Preview up to 100 items from this collection below. The Space Needle’s construction during the early 1960s was an epic feat of architecture and design. George Gulacsik chronicled the project with over 2000 photos. Browse through our timeline to see the Needle’s construction milestones.
Worker laying cement on Space Needle roof, ca. December 28, 1961
Identifier: spl_gg_76220021
Date: 1961-12-28
View this itemHotel Seattle at James St. and Yesler Way, March 1, 1907
Located in Pioneer Square at the intersection of Yesler Way, James Street and First Avenue, Hotel Seattle was constructed in 1890. It replaced the Occidental Hotel which burned down in the fire of 1889. In 1891, the building served as home to the Seattle Public Library. Around the time of the construction of the nearby Smith Tower in 1914, Hotel Seattle was converted from hotel use to an office building. By 1961, the building was abandoned and later torn down and replaced with a parking garage. This instigated a historic preservation movement in the Pioneer Square area to preserve other historic buildings before they could be demolished.
Identifier: spl_pc_00820
Date: 1907-03-01
View this itemWorker guiding steel plate into place on Space Needle, ca. November 8, 1961
Identifier: spl_gg_70070020
Date: 1961-11-08
View this itemWorkers on Space Needle Restaurant level, ca. December 28, 1961
Identifier: spl_gg_76210019
Date: 1961-12-28
View this itemSpace Needle restaurant level under construction, ca. January 1962
Identifier: spl_gg_76560021
Date: 1962-01
View this itemWorker installing Space Needle stairs to 300' level, ca. October 14, 1961
Identifier: spl_gg_69710022
Date: 1961-10-14
View this itemWorker on top of Space Needle roof beam, ca. December 5, 1961
Identifier: spl_gg_74540001
Date: 1961-12-04
View this itemWorker guides Space Needle cross-tie into place, ca. July 19, 1961
Identifier: spl_gg_68820013
Date: 1961-07-19
View this itemWorkers securing cross-ties against Space Needle leg, ca. mid-October 1961
Identifier: spl_gg_69720015
Date: 1961-10
View this item