned, the exposition left behind a fairground and numerous public buildings and public works. Im old enough yes, really to have attended the 1962 seattle world s fair when i was a child, and i have pleasant memories of the belgian waffles and the rides i went on. They invited the whole world to visit for the 1962 seattle worlds fair, and more than nine million people took them up on the offer. The space needle, the washington pavilion, the science center, the food arena, the exhibition hall, the northwest rooms fine art and the fountain all still stand. The 1962 seattle world s fair was one of the highlights of my high school years. A mere 10 million people were in attendance at seattles 1962 faira modest turnout next to the 4060 million who attended brussels 58, new york 64, and montreal 67. The first three photos are a great example of why this seventy plus acre fair was called a jewel box. Walt disney spends a weekend at the seattle worlds fair.
The 1962 seattle worlds fair and its legacy seattle. The lasting impact of seattles worlds fair architects. The worlds fair in seattle, 1962 reports century 21 exposition. Shown from the left are the concert hall and arts center, the coliseum with 11story roof, the u. Demolition of buildings on century 21 expositionseattle world.
Stein spoke at the ballard historical societys free lecture, the future remembered. In 1962, the world came to seattle to see the future for the century 21 exposition. On november 12, 1958, demolition of existing structures on the future seattle world s fair grounds begins. The american space program reached for the moon, the newlyformed peace corps reached for global harmony, and seattle reached for glory and the worlds attention. The 1962 fair was a vision of the future, with the space needle, the monorail, and pavilions devoted to a century 21 theme, said mr. The 1962 seattle world s fair and its legacy by alan j. Through historical photographs and motion pictures of the seattle worlds fair, the documentary the 1962 worlds fair. Historical photographs and film of the 1962 seattle world s fair bring this documentary to life. Seattles 1962 worlds fair, washington images of modern. The 1962 seattle world s fair and its legacy hardcover october 21, 2011 on. Portrait of a fair city, by murray morgan, april 15, 1962. The 1962 seattle worlds fair was one of the highlights of my high school years.
See more ideas about world s fair, seattle and world. Naturally, that anniversary extends to the space needle, the pacific science center, the monorail, and the seattle center area itself. The 1962 worlds fair, a sixmonth celebration of science and technology, featured an exciting mix of culture, cuisine and celebrity, drawing more than 10 million visitors from around the world to the then relatively unknown mill town of seattle. The 1962 worlds fair was in large part a monument to boeing and its influence on the urban area. Oct 19, 2014 the 1962 worlds fair has quite a few buildings still standing. According to the seattle worlds fair collectors site they made only 4 sets of the gold, 15,000 silver and 40,000 bronze. Pigglewiggle and i university of washington press, and coauthor with alan j. Pbs documentary special commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1962 worlds fair, the seminal event that thrust seattle on the world stage. Most seattleites walk or drive past the space needle and the other major buildings at seattle center without giving much thought to who designed them. In 1959, the state of oregon held the oregon centennial exposition to celebrate its 100 years of statehood. Disneys here for fair, the seattle times, september 22, 1962, p. Seattle center foundation will announce programming for the celebration, as. Seattles 1962 worlds fair by bill cotter overdrive.
1421 1594 949 381 877 783 1625 1147 249 436 1495 1244 818 170 487 1684 1469 422 926 314 1686 247 886 1059 489 187 189 441 434 1443 351 51 1132 1311 235 360 839 1213 52