Food Fair Recipe: Fruitcake

Well, folks, we made it! 60 years ago today (October 21, 1962) was the last day of the Seattle World’s Fair. Today will be the last post in the Food Fair series, but there is no way it can end without acknowledging what was undoubtedly the largest food at the fair:

“A Sight and Taste to Remember:” Check that Triple XXX Root Beer Keg to the right

In the Food Circus, near the Darigold booth, across from Fisher Scones, and kitty-corner from Triple XXX Root Beer, stood a 23-foot-tall fruitcake. According to the postcard above, it was the world’s largest birthday cake, celebrating the 128th birthday of Paul Bunyan.

The cake was covered in icing and decorated with truly American symbols. Tier one featured the Seattle skyline. The seals of all 50 states adorned the second tier (the first time all 50 seals were displayed together, according to an advertising pamphlet). Tier three depicted scenes from Bunyan’s adventures, and tier four displayed symbols representing religion, government, trades, industry, agriculture, and progress. On the very top stood Mount Rainier (done in sugar, of course) and the birthday boy himself. 128 specially-made candles (each three feet high) were strategically placed on tier one.

Although Bunyan had been a folk legend in the US and Canada for decades, the first written stories did not appear until the early 1900s. I’m not sure how his age was determined, but this cake was clearly more of an advertising vehicle than an actual birthday cake.

While the cake was sponsored by Clark’s Restaurants, you can bet there were other companies involved. This postcard mentions Van de Kamp Bakery and C&H Sugar, but at least eight others, including Carnation Milk and Fisher Flour, were implicated in an advertising pamphlet you can view in full here.

Souvenir pieces of the cake could be purchased both at the fair and Clark’s restaurants. They could be mailed anywhere in the world and ranged in price from $0.15 to $2.00. For a while, I doubted that these souvenirs were pieces of the actual cake, but after reading the advertising pamphlet, it seems that they could have been. Supposedly, the wives of 60 Seattle Jaycee Club members packaged around 300,000 portions of the cake.

An amateur slide online showed a staircase leading up to the rear of the cake and what appeared to be a door, so I suppose the core of the cake could have been turned into souvenirs!

While fruitcake does seem to be rather polarizing now (any other Sims players here?), it was much more popular in the past, including during the midcentury decades. I suspect fruitcake was selected for this marvel due to its durability and long shelf life. I have read stories of people who still have their souvenir fruitcake, unopened, today!

While the postcard and the pamphlet both tempt you to scale down the recipe with their massive ingredients lists, it is in no way a comprehensive list. I was able to locate a photo of a souvenir box, and the ingredients were as follows: raisins, glace fruit mix, flour, fresh eggs, cane sugar, pecans, shortening, whole milk powder, salt, lemon flavoring, mace, rum oil. Sodium propionate added to retard spoilage.

So, what did I do for the recipe? Originally, I planned to scale down the listed ingredient quantities and find a recipe that was similar, but that proved to be next to impossible. Since I do not possess the baking prowess of Ann Reardon, I selected a recipe that was similar and made a few tweaks:

Old-Fashioned Light Fruitcake
Adapted from a Food.com recipe submitted by Chef Mariajane

1/2 cup butter
1 1/8 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon lemon extract
1/2 tablespoon rum extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3 cups chopped pecans
2 cups mixed candied fruit and peel
7.5 ounces raisins

1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after additions; stir in brandy flavoring. Combine dry ingredients, pecans, candied fruit, and raisins; mix well. Add fruit to creamed mixture, blending well.
2. Spoon batter into a well-greased loaf pan. Bake at 275F for 2 1/2 – 3 hours. Remove from oven when cake tests done; when completely cool, wrap cake tightly, or store in an airtight container.

I had never had fruitcake before and didn’t know what I’d think of it, so I cut the original recipe in half. I also used both lemon and rum extracts, and regular raisins rather than golden. All of these adjustments are reflected in the recipe above.

In the spirit of souvenir fruitcakes, I made four small loaves rather than one big one. I also covered the tops (or in the case of one, everything but the bottom) in royal icing.

The finished product was delicious! While I’m not sure how much it tasted like the original, I would definitely make it again. The icing is definitely not required, but I think it added a nice touch.

Thank you for venturing along with me through the last six months of World’s Fair food! I hope you enjoyed reading this series as much as I enjoyed putting it together. It will be back to the usual content here, and I fully intend to post again before 2024…

Until then, enjoy this picture of the Paul Bunyan birthday cake in the Food Circus before the rest of the booths were fully installed.

Food Fair Recipe: Hot Potato Salad

When looking through vintage materials to see which foods were served at the fair, I found that there was lots and lots and lots of potato salad.

It was the side dish of choice for the Diamond Horseshoe, which was located on Show Street (where the adult entertainment was housed). Three out of five sandwiches on their menu were served with it: Bar B-Q Beef, Ham ‘n Cheese on Rye, and Hot Corned Beef.

Located in the Food Circus, Copenhagen Square served Danish sausages and potato salad.

The uniquely-shaped Hofbrau Haus restaurant served all of their entrees with Hot German Potato Salad.

One can only infer that several other restaurants and booths at the fair also sold the stuff (I’m looking at you, Salad Bowl).

So, in honor of the hundreds and thousands of pounds of spuds that were consumed as salad April 21 through October 21, 1962, here is this week’s recipe!

Hot Potato Salad
Fannie Farmer Cookbook, 1951

6 medium-sized potatoes
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup celery, chopped fine
1 Tablespoon parsley, chopped fine
2 Tablespoons tarragon vinegar
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
4 Tablespoons olive oil or bacon fat
1 thick slice lemon

Cook potatoes, cool, and slice thin into baking dish. Season and sprinkle with celery and parsley.
Mix vinegars and oil or fat , add lemon, and heat to boiling point. Remove lemon and pour dressing over potatoes. Cover and let stand in moderate oven until thoroughly warmed. Serves 6.

This recipe is both easy and delicious! I used Yukon gold potatoes (which I peeled after boiling), and white wine vinegar in place of the tarragon vinegar. Since I made it on a hot day, I skipped the step about warming in the oven, but it was great without.

There are still some hot, summer days ahead of us, so why not try this recipe for yourself? See you next week!

Food Fair Spotlight: Fisher Scones

Fisher scones are a Washington State Fair staple, and another member of the Food Fair series that I have briefly featured before (back in the summer 2019 Northwest Recipes series). Just as they should have been, they were sold at the ’62 World’s Fair at a stand called “Fisher’s Exposition Scones.”

The history of Fisher scones stretches back to 1910 with the incorporation of Fisher Flour Mills in Seattle. When the mill began operations the following year, it was the largest flour mill in the west. Looking for ways to promote their superior flour (besides the baking competitions and the newly-established Fisher Communications radio station), Fisher Mills decided to sell scones at the 1915 World’s Fair in San Francisco.

That’s right: Fisher scones got their start at a World’s Fair!

Incidentally, Washington resident William Paulhamus and his son were two of the people to taste these first scones in San Francisco. Paulhamus was one of the founders of the Puyallup Fair, and he wanted these scones to be part of it. Upon his return to Washington, he called the Fisher family and pitched the idea, enticing them with offers of free jam (from Paulhamus’ own canning company) to put on the scones.

The Fisher family agreed, and they have been selling their scones from the same triangle-shaped booth ever since. In fact, over 100 million scones have sold over the last 107 years!

Fisher Mills has since sold to Conifer Foods and, in addition to selling scones at fairs, offers a variety of baking mixes like the one pictured above. These mixes can be found on the Fisher scones website, and at many area grocery stores.

After 90 years of operations, the original Fisher Flour Mill on Harbor Island ceased operations and sold to Pendleton Flour Mills. Pendleton Mills operated the site for only a year before closing the mill in 2002 and selling it to King County.

For years, the complex sat abandoned and deteriorating, but in 2021 parts of it reopened as a film production facility called Harbor Island Studios. The facility features two sound stages, among other filmmaking amenities– not a bad new life for a 110-year-old building! You can check out images of its abandoned state here.

I’ll catch you next week for yet another space-age recipe!

Food Fair Spotlight: Hickory Farms

Welcome back, and happy summer!

What comes to mind when you think of Hickory Farms? I think most people would associate this brand with Christmastime and shopping malls, but the brand actually started as a vendor at fairs.

The year was 1951 when Ohioan cousins Richard and Earl Ransom began selling handmade cheeses at local fairs. The Ransoms had started a produce market in the previous decade, but the work was very seasonal and they wanted something to do in the off season. Five years later, the beef stick (now beef summer sausage) was introduced. By 1959 the company was selling 1.5 million pounds of beef stick via fair booths and mail order annually. That same year, the company was dubbed Hickory Farms, and its first storefront opened in Toledo, Ohio.

The store featured a strong farm theme, free coffee, and lots of free samples, all of which aimed to encourage shoppers to linger and buy. It must have worked, because the first Hickory Farms franchise store opened in 1960. The company officially incorporated that same year.

By 1965, there were 57 Hickory Farms stores in operation. By 1968, that number had risen to 100. Despite the success of its stores, Hickory Farms continued to rent booths at fairs. By 1964, the company claimed to have more spaces at fairs and expos than any other company.

Around this time, the company’s products became exceptionally popular around Christmastime, with 40% of annual sales occurring during the holiday season.

Hickory Farms went public in 1970, at the start of a decade that would spell explosive growth for the company. By 1975, Hickory Farms boasted over 300 stores across 43 US states and Canada. Ransom rekindled the original booth strategy in 1977, this time targeting mall kiosks rather than fair booths. Hickory Farms finished off the 70s strong, with a total revenue of more than $164 million.

In 1980, Ransom sold to General Host (GH) Corporation (remember them from the Bar S history?) for $40 million. GH also purchased the company’s largest franchisee, Hickory Farms Sales, for $11 million. Despite their hopes that Hickory Farms wild success would continue under their management, that was not the case. While multiple things were blamed for this downturn (including poor management, declining mall traffic, and even HoneyBaked Ham), GH decided to turn its primary focus to its chain of gardening stores and divest several of its other interests, including Hickory Farms.

In 1987, in a turn of events strangely similar to the story of Bar S Meats, Hickory Farms was sold to a group of investors headed by Robert DiRomualdo, who had succeeded Richard Ransom as CEO of Hickory Farms several years prior. DiRomualdo is credited with helping the company get back on its feet and return to profitability. Despite his successes, he abruptly resigned in the early 90s.

Under new leadership, Hickory Farms sought to increase its number of company-owned stores by buying up franchised locations from aging franchisees. One of the largest acquisitions was Hickory Farms Northwest, which operated 14 locations in Washington and Oregon.

Throughout the 90s, Hickory Farms acquired several other food companies, expanding their product offerings to include nuts, fruits, steaks, seafoods, and other giftable delicacies. The mail-order option, which had been discontinued in the 70s, was brought back, along with the focus on locations in shopping malls.

Today, Hickory Farms remains popular as a holiday gift. Its giftsets can be purchased directly from the company, at one of its pop-up stores, or even on Amazon. I purchased the above summer sausage at the deli department of my local Fred Meyer.

Now get out and enjoy that sun! I’ll see you next week for another recipe.

Food Fair Spotlight: Bargreen’s Coffee

The Seattle area has long been known for years as a place that is serious about its coffee. But long before Starbuck’s first opened its doors at Pike Place Market, a Chicago native named Sam Bargreen opened a coffee roastery in Everett.

The origins of Bargreen’s coffee date to 1898 when Sam delivered his freshly-roasted coffee beans to his customer’s homes via horse-drawn wagon. Everett was a booming mill-town, and his coffee was greatly popular with both the mill workers and members of the city’s upper crust. He also sold spices, tea, and other items for the kitchen and home.

Bargeen’s has been at its current location since 1910 and is still a family-owned business. Sam’s grandson, Howie, continues to oversee daily operations. You can buy their coffee at their shop in downtown Everett, through their website, or at a few Everett grocery stores and coffee stands.

The family also owned several foodservice equipment locations across the state which merged into Bargreen-Ellingson in 1960. Bargreen-Ellingson helped staff the 1964 World’s Fair in New York and still exists today.

Unsurprisingly, what Bargreen’s sold at the Seattle World’s Fair was coffee (and pastries.)

Hope you enjoyed this rather brief post! If you, or anyone you knew, attended the fair, share your food memories in the comments. See you next week for another recipe!

Update:

I passed up some really cool Century 21 coffee mugs on eBay a few months back, foolishly thinking I’d easily be able to find another one later. I’d wanted to feature one in my staging of the Bargreen Coffee, but it was not to be. Just a few days after this post, however, I struck gold in a local antique shop:

Not only is this coffee cup a great shape, it features a pretty blue Century 21 logo on both sides. It’s rather small, fitting only a maximum of six ounces (5 comfortably), but wait til you see what’s on the bottom…

I’m not sure if these mugs were the ones used to serve customers at the fair, or if they were souvenirs (or both!), but either way, I felt this mug deserved a space on this post.

Food Fair Spotlight: Darigold

If you live in the Pacific Northwest, you are undoubtedly familiar with the red-and-white logo (and adorable semitruck trailers resembling sticks of butter) of Darigold. Known for its quality dairy products, the origins of this company go back over 100 years.

In 1918, a group of Washington farmers formed The United Dairymen’s Association of Washington, a dairy cooperative. Two years later, their products would be sold and marketed by Consolidated Dairy Products Company. In 1925, the products produced and sold by this partnership were branded as Darigold, but interestingly, the name wasn’t trademarked until 1932.

By 1941, The United Dairymen’s Association of Washington had dropped “Washington” from its title and had expanded to more than 40 cooperatives across Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, and North Dakota. It expanded yet again in 1950 when it merged with the more than 600 members that formed the Washington Milk Producer’s Association.

Darigold developed several trailblazing products across the next decade. It spent five years developing a long-lasting, concentrated milk product which could be sold to overseas markets or used on ships. In 1960, Darigold launched the milk carton, a unique alternative to the classic milk bottle.

In 1981, The United Dairymen’s Association, now called the Northwest Dairymen’s Association, expanded yet again by merging with the Oregon dairy cooperative Mayflower Farms. By 1992, Darigold’s 1,400-plus producers were responsible for nearly half of U.S. dairy exports.  

Today, only around 500 farms supply Darigold’s raw milk, but even so, these 500 farms churn out over 8.6 billion pounds of milk a year.

At the fair, Darigold sold “fountain products and novelties” (read: ice cream), which it no longer produces. Today, the Seattle-based company produces an array of milk, cheese, and cream products.

Food Fair Spotlight: Bar-S Meats

Welcome back for the first real installment in the Food Fair series! Today, we’re going to take a look at the history of a brand you probably recognize, which played a very big role in the cuisine of the Seattle World’s Fair.

The current appearance of Bar-S

“The only meat products served at the Seattle World’s Fair are Bar-S! That’s your assurance of quality in every Bar-S meat product you buy.”

The above quote from the Official 1962 World’s Fair Guidebook makes it quite clear that Bar-S was a big deal at the fair. That’s a little hard to imagine now, in a time where the Bar-S hot dogs look a little cheap and are definitely easier on the wallet than, say, Nathan’s. 

The history of Bar-S as we know it today only dates back to 1981, nineteen years after they were served at the fair. A bit confusing, I know, but let’s dive in and see why.

The Bar-S trademark was filed on August 23, 1954. It was owned by the Seattle Packing Company, which seems to have been the 1950 rechristening of an existing meat packing plant.  In 1957, the Seattle Packing Company and the Bar-S name were sold to Cudahy Packing Company, whose roots date back to 1890 Nebraska.

Prior to the late 40s, Cudahy was a major supplier of various meats, lard, and some cooking oils to both the US and the UK. In addition to various packaged meat products, Cudahy produced margarine, soap, and household cleaning products. In fact, Old Dutch Cleaner became one of the company’s most famous products.

Page from the fair’s Official Guidebook

After World War II, the company began to shrink and in 1970, Cudahy sold to General Host (GH) Corporation. What GH acquired had moved far beyond meat production and included cheese plants, salt mines, mink farms, and more. GH split the various components of Cudahy into individual business components, renaming the meat component Cudahy Foods.

Under this new model, each plant operated relatively independently, and was allowed to pick which brand they wanted to operate under (ex. Bar-S, Gold Coin, Rex). In the mid-70s, a new president, Tim Day, took over Cudahy Foods. He downsized and unified the plants under the Bar-S name, helping to once again turn a profit for the long-struggling Cudahy.

In 1980, GH decided to get out of the meat business and sought a purchaser for Bar-S and Cudahy Foods. When a buyer failed to materialize, GH approached Day about buying part or all of Cudahy. Although initially reluctant, and suggesting a deal that GH didn’t like, Day was the only prospective buyer. In May 1981, Day purchased most of Cudahy Foods and called his new acquisition Bar-S Foods Co.

The company underwent a number of changes over the next few decades, including expansions and centralizations. In 2010, Bar-S Foods was acquired by Sigma Alimentos, a leading packaged food company in Central America.

Since 2006, Bar-S has been the #1 hot dog sold in the US. The company’s current line consists of hot dogs, bacon, lunch meat, sausage, and heat-and-serve options such as corndogs.

Interestingly, the “classic franks” I picked up are a product of Canada. Perfect for keeping with the food of the world theme, I think!

Bar-S has quite an interesting history. If you’re interested in the full version, check out this Bar-S history booklet.

See you next week for the next Food Fair installment, and a very tasty recipe.

Welcome Back & Special Announcement

Well hello there! I am a little in disbelief that it has been over a year since the last post here on the Northwest Past.

An entire year!

With the way things have been in the last two-plus years, I guess I can’t be too surprised that things might get a bit different here as well. But a whole year!

Putting my disbelief aside, I want to 1) welcome you [back] and 2) make an exciting announcement.

If you live in Washington, you may already know that 60 years ago today, April 21, 1962, was opening day of the Seattle World’s Fair. This event brought the world to Seattle, put the city on the map, and introduced nearly 10 million people to the future. It gave Seattle the Space Needle, Monorail, and Pacific Science Center. It even inspired an Elvis movie! But something else the ’62 World’s Fair famously did was feature cuisines from around the world and introduce America to the Belgian waffle.

I am excited to announce that for the next 26 weeks–the duration of the fair–we will examine some of the foods that were featured at the fair. Some weeks there will be recipes, and other weeks there will be product spotlights, featuring the brands and products sold at the fair than can still be purchased today.

This is a series I have dreamed of premiering for several years. I hope that you will follow along, and maybe add a bit of 1962 flair to your own menus this year.

Were you at the fair 60 years ago? Leave your favorite memories in the comments!

Welcome back, and I’ll see you next week with the first installment of Food Fair!

The Future Calling

Once again, it has been far too long since the last post (although I won’t calculate exactly how long it’s been)! If you can believe it, I am already gearing up for this summer here on the Northwest Past! Exactly two months from today will be the first in a series of themed posts, which I hope will be enjoyed as well as last year’s Neon Summer.

While today is a holiday (Happy Easter to all of you!), April 21st also marks the 57th anniversary of opening day to the 1962 World’s Fair! Since this post happened to line up with this anniversary, I thought it would only be right to feature something Century 21-related.

“This is the future calling!”

While they no longer have their chains, these Barbie-sized plastic phones were promotional keychains given out at the Fair’s Bell System Pavilion.

The Princess Phone, introduced by Bell in 1959, quickly became a hit with consumers. Its sleek design, weightlessness, and lighted rotary dial made it perfect for the office, the kitchen, and the bedroom. Marketed primarily toward women, the Princess originally came in five dainty colors: beige, blue, ivory, turquoise, and pink.

Turquoise, one of the phone’s five original colors

“The Bell System Pavilion, at the corner of American Way and Boulevard 21, presents the fascinating world of communications, past, present and future,” reads the fair’s Official Guide Book. At this Pavilion, visitors could learn about all things telephone, from direct-distance dialing, to satellite and computer technology, to the latest in communication gadgets.

“Other exhibits in the east wing include pushbutton telephones, which may eventually replace the dial,” claims the guide book. Imagine that!

The pushbutton Princess Phone was introduced a mere two years later, in 1964.

The Princess Phone… It’s little, it’s lovely, it lights!

One souvenir that could be picked up from the Bell Pavilion were tiny, nonoperational Princess Phones! Measuring approximately four inches in length, the tops read “Bell System Exhibit Seattle Worlds Fair.” They were available in the same five colors as the full-sized phone and the keychains.

As for those keychains, the bottoms of them feature the Princess Phone’s catchy advertising slogan. “It’s lovely, it’s little, it lights!” refers to the three qualities that made the Princess a truly new phone: 1) its attractive colors 2) its smaller, streamlined shape and 3) its light-up dial, which could also be used as a nightlight.

Do you wish you could go back to the Bell Pavilion and get one of these little phones? While one of these keychains or miniatures may cost you a couple of bucks, you can visit the Pavilion from the comfort of your own home! Check out the promotional video for a tour around the Fair and a catchy song!

Oh! The Places You’ll Go: Seattle Part I

Before the days of smart phones, Google Maps, and even Map Quest, what did you consult when you were lost? A good, old-fashioned map, of course! Often tucked in a glove box or thrown across the backseat, a trusty map could turn a lost traveler into a confident driver. But what if you consulted a map from 50 years ago? What sorts of things might you find?

Let’s find out!

The covers feature recognizable Seattle landmarks

Distributed in 1967 by the Atlantic Richfield Company (also known as Arco), this map shows the greater Seattle area, from Tukwila to Edmonds, and West Seattle to Redmond. While many aspects of the roads and landmarks are the same, many aren’t. Part I will highlight a few spots around Seattle.

1. The Seattle Center

Seattle Center, 1967-style!

A mere five years after the World’s Fair for which it was built, the Seattle Center had changed, but not much. Many of the buildings still stood, although they had different purposes:

• The building that had housed exhibits for India and Korea became Youth Recreation
• Senior Citizens Activities occupied the building left behind by Africa, Thailand, the Philippines, and the UN
• “Show Street” was completely dismantled
• The United Arab Republic made way for a World’s Fair Museum
• The US Science Pavilion was christened The Pacific Science Center
• The Christian Pavilion gave way to the Nile Temple
• Part of the Gayway gave way to Space Needle Parking

Seattle Center now, courtesy of Google Maps

Even today, many of the Center’s trademark buildings still exist, although with different names. The Seattle Center is also significantly smaller, as pieces of it have slowly vanished over the years.

• “Municipal Parking Garage” is now called “Mercer Street Garage”
• “High School Memorial Stadium” has been shortened to simply “Memorial Stadium”
• Space Needle parking? What Space Needle parking? Try looking under the EMP
• “Food Circus” is now the plain old “Center House”
• “Opera House” became “Marion Oliver McCaw Hall”
• “Arena” or “Mercer Arena” was demolished earlier this year
• The Sky Ride was moved to the Washington State Fairground decades ago

 

2. Downtown

Downtown 50 Years Ago

Each red box on the map represented an important structure. Here is a guide to all 44 spots:

1. Benjamin Franklin Hotel: Demolished in 1980 for an expansion of the Westin Hotel
2. Bon Marche: First sold in 1986, it changed its name to Macy’s in 2005
3. Canadian Pacific Dock: It once ferried people between Seattle and B.C. Now it’s gone
4. Central Bus Terminal: The site is under construction
5. Chamber of Commerce:This ornate structure now houses businesses  5a. City Hall
6. City Light Building: Now home to Expediors, a freight forwarding service
7. Continental Trailways Bus Depot: Now a parking garage
8. County Building: Now called King County Superior Court
9. Doctor’s Hospital: Now part of Virginia Mason Hospital
10. Federal Court Building: Today, it’s called US Appeals Court
11. Federal Office Building: The Unites States Post Office occupies this site today
12. Federal Reserve Bank: Current Home to the Washington Department of Licensing
13. Ferry Terminal:  Also called the Colman Dock
14. Fireboats Station: Serving you since 1902. Serving you from this building since 1963
15. Frederick & Nelson: A new shopping center now occupies this lot
16. Harbor Patrol Station: The Harbor Patrol moved to Lake Union in the 1960s
17. King Street Station: Built in 1906, it was finally returned to its former glory in 2013
18. KOMO Radio and TV Stations: Some things never change
19. KTNT TV Studios: Present-day parking lot
20. Logan Building: This 10-story office building was built in 1959, renovated in 2009
21. Mayflower Hotel: Celebrating 90 years of operation in 2017
22. McDougall’s: This department store closed in 1966 and was demolished in 1971. It is now the site of a brick parking garage and Ludi’s Restaurant
23. New Washington Doric Hotel: Elvis stayed here while filming “It Happened at the World’s Fair” in 1962. Now home to many as the Josephinum Apartments
24. Norton Building: Built in 1959, this office building still stands
25. Old Armory: The armory stood from 1909-1968. The site is now retail and offices
26. Olympic Hotel: Open since 1924
27. Penney’s: After nearly 50 years of business, this location closed in the early 80s. The building was demolished, and replaced with the Newmark Tower a decade later
28. Pike Place Market: Thanks to preservation efforts in the 60s and 70s, the Market remains and is a hot tourist destination
29. Post Office: The post office still operates a branch at this location
30. Pubic Library and Civic Information Center: The 1960 library building on the old map was replaced in 2004
31. Public Safety Building: Now the home to Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, Seattle City Hall, Seattle City Council, and Einsten Bros. Bagels
32. Rhodes: This branch of “Seattle’s Home-Owned Department Store” was closed in 1968 and demolished in 2005 for the WaMu Center Bank Tower
33. Roosevelt Hotel: Hosting travelers since 1929
34. Seattle General Hospital: Originally a hospital and nursing school, it merged with Swedish Medical Center in 1978 and moved. This building seems to have been replaced
35. Seattle Park Department Administrative Building: Now called “Seattle Parks and Recreation Superintendent’s Office”
36. Seattle Post-Intelligencer Building: The Seattle P-I moved from this building in 1986 and became online-only in 2009. The City University of Seattle now occupies this building
37. Seattle Times Building: Now located in offices next-door, the Seattle Times sold their original building in 2013. Demolition started last year
38. Smith Tower: Built in 1914, it’s the city’s oldest skyscraper
39. Transit Service Office: Go to this location now and you’ll find a supermarket and a Starbuck’s
40. Union Station: Today, it’s the beautifully-restored headquarters of Sound Transit
41. Virginia Mason Hospital: Although much larger now, Virginia Mason still resides at this location
42. Washington Athletic Club: Built in 1930, the club became a city landmark in 2009
43. YMCA: 50 years later, this branch is still open

Downtown Now, Courtesy of Google Maps

3. Museum of Science and Industry (MOHAI)

Planning a trip to MOHAI? Don’t use this map! If you do, you may find yourself near the University of Washington when you really need to be on the south end of Lake Union.

MOHAI in Montlake

In 1967, MOHAI was situated in East Montlake Park off of East Park Drive. The museum opened in early 1952, displaying a collection of artifacts and photos that had been gathered since the 1910s by the local historical society.

The museum rapidly grew and expanded over the nest decade and a half, but when Highway 520 moved in, getting to the museum became more challenging. Voters who had once saved the museum from complete highway encirclement were upset by the heavy traffic through their once-quiet neighborhood and opposed subsequent museum expansion plans.

In the 1970s, MOHAI was plagued by unprofessional and unscrupulous employees. Artifacts were improperly handled, and some were even stolen. Employees who spoke up for the betterment of the museum were dismissed and/or publicly shamed. Staffing changes in the latter part of the decade pulled the museum out of the rubble, displaying more of its collections and shifting the focus of its exhibits back to local history.

In 2012, sixty years after the museum first opened, it relocated from Union Bay to Lake Union, setting up in the former Naval Reserve Training Center (also called Naval Reserve Armory).

The armory was built between 1941-1942 by the Works Progress Administration for $500,000. It operated as a naval training school during the second world war, but was decommissioned shortly thereafter. In 1946 it received renovation funding, in 1998 it was disestablished, and in 2009 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

 

MOHAI’s Current Home