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.
-
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
View this item -
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
View this item -
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
View this item -
Seattle World's Fair
Seattle World's Fair; Seattle World's Fair Information Booth and Space Needle
Identifier: scf_c21_0001
Date: 1962
View this item -
Sunny last day; view So. On Blvd. East (3rd Ave. No.)
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." (Official Guide Book, Seattle World's Fair 1962. Seattle: Acme Publications. p. 119.)
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_00338
Date: 1962-10-21
View this item -
View inside of Food Circus (Armory)
The Food Circus of the Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair). "Close to the center of the fairgrounds is the Food Circus, a great bustling eaters' delight. Ranged about the vast floor are 52 concessions, all producing food in its manifold phases." (Official Guide Book, Seattle World's Fair 1962. Seattle: Acme Publications. p. 137.) The building was constructed in 1938 as the Washington National Guard Armory (Architects: Floyd A. Naramore and Arrigo M. Young) and was transformed into the Food Circus for the Century 21 Exposition (Architects: Durham, Anderson, and Freed).
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_01108
Date: 1962-06-03
View this item -
View S.E. Left Information Pavilion; Back is partial view of U.S. Science Pavilion
General Insurance Company Information Center and United States Science Pavilion, Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World’s Fair). On the Information Center, designed by Austin Associates: “The Seattle World's Fair Information Center is located in front of the United States Science Pavilion on Friendship Mall. It is sponsored by the General Insurance Company of America, whose home office is in Seattle. A coral-colored nylon roof tops the open-sided structure. Ten trained guides help visitors with information about the fair, Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. The guides, young ladies dressed in yellow blouses and brown skirts, have complete information on locations of buildings, exhibits and service facilities at the-fair. In addition, they will answer questions about places to see, transportation, lodging, service club meetings and sightseeing.” (Official Guide Book, Seattle World's Fair 1962. Seattle: Acme Publications. p. 64.) On the United States Science Pavilion, designed by Minoru Yamasaki and Associates and Naramore, Bain, Brady & Johanson: “The lacy pattern of this six-unit complex placed around a central court with its 100-ft. high arches is in decided contrast to the forcefulness of Coliseum 21. In a sense, the pavilion is a salute to concrete, for it is believed to represent the largest single use of precast and prestressed structural components in the nation.” (An Architect’s Guidebook to the Seattle World’s Fair. Seattle, Pacific Builder and Engineer, April 1962, p. 21.)
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_00618
Date: 1962-02-25
View this item -
View S.W. of Opera House entrance from Mercer Str.
Opera House, Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair). “The brand-new Opera House (225 Mercer Street) had been constructed within the shell of Seattle's old Civic Auditorium -- which New York Times critic Harold C. Schonberg described as a ‘6,000 seat, flat-floored, unpleasant’ space that had ‘held just about everything but bullfights.’ Now the hall was the 3,100 seat pride of the town's arts establishment.” (Peter Blecha, “Century 21 Exposition (1962): Performing Arts at the Fair.” HistoryLink.org, http://historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=9371
Identifier: spl_wl_sec_00907
Date: 1962-06
View this item -
View N.W. from stadium to Spanish Village with playhouse top right
Spanish Village, Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World’s Fair). The Spanish Village “includes a flamenco restaurant; a miniature house that is a replica of the birthplace of Father Junipero Serra, the first Spanish priest to come to the West Coast, and a patio courtyard.” (Seattle Times, June 10, 1962, p. 140.)
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_00929
Date: 1962-09
View this item -
Seattle Central Library periodical room, 1910
Transcribed from photograph: "Public library. 1906-1957. Central building. Periodical room. 1910."
Identifier: spl_shp_35013
Date: 1910
View this item