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.
-
Packing box for British Pavilion
Packing boxes for the Great Britain Pavilion of the Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair).
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_00135
Date: 1962-04-06
View this item -
Century 21 plywood home of living light
Brochure from Plywood Home of Living Light exhibit, Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair). "The unique Home of Living Light for Tomorrow, The Douglas Fir Plywood Association Exhibit which dramatizes the many possibilities of a completely new approach to home construction, is located on Freedom Way, at the north end of the Boulevards of the World. The Practical Builder, a trade publication, cooperated in the design of the house, which was created by the Tacoma architectural firm of Liddle and Jones. The walls are made of continuous wood paneling which, like corrugated packing paper, is rigid in one direction and flexible in the other. The results are walls that can take shape and still support the required roof loads." (Official Guide Book, Seattle World's Fair 1962. Seattle: Acme Publications. p. 47.) This brochure describes the home's features. Illustrated with color photographs.
Identifier: spl_c21_2251598
Date: 1962?
View this item -
Hawaiian Pavilion and Space Needle
Islands of Hawaii Pavilion, Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair). "All-wood structure is 12-sided 'circle' 100 ft. in diameter with post-free 600-seat theater for Polynesian entertainment." (An Architect’s Guidebook to the Seattle World’s Fair. Sea
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_00582
Date: 1962-04-20
View this item -
Coliseum being roofed over; View west
Washington State Coliseum, Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World’s Fair). “Superlatives are helpful in describing the fair’s $4 million theme building, for it is one of the largest clear span structures in the world; and the aluminum roof, the only one of its kind in existence, sweeps 110 ft. into the air at the apex, supported by steel compression trusses rising from massive concrete abutments.” (An Architect’s Guidebook to the Seattle World’s Fair. Seattle, Pacific Builder and Engineer, April 1962, p. 17.)
Identifier: spl_wl_sec_00447
Date: 1961-10-14
View this item -
View S.W. of International Mall from Phillipine [i.e. Philippines] Pavilion
International Mall of the Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair). “The largest and most diverse of the five great theme areas of the Seattle World’s Fair is the wide and wonderfully varied World of Commerce and Industry. It stretches to the opposite ends of the fair grounds and it is divided into two major divisions, domestic and foreign. The foreign exhibitors are governments, alliances and groups. They are housed in the buildings on the International Plaza and the International Mall.” (Official Guide Book, Seattle World's Fair 1962. Seattle: Acme Publications. p. 42.)
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_00326
Date: 1962-10-06
View this item -
Seattle World's Fair 1962 : Cathay Arts Co., Hong Kong
Brochure of the Cathay Arts Company, which sold furniture and gifts from Hong Kong on the Boulevards of the World at the Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair).
Identifier: spl_c21_2815122
Date: 1962
View this item -
Coliseum interior
Washington State Theme Exhibit, Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World’s Fair). “Rising in the center of the Coliseum, the ‘World of Tomorrow’ exhibit symbolizes the 21st century -- just beyond man’s reach yet within his range of vision. The theme of this structure of interlocking aluminum cubes, ‘The Threshold and the Threat,’ depicts the ambivalence of atomic power, to be employed either for the advancement or the annihilation of man and his planet. Visitors ascend to the overhead exhibit in a globe-shaped elevator, the ‘Bubbleator,’ for a 21-minute tour of the future, which includes a look at the city of tomorrow, the home of the future, and transportation, industry, food production, education, communications and recreation in the 21st century…The ‘World of Tomorrow’ exhibit was designed by the Donald Deskey Associates of New York and installed by the Radio Corporation of America. The State of Washington sponsored and financed the exhibit.” (Official press book: Seattle World's Fair 1
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_01095
Date: 1962-10
View this item -
British Pavilion: Mural by Mr. Barry Wilkinson
Interior of Great Britain Pavilion of the Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair). "Demonstrations of Britain's revolutionary developments in science and technology are the highlight of the pavilion. Research and development in surgery, atomic power, aviation, and space research are stressed. Industrial achievements in agriculture, marine exploration and automobiles are also displayed." (Official press book: Seattle World's Fair 1962. Seattle: Century 21 Exposition, 1962, p. 36.)
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_00132
Date: 1962-09-01
View this item -
Hawaii Pavilion at night; View S.E.
Islands of Hawaii Pavilion, Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair). "All-wood structure is 12-sided 'circle' 100 ft. in diameter with post-free 600-seat theater for Polynesian entertainment." (An Architect’s Guidebook to the Seattle World’s Fair. Seattle, Pacific Builder and Engineer, April 1962, p. 39)
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_00579
Date: 1962-08
View this item -
Coliseum as seen from Domestic Commerce & Industry Bldg. View N.W.
View of Washington State Coliseum from Hall of Industry, Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World’s Fair). On the Coliseum, designed by Paul Thiry: “Superlatives are helpful in describing the fair’s $4 million theme building, for it is one of the largest clear span structures in the world; and the aluminum roof, the only one of its kind in existence, sweeps 110 ft. into the air at the apex, supported by steel compression trusses rising from massive concrete abutments.” (An Architect’s Guidebook to the Seattle World’s Fair. Seattle, Pacific Builder and Engineer, April 1962, p. 17.) On the Hall of Industry, designed by Robert B. Price: “The domestic exhibitors in this building all show how the ‘magic key’ of research has just begun to open the way to the future. The pavilion is 277 feet long and is highlighted by six-foot multi-colored plastic pyramids that extend on both sides of the roof and ceiling.” (Official press book : Seattle World's Fair 1962. Seattle: Century 21 Exposition, p. 43.)
Identifier: spl_wl_sec_00443
Date: 1962-02-28
View this item