Summer of ’62

Fifty years ago this week, on April 21, 1962, the gates opened at the Seattle World’s Fair, and thousands of people poured in to catch a glimpse of the future. Billed as “America’s Space Age World’s Fair,” the Century 21 Exposition had plenty to see and do. A ride up to the top of the Space Needle was a must, as was a trip on the monorail. Exhibits, both foreign and domestic, captured the imagination.Performances and artwork stirred the soul. And newly introducedBelgian waffles sated the most ravenous appetites.

The fair traced its origins to the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, which Seattle City Councilman Al Rochester remembered fondly from his youth. Recalling the successes of the A-Y-P, Rochester advocated for a second world’s fair to commemorate the first, but the 1957 launch of Sputnik shifted the theme to science and technology as a way of showcasing Seattle’s strides towards Century 21. The space-age fair received broad support from local, state, and federal officials.

One goal of the fair was to have a civic center in place once the event was over. The site chosen for the fairgrounds was close to downtown, and had structures that could be modified for reuse. Older — and in some cases , derelict — buildings had to be torn down, but more people were concerned over the loss of homes less than a mile away that were being demolished for the construction of Interstate 5.

Planning progressed, and Seattleites watched as the Space Needle grew and the monorail pylons were put in place. The night before the fair opened, a twist party was held downtown. After that it was fun, fun, fun, all summer long and into the fall. And once the fair had ended, a civic center was indeed in place, and remains a lasting legacy well into the twenty-first century.

Over the next six months, visit HistoryLink.org each week as we showcase some of the many people and events that made the 1962 World’s Fair such a success. And for a more detailed look at the fair, be sure to pick up a copy of The Future Remembered: The 1962 Seattle World’s Fair and Its Legacy, written by Paula Becker, Alan J. Stein, and the HistoryLink Staff. You can purchase our book from the Seattle Center Foundation, Amazon.com, your local Bartell Drugs, and a variety of bookstores.

Shopping Mall Debut

On April 21, 1950, crowds of consumers attended the opening ofNorthgate Mall for a new type of shopping experience. The mall was designed by John Graham Jr., who later became chief architect for the Space Needle. Northgate’s first president was Jim Douglas, who went on to serve as the Century 21 vice president of construction.

Northgate is considered to be one of the first regional shopping centers defined as a “mall,” although there were a number of predecessors. One was Bellevue Square, which opened four years earlier.

News Then, History Now

Long Walk: On April 20, 1825, Scottish naturalist David Douglasarrived at Fort Vancouver, one month after it opened on the north bank of the Columbia River in present-day Clark County. Later in the year, he made the first recorded ascent of the Cascade Mountains, and in 1826 he extended his exploration eastward and visited retired fur traderJaco Finlay, founder of Spokane House.

Long Talk: On April 24, 1877, General Oliver O. Howard met in aday-long council with Smohalla, an influential Wanapum spiritual leader. Howard told Smohalla that he and his followers must move onto the Yakama reservation. However, distracted by the Nez Perce War, which broke out a few weeks later, Howard took no steps to enforce the order and Smohalla ignored it.

Long Wait: On April 22, 1889, Duncan Hunter filed a homestead claim to 80 acres of dense forest in south Snohomish County, becoming the first non-Indian resident of what would become Lynnwood. Other homesteaders soon followed, but the city didn’t incorporate for another 70 years.

Ill Fate: One hundred years ago this week, two catastrophes occurred one day apart on opposite sides of the state. On April 24, the main administration building of the State Normal School — later Eastern Washington University — burned down in Cheney. The next day, the steamship Alameda inadvertently rammed Seattle’s Colman Dock and toppled its clock tower into Elliott Bay.

Jeers and Cheers: The first Earth Day celebration was held on April 22, 1970, to raise awareness of environmental issues. On that day, Washington Senator Henry M. Jackson — a leader on environmental legislation — spoke at UW and WSU, but was jeered due to his hawkish stance on the Vietnam War. Some students pelted him with marshmallows, but Jackson caught a few and threw them back, eliciting cheers.

Hemispheres: The Tacoma Dome opened its doors for business on April 21, 1983, and has held countless concerts, sports events, and conventions ever since. It is one of the largest wooden domed structures in the world, and upon the demise of Seattle’s Kingdome it became the largest dome in the state.

Quote of the Week

See you at the fair in Seattle
In the summer of ’62,
We’ll preview the Space Age, the World of Tomorrow,
I’ll be sharing, dear, with you.

– “Summer of ’62,” novelty song performed by Ronnie Draper and the Four-Do-Matics

Image of the Week

Opening day festivities for the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair were marred when one of the flyover planes crashed in a Mountlake Terrace neighborhood.