Revisiting the Century 21 Exposition in Seattle

From April to October in 1962, the world came to Seattle to marvel at a future vision of American society in the 21st Century.

A welcome message from the official program of the Seattle World's Fair describes the promises of a new world awaiting us.

"Visitors of all ages and interests will find something to amuse and entertain, to stimulate and challenge them in this panorama of tomorrow dedicated to man in the space age."

It was a tribute to the unwavering belief of science and technology, demonstrated by monorail transit, computer technology, and space travel.  It was called the Century 21 Exposition and it's signature icon was the 605 foot tall Space Needle.

Completed just in time for opening day of the Exposition on April 21, 1962, it was originally known as The Space Cage and it was designed to feature a revolving restaurant near it's top -  the Eye of the Needle.  Built at a cost of $4.5 million, during the World's Fair elevator rides to the observation deck at the top were just $1.  As I visited the site yesterday, that same ticket now costs $18.

Reviewing the program and the literature of the Fair, it's hard not to see the influence that Walt Disney had inspired on American popular culture at the time.  Themed areas of the fair included the U.S. Science Pavilion, the World of Century 21, and many others depicting commerce, art, and international exhibits from around the world.  A concert hall, arena, coliseum, opera house, and amusement rides like the Space Wheel, Sky Ride, and Flight To Mars captivated guests at the Exposition.

It was an era of big dreams in America, where 21st Century planes would fly to "any spot in the world in an hour's time" and rocket belts would "enable a man to stride thirty feet" at a time, according to the exhibit program.

"We'll work shorter hours... have more time for art, sports and hobbies.  Some of us will fly; some drive our air cars. But most of us will use rapid transit jet-propelled monorail systems."

To demonstrate mass transit of the future and to move crowds from Downtown Seattle to the fair site,  Alweg Transit completely funded and built a $3.5 million monorail system that is still in use today.

In the World of Tomorrow exhibit, large glass "bubblelators" transported 100 visitors at a time up and thru cubed showcases depicting life in the 21st Century, where gyrocopter heliports provided a home base for airborne commuting.  Inside, visitors viewed the House of Tomorrow equipped with cordless videophones, wall-to-wall televisions, automatic windows, gardens, and indoor pools.  At the Office of Tomorrow, workplaces had micro-mail systems and instant communication machines.

According to the official souvenir guide to the Fair, this World of  the 21st Century would be "a vital, searching, rewarding, comfortable home for humankind."

"'What time is it?' asks a young voice.  From somewhere overhead comes the answer: 'It is now... and again. Today and tomorrow's today.  It is your time, child of the ever-present future."'

As I walked around the fairgrounds yesterday on the site that hosted this Century 21 Exposition, I couldn't help but think of how exciting it must have been for visitors to get a small glimpse of this future that, in many ways, is all around us today.

In many other ways though ... we have a very long way to go.  Long live the Space Needle!