Home > Century 21 World's Fair > News Coverage of the Plaza of the States Dedication (April 15)
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Sunday, April 15, 1962
Post-Intelligencer Photo
NARRATOR RICHARD THOMAS reads his script for the dedication of the Plaza of the States at the Seattle World's Fair Grounds during a dress rehearsal yesterday. The flags of all 50 states were pulled aloft by Seattle-area Boy Scouts. Workmen, such as the one at the right, continued their work during rehearsal to prepare the Plaza for its dedication today.
Washington State Legislators, justices of the State Supreme Court and elected state officials will get a preview of the 50 state days programs at the Seattle World's Fair today.
The occasion will be a special fair preview for the visitors and their wives, husbands or escorts.
More than 400 persons are expected at the invitational affair.
Hosts to the group will be Gov. Albert D. Rosellini and members of the World's Fair commission.
THE PROGRAM will begin at noon with brunch in the Club 21, the VIP club on the fairgrounds.
At 1:30 p.m. will come dedication of the Plaza of States where, during the fair, each of the 50 states will be honored on its own state day. The Plaza of States was created at the special request of Gov. Rosellini.
The American Flag and the Washington State Flag will flank a huge reproduction of the Washington State Seal and below them will be a gas-fed flame font. The gas flame will be symbolic of the unity of the states and it will burn throughout the 184 days of the fair.
Also on the plaza are other flagpoles from which will fly the flags of the states. On each state's honor day, that state's flag will replace the Washington State flag alongside the American Flag.
AT THE BASE of each flagpole will be a marker giving information about the state. The plaza will be lighted at night.
Playing for the plaza of states dedication will be the World's Fair band and the Kitsilano Boys Band from Vancouver, B.C. Jack Gordon will be master of ceremonies.
At 2:30 p.m. the Washington State Coliseum will be dedicated. The World's Fair band and the Seattle all-city high school band will play for this ceremony.
The coliseum built with funds voted by the legislature houses the fair's theme exhibit. "Man in the Space Age," plus the exhibits of France, the American Library Association, Washinmgton State and others.
THE COLISEUM contains three and two-thirds acres under a single roof. Three acres of this is unobstructed space.
After the fair the coliseum will be sold to the City of Seattle for use as a sports arena and convention center.
Following the coliseum dedication, guests will be taken on guided tours of the fiar-grounds [sic].
State Rep. Ray Olsen is chairman of the preview day committee.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Monday, April 16, 1962
Post-Intelligencer Photo
WASHINGTON STATE Seal in Plaza of States at World's Fair is unveiled by Gary Talcott, 8, great-grandson of G. Noyes Talcott, who designed seal. Gov. Albert D. Rosellini (at left) and Edward E. Carlson, chairman of Fair Commission, participated in lighting gas flame in raised urn. Flickering flame, which will burn for duration of Fair, causes illusion of waver in Space Needle.
It was Washington State Day at the Seattle World's Fair yesterday, even though the "Jewel Box" exposition doesn't open officially until next Saturday. Even the weather cooperated. And though the sun played hide-and-seek in light clouds now and then, it was out bright and warm when Fair General Manager Ewen Dingwall told the crowd in the plaza of states that:
"This is average World's Fair weather here."
Washington State Day gave a preview look at the Fair to members of the State Legislature, justices of the State Supreme Court, members of the World's Fair Commission and the wives of the three groups.
IT ALSO WAS the occasion for dedication of the Plaza of States and the Washington State Coliseum.
Guests had brunch in the Club 21 on the Fairgrounds, then gathered in the Plaza at 1:30 p.m. Before, during and after the program there was music by the World's Fair Band and the Kitsilano Boys Band of Vancouver, B.C.
Then at a signal from Jack Gordon, master of ceremonies, the American, Washington State, Century 21, and Plaza of States flags were hoisted briskly up their poles by Boy Scouts, as Paula Bane sang "The Star-Spangled Banner."
DOWN CAME the state flag, up went the Union Jack and "O Canada," the Canadian national anthem, was played.
Then Gov. Albert D. Rosellini lighted the gas flame that will burn for the 184 days of the Fair. The flame symbolizes the unity of the states. The huge replica of the state seal which dominates the Plaza was unveiled by Gary Talcott, 8, of Olympia, great-grandson of G. Noyes Talcott, who designed the seal.
Most spectacular part of the ceremony was the hoisting of the flags of the 50 states in the order they were admitted to the union, beginning with Delaware and ending with Hawaii.
WITH POWER saws whining "background music," everyone but the workmen was introduced -- and even the workmen got a collective introduction and praise from speakers who marveled at the speed with which the Fair has been put together.
With Lt. Gov. John Cherberg calling out the names, the governor presented season passes to state senators. John O'Brien, speaker of the House, read the names of State representatives, and the governor handed them their passes.
MAKING THE principal speech of the hour-long ceremony Gov. Rosellini paid tribute to the legislators who passed the law starting the Fair on its way. He said.
"They provided the key factor in making a reality of what seemed to those of little faith a visionary dream. That dream is a dream no longer. It is the great World's Fair whose towering splendor surrounds us today on the eve of an opening day which will see our state play host to the world."
|
|
|
|
You are at JackGordon.org,
a salute to John F "Jack" Gordon, Mr. Seattle
Copyright © 2002-2022 John R. Gordon