zachary harden
Keywords: worlds fair | bureau international des expositions | bie | seattle |
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Last modified: 2023-06-03 by zachary harden
Keywords: worlds fair | bureau international des expositions | bie | seattle |
Links: FOTW homepage |
search |
disclaimer and copyright |
write us |
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![[Worlds Fairs: Seaattle 1962]](../images/i/int-wf62.gif)
image located by Zoltan Horvath, 07 January 2014
The Seattle World's Fair (dubbed "The Century 21 Exposition" and also "World
Science-Pan Pacific Exposition") was held between April 21, 1962, to October 21,
1962, in Seattle. It was the first World's Fair to
be financially successful in it's first season (out of the two seasons which
were originally planned). Unlike some other World's Fairs of its era, Century 21
made a profit. The fair was originally conceived in 1955 to mark the 50th
anniversary of the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition (another feat remembered
in another World Fair) but it soon became clear that
that date was too ambitious. With the Space Race underway and Boeing having "put
Seattle on the map" as "an aerospace city", a major theme of the fair was to
show that "the United States was not really 'behind' the Soviet Union in the
realms of science and space". As a result, the themes of space, science, and the
future completely trumped the earlier conception of a "Festival of the
[American] West""
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Century_21_Exposition and
http://www.earthstation9.com/index.html?worlds_2.htm
The original World’s Fair Commission empanelled in 1955 with State Senators
Willam Goodloe and Andrew Winberg, State Representatives Ray Olsen and Donald
McDermott, and community leaders Eddie Carlson, Paul Sceva, and Alfred
Williams. The commission was expanded to 15 members in 1961 and included Lt.
Governor John Cherberg; former U.S. Senator Clarence C. Dill (1884-1978; State
Senators Howard Bargreen, Herbert H. Freise, Michael J. Gallagher, and Reuben A.
Knoblauch; State Representatives Audley F. Mahaffey, Ray Olsen, Leonard A.
Sawyer, and Jeanette Testu; Seattle City Councilman (and future mayor) Dorm
Braman (1901-1980), and business and community leaders Paul S. Friedlander, H.
Dewayne Kraeger, and Victor Rosellini (1915-2003). Al Rochester served as
executive director and Western Hotels vice president Eddie Carlson (1911-1990)
served as chairman and later Joe Gandy took over".
Sources:
http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&File_Id=2290 and
http://www.worldsfairphotos.com/century21/booklets/official-souvenir-program.pdf
(page 96).
The Century 21 Exposition is best remembered for the creation of Seattle's Space
Needle and Alweb Monorail. Much of what was created still exists today,
including the United States Science Exhibit which is now the Pacific Science
Center. It is also remembered for Elvis Presley's movie, It Happened at the
World's Fair.
Source:
http://www.expomuseum.com/1962/
In June 1960, the International Bureau of Expositions certified Century 21 as a
World's Fair. Due to the 1962 Seattle Fair being officially sanctioned (by the
BIE, the 1964 New York
World's Fair would not be officially recognized.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Century_21_Exposition and
http://www.earthstation9.com/index.html?worlds_2.htm
"Seattle was lesser known at the time and relatively isolated, geographically,
from larger urban centers. Before 1962, larger cities in the United States would
typically host a world’s fair: New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. Seattle
ushered in an era of smaller cities hosting expos as a way of generating
interest in various regions and developing new civic neighborhoods. Several
cities looked to Seattle after 1962 to provide a model for urban renewal and
economic growth. San Antonio’s Hemisfair ’68, Spokane’s Expo ’74, Knoxville’s
1982 World’s Fair, and New Orleans’ 1984 Louisiana World Exposition all used
Seattle as a model to one degree or another."
Source:
http://2012expo.wordpress.com/2011/12/01/seattle-2012-a-glimpse-of-yeosu-2062/
Esteban Rivera, 07 January 2014
![[Worlds Fairs: Seaattle 1962]](../images/i/int-wf62.jpg)
image located by Esteban Rivera, 07 January 2014
The flag is the
logo (Source:
http://matterhorn1959.blogspot.com/2008/10/souvenir-friday-1962-seattle-worlds.html)
in blue, on a horizontal white flag, and below the CENTURY 21 EXPOSITION in blue
capital letters, and below that SEATTLE WORLD's FAIR 1962, also in blue capital
letters.
"The Seattle World Fair's symbol was created by R.T. Matthiesen and Associates,
The arrow-orb form is used in science to represent man. The hemispheric symbol
of the world is contained within the man-symbol, thus representing the theme of
Man in the Space Age".
Source:
http://www.worldsfairphotos.com/century21/booklets/official-souvenir-program.pdf
(page 96)
The symbol, which "resembles the sign for mars with a globe and Century 21 in
lettering is called the "Man in Space" emblem and was originally designed as a
letterhead. It was registered as an official trademark and brought in an
estimated 4 million dollars in revenue".
Source:
http://www.earthstation9.com/index.html?worlds_2.htm
There's also a
picture at the Plaza of States, where several flags are seen, and they are
the flags of all U.S. 50 States, "arranged in order of each State's addmission
to the Union. At the base of each pole is a plaque bearing the State's seal,
motto, significant dates in its history, principal products and points of
interest".
Source:
http://www.worldsfairphotos.com/century21/booklets/official-souvenir-program.pdf
For more information go to:
http://www.worldsfaircommunity.org/forum/116-1962-seattle-united-states-century-21-exposition/?prune_day=100&sort_by=Z-A&sort_key=last_post&topicfilter=all
http://www.worldsfairphotos.com/century21/index.htm
http://www.flickr.com/phozotos/90342017@N00/sets/72157604380878280/
http://seattletimes.com/photogallery/gen/worldsfair/
http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=cybertour.cfm&file_id=7042
http://seattletimes.com/photogallery/gen/worldsfair/1.html
For additional information go to: The next fifty (semi official website of the fair, commemorating its
50th anniversary in 2012)
Esteban Rivera, 07 January 2014
