The History Of Seattle's Space Needle In 1 Minute
Once the tallest structure west of the Mississippi, Seattle’s Space Needle – the iconic 605-foot-tall observation tower – was built in December of 1961 at the Seattle Center, a park, arts, and entertainment center. Opening on the first day of the World’s Fair on April 21, 1962, the new futuristic tower drew in over 2.3 million visitors. This renowned landmark of the Pacific Northwest was designed by artist Edward E. Carlson, who later went on to become the president of Western International Hotels, and was developed to match the 21st-century theme of the 1962 World’s Fair.
In 1959, Carlson sketched his vision of the 21st-century-style Space Needle on a napkin in a coffee house, inspired by the Stuttgart Tower in Germany; however, when the time came to turn the drawings into reality, Carlson encountered many difficulties bringing the design to life. He went through a series of new designs and alterations, including a balloon-shaped structure. With the help of architect John Graham, who worked with his team of architects to develop a saucer-shaped design, a final blueprint was completed, fusing the two men’s designs; in 1961, a piece of private land was purchased by private investors for $75,000 where the Needle would be built.
Led by the Howard S. Wright Construction Company, construction began on the underground foundation, which took 467 cement trucks to fill over the course of an entire day, the largest continuous concrete pour that has ever been executed in the West. Once completed, the foundation weighed close to 9,550 tons, the same weight as the Space Needle itself, putting the center of gravity at a mere five feet above ground level. The dome was completed shortly after with five levels, including a revolving restaurant and an observation deck – keeping with the futuristic theme, the legs were painted ‘Astronaut White,’ the core ‘Orbital Olive,’ the halo ‘Re-entry Red,’ and the sunburst and roof ‘Galaxy Gold.’ From the observation deck, views of the Olympic and Cascade Mountains are clearly visible along with Mount Rainier, Mount Baker, Elliot Bay, and the surrounding islands – visitors can reach the top of the Space Needle using the elevators, which travel at ten miles per hour.
The Needle, being located in the center of the stormy and mostly rainy Seattle, was built to withstand a wind velocity of 200 miles per hour; however, it has closed occasionally due to storms, including the Columbus Day storm in 1961 and the ‘Inauguration Day’ storm in 1993. It was also built with 25 lightening rods, and can withstand earthquakes up to a 9.1 magnitude – in 2001, an earthquake with a 6.8 magnitude shook the Space Needle, but it was left solely intact. On December 31, 1999, the Legacy Light (or Skybeam) was added to the Space Needle – a powerful beam of light that is used to cast rays of light on the tower in remembrance of national holidays or special occasions. In 1999, the Space Needle was designated a historic landmark by Seattle’s Landmarks Preservation Board.
📅 The Space Needle: 8am-12am daily
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.
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