Is it an alien space craft carefully landing on stilts? Is it just a giant a spider? Where did the design come from? The Space Needle certainly has a unique look and all of these questions may apply.
Edward E Carlson was the Commission chair for Seattle’s World’s Fair Commission. It was a big job and he felt a lot of pressure to impress the world with an exciting venue. Mr. Carlson was enjoying dinner in Stuttgart Germany. The restaurant was built on the top of that city’s broadcasting tower. He was so impressed that he thought Seattle need a similar kind of attraction. So Eddie sketched his idea and sent them on postcards to the Fair Officials. It was primitive, but his idea of an attraction for the World’s Fair.
James Douglas, one of the officials, soon completed a little research and found architect John Graham Jr. He had recently designed a completely revolving restaurant in Honolulu. He recommended that Mr. Carlson contact this architect and ask him about a design.
John Graham Jr. took Mr. Carlson’s doodles and came up with a plan which could be executed. The next obstacle they faced was funding. Mr. Carlson approached King County and tried to get them to invest in the project. They refused; so private investors were recruited. Norton Clapp, Bagley Wright, John Graham Jr., Ned Skinner and Howard S Wright formed the Pentagram Corporation to oversee the funding of the project. They all had vested interests in its success.
Howard S. Wright Construction Company began construction April 17th, 1961. It was a major undertaking. Laying the foundation was touted as the largest continuous concrete pour ever attempted on the West Coast. How big was it? 5,850 tons of concrete were delivered over a 12 hour period. By the time the project was finished there were eight hundred thirty steps that went from the base to the top house. Not many people chose to walk as there were three working elevators.
The official opening of the Space Needle was celebrated on March 24th, 1961. Total development and construction costs were estimated at close to 4.5 million.
During the World’s Fair the base of tower was home to an exhibit named “Dentistry Through the Ages of Man.” The top house peak had a giant gas torch that was aglow every night of the World’s Fair. The Eye of the Needle, the revolving restaurant made a complete revolution every 58 minutes and was power by a 1.5 h.p. electric motor.
Besides the millions of tourist who have enjoyed the restaurants and observation deck, other things have happen at the Space Needle. Movies have been filmed there. A few suicides took place there. It survived the 1965 earthquake. Students from Tolt High made a chain of gum wrappers, 14,986, to be exact to dangle from the needle. Artist Paul Dorpat suspended a 250-foot Universal Worm from the tower.
The Space Needle hasn’t changed the world, but it certainly holds a secure spot in the skyline of Seattle. It stands as monument to our creative and fun side.
