Century 21 Exposition
, Duwamish Head (150 acres), First Hill (80 acres with rail access), Sand Point Naval Air Station (350 acres), Union Bay (250 acres), and the smaller Civic Auditorium site (28 acres).[1] The Civic Auditorium area, located north of downtown at the foot of Queen Anne Hill on city-owned land designated for a civic center, was ultimately selected for its central urban position, potential for post-fair civic use, and resemblance to the site of London's 1951 Festival of Britain.[1] Seattle voters approved a $7.5 million bond measure in 1956 to acquire and prepare the initial parcel, supplemented by a matching $7.5 million from the state legislature in 1957, enabling expansion to approximately 74 acres through additional property acquisitions.[1] This choice prioritized proximity to the city core and infrastructure over larger peripheral sites, facilitating visitor access and long-term urban redevelopment into what became Seattle Center.[1]Funding Mechanisms and Financial Risks
The Century 21 Exposition's funding was derived from a combination of municipal and state bonds, federal appropriations, and private investments. In November 1956, Seattle voters approved a $7.5 million bond measure initially intended for civic center development, which was repurposed for fairground land acquisition and infrastructure on the 74-acre site.[5] The Washington State Legislature matched this with an equal $7.5 million bond issuance, establishing a foundational public investment of $15 million by 1957 to support site preparation and core facilities.[6] These bonds were repaid through fair revenues, including ticket sales and concessions, reflecting a self-liquidating financing model common to U.S. expositions of the period. Federal support supplemented local efforts, with Congress allocating approximately $9 million—secured through advocacy by Senator Warren Magnuson—primarily for the U.S. Science Exhibit pavilion, which featured NASA-themed displays and became the foundation for the post-fair Pacific Science Center.[5] Private funding involved soliciting contributions from around 300 Seattle-area businesses, targeting a collective $3 million to offset pavilion construction and operational gaps not covered by public sources.[7] The Exposition Authority's direct expenditures totaled about $22.8 million, though aggregate costs including corporate and international pavilions approached $80–100 million when factoring participant builds.[8] Key financial risks stemmed from the project's dependence on voter-approved bonds amid uncertain international sanction from the Bureau International des Expositions and potential shortfalls in attendance, which was projected at 6–8 million but critical for debt servicing. Construction timelines compressed to under five years from site clearance amplified exposure to cost escalations, as evidenced by the Space Needle's $6.5 million price tag for an unproven 605-foot structure incorporating innovative engineering like a rotating restaurant.[3] Site acquisition involved demolishing over 300 structures in a densely built urban area, raising demolition and relocation expenses that strained initial budgets. Despite these vulnerabilities, the fair's actual attendance of nearly 10 million visitors from April 21 to October 21, 1962, generated sufficient revenue to yield a profit, averting insolvency and enabling legacy assets like the monorail and pavilions to transition to public use without default.[6] This outcome contrasted with contemporaneous fairs, such as New York's 1964–1965 event, which incurred substantial losses due to similar over-reliance on projections.[6]Construction and Preparatory Timeline
Site preparation for the Century 21 Exposition began with property acquisition in the Seattle Center area, selected in March 1956 as part of the Civic Center plan on land originally claimed by David and Louisa Denny in 1852.[9] Condemnation proceedings commenced in April and May 1957, targeting residential and institutional structures on the 74-acre site.[9] Demolition of existing buildings started on November 12, 1958, with the initial takedown of a 1895 house at 619 Nob Hill Avenue by contractor Henry Broderick; by mid-July 1959, 84 structures had been razed, followed by 49 more by late October and an additional 70 by December 1959.[9] This phase cleared the grounds for new development, including the demolition of Warren Avenue School on August 27, 1959, to accommodate the Washington State Coliseum.[9] Groundbreaking ceremonies occurred on June 23, 1959, marking the formal start of construction amid a published timetable outlining phased building across the site.[9][10] Federal funding of $9 million was secured on September 15, 1959, supporting infrastructure like the U.S. Science Pavilion.[9] Preparatory enhancements continued into 1961, including April conversions of the Interbay landfill into parking for 5,000 vehicles at a cost exceeding $230,000 and the completion of site models by July.[7][5] Major construction accelerated in late 1961, with the monorail contract awarded to Alweg Rapid Transit Systems and erection of the Space Needle commencing.[1] Specific pavilion groundbreakings, such as for the U.S. Science Pavilion on November 9, 1961, initiated building phases that were largely complete by early 1962 despite winter delays.[5] The Space Needle reached completion in early 1962, opening a month prior to the fair.[7] Aerial surveys on January 9, 1962, documented ongoing work across the expanded grounds.[11] The following table summarizes key milestones:| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| March 1956 | Site selection finalized.[9] |
| November 12, 1958 | Demolition begins.[9] |
| June 23, 1959 | Groundbreaking.[9] |
| September 15, 1959 | Federal funding allocated.[9] |
| Late 1961 | Monorail and Space Needle construction starts.[1] |
| November 9, 1961 | U.S. Science Pavilion groundbreaking.[5] |
| Early 1962 | Space Needle completed.[7] |
| April 21, 1962 | Fair opens.[1] |