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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Fashion Pavilion: Medal of Honor exhibit
Fashion Pavilion, Century 21 Exposition (Seattle Worlds Fair). "This pavilion -- through (1) a fashion show area and (2) an exhibit area -- tries to show why Americans are often called the best dressed people in the world. The fashion show, as well as the 4,600-gallon Revlon, Inc. fountain of perfume, changes each month with the advancing season. Vogue Magazine sponsors the show." (Official press book : Seattle World's Fair 1962. Seattle: Century 21 Exposition, p. 45.)
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_00404
Date: 1962-09
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2 houses in triangle boundet [i.e. bounded] by John Str. - Broad & 100 block of Nob Hill Ave. No.
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_00264
Date: 1957-10
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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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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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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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Entrance to Transportation Pavilion
Transport 21 Pavilion, Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World’s Fair). “Four railroads have joined to finance a look at railroad transportation in the next century: Northern Pacific, Milwaukee, Union Pacific and Great Northern. There is a special emphasis on the integration of transportation and industry, making it easy to gather finished products for inter-city shipment. Dean Eastman, chairman” (Official press book: Seattle World's Fair 1962. Seattle: Century 21 Exposition, 1962, p. 41.)
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_01003
Date: 1962-10
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Interior View of State Coliseum for Century 21 Exposition
Article from January 1, 1960 issue of Progress, describing construction of Washington State Coliseum for Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair).
Identifier: spl_c21_2772486
Date: 1960-01-01
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King Street Station, ca. 1911
During the early 1900s, there was increasing interest in connecting railroads with Seattle. The high demand and competition between railways resulted in two railway stations being built directly next to each other at 4th Avenue and Jackson Street. King Street Station (which is depicted in this postcard) was constructed in 1906 and can be distinguished by its tower. Union Station, originally known as the Oregon and Washington Station, was constructed in 1911. (Alternative names for Union Station include the Union Depot and the Northern Pacific Great Northern Depot.) Confusingly, both stations were sometimes referred to as "union stations" due to the fact that multiple railroad lines were shared within the same terminal. For a good example of the differences between Union Station and King Street Station see spl_pc_01011 where Union Station appears in the foreground and King Street Station appears in the background.
Identifier: spl_pc_01013
Date: 1911
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Coliseum: Official French exhibit
Government of France Exhibit, in the Washington State Coliseum at the Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair). "Seven keys -- not answers -- to happiness in the world of tomorrow are graphically portrayed. The conclusion of the exhibit springs out of Gaston Bergers spiritual testimony, Intelligence without love is nothing. There is a section of French contributions to science, and before presenting the seven keys, a short movie develops the theme of air-supported devices." (Official press book: Seattle World's Fair 1962. Seattle: Century 21 Exposition, 1962, p. 33.)
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_00485
Date: 1962-06-10
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Seattle World's Fair
Seattle World's Fair; Seattle World's Fair Information Booth and Space Needle
Identifier: scf_c21_0001
Date: 1962
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