Guide to the Archives of the City of Seattle

Record Group 7600
Seattle Center

The Seattle Center Department was created in 1965 to administer, manage and control the facilities on the site of the 1962 World's Fair. The facilities at the Seattle Center date back to 1927 with completion of the construction of the Civic Auditorium, Civic Arena, Veterans Hall, and the Civic Playfield. The property expanded to 74 acres in 1962 to accommodate the World's Fair. The Center's purpose is to be an active civic center providing facilities and programs supporting the arts, education, sports and entertainment. It is home for the Seattle Opera, Pacific Northwest Ballet, three resident theaters, and the Seattle Storm professional basketball team. In addition, there are five facilities on the grounds that are not owned by the City: the Space Needle, Memorial Stadium, the Pacific Science Center, Chihuly Garden and Glass, and the Experience Music Project.

7600-01
Executive Director's Records
1962-1987
14.0 cubic feet

Includes correspondence, reports, studies, and financial materials relating to Seattle Center operations, programs, facilities, events policies, and relations with governmental agencies and Center users. Primarily the files of Jack Feary, Executive Director from 1970-1982.

SMA
Folder List

7600-02
Assistant Director's Records
1966-1981
6.0 cubic feet

Correspondence, memoranda, reports and studies, and financial and grant information related to Seattle Center programs and activities. Major topics include capital improvements and facility renovations, Economic Development Administration grants, and Center programs such as the King Tut exhibit, Bumbershoot, and the International Bazaar. These are primarily the records of Lynn Lindsay.

SMA
Folder List

7605-01
Facilities Maintenance Records
1938-1971
2.0 cubic feet

Correspondence, progress reports, architectural drawings, specifications, and financial records relating to construction, maintenance, and site development of Seattle Center facilities. The bulk of the records are for the Civic Auditorium, Coliseum, and parking facilities. Most of the records date from the World's Fair and immediate post-fair development.

SMA
Folder List

7606-01
Seattle Center Merchants Association Records
1971-1983
1.0 cubic foot

Correspondence, memoranda, reports, issue papers, meeting minutes, newspaper clippings and presentational material relating to the Seattle Center Merchants Association. Contents deal with subject from concession receipts to the Washington State Convention and Trade Center. Includes minutes of SCMA meetings, 1971-1982.

SMA
Container List

7610-01
Monthly Calendar of Events
1971-1988
2.4 cubic feet

Daily listing of events compiled in a monthly format. Includes cover page with basic information regarding hours, admission, and telephone number for facilities. Schedules include date, time, name of event, location, sponsor, and admission charge. Arranged chronologically.

SMA

7610-02
Convention Agreement Records
1959-1990
0.8 cubic foot

Correspondence, cost estimates, facility information sheets, reports, brochures, and lead sheets regarding negotiations and contracts for conventions at Seattle Center between 1974-1987. Includes conventions held and those not successfully negotiated or sold.

SMA

7610-03
Bumbershoot Festival Records
1973-1979
5.0 cubic feet

Correspondence, memoranda, reports, promotional materials, and financial information related to administration of the Bumbershoot Festival. Records include information about performers, applications to perform, evaluations of applicants, and contracts.

SMA
Folder List

7613-01
Promotion Records
1976-1984
2.8 cubic feet

Correspondence, newspaper clippings, programs and brochures, and calendars relating to festivals, fairs, conferences, and regular and special events held at the Seattle Center.

SMA

7613-02
Press Releases
1981-1984
1.0 cubic feet

Press releases concerning programs and activities at the Seattle Center.

SMA

7613-03
Newspaper Clippings
1981-1982
1.0 cubic foot

Newspaper clippings of events and activities at Seattle Center. Arranged chronologically.

SMA

7613-04
Publications
1967-2001
0.2 cubic foot

Includes various newsletters, general brochures about Seattle Center and some of its features, event programs and flyers, and ephemera.

SMA
Folder List

7613-05
Concessions and Amusement Rides Photograph Albums
1967-1980's
0.2 cubic foot (2 albums)

Album 1 contains 8x10 color prints of amusement rides at Seattle Center's Fun Forest dating from 1970-1980's. The attractions include the Matterhorn, Yoyo, Zipper, Ferris Wheel, Spider, Flight to Mars, and Kiddieland rides. Digital images of this album's contents are available on-line.

Album 2 contains color and black/white prints of concession stands, games, and some aerial views of unidentified amusement park grounds as well as Seattle Center. The date of these photographs is estimated to be 1967-1976. Some of the images are of Seattle Center and others were taken at amusement parks in Canada and the United States.

SMA
Finding Aid