Joseph E. Gandy papers, 1955-1987

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Gandy, Joseph E
Title
Joseph E. Gandy papers
Dates
1955-1987 (inclusive)
Quantity
circa 12.42 cubic feet (22 boxes)
6 audio discs in oversize box
Collection Number
1738 (Accession No. 1738-001)
Summary
Papers of an attorney and civic leader
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

Open to all users.

Request at UW

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Joseph Edward Gandy was born in Spokane, Washington October 9, 1904. His father was Spokane pioneer, Lloyd Edward Gandy. Joseph Gandy was raised in Spokane, received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan in 1926 and graduated from the University of Washington Law School in 1929. In 1937 he married Laurene Tatlow.

Following law school, Gandy settled in Seattle and practiced law. During World War II he served as chief deputy regional director of the War Production Board for the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. In 1946 he founded the partnership of Smith Gandy Inc., a Ford automobile dealership. In addtion, Gandy maintained a law practice throughout his career.

In 1959 Joseph Gandy took a leave of absence from Smith Gandy to serve as President of Century 21 Exposition Inc., the non-profit corporation that was formed in 1957 to run the 1962 Seattle World's Fair. Planning for the Fair had been underway since 1955, when the Washington World's Fair Commission, chaired by Edward Carlson, began to meet. Gandy, who had been a member of the corporation from the start, took over from Carlson the job of chief statesman for the Fair. The first task he undertook was to win recognition for the Fair from the Bureau of International Expositions. Others before Gandy had attempted but failed. Gandy, recognizing that the Fair needed sanctioning in order to be a World's Fair and get foreign participation, made an all-out effort to persuade the Bureau. He visited Paris twice in 1960 to meet the representatives of the Bureau and did everything possible to satisfy their requirements, including shortening the duration of the Fair to six months. When he learned of the Bureau's concerns about potential labor problems, Gandy went to Paris with letters of support and no-strike assurances from the King County Labor Council and the Seattle Construction and Trades Council. On May 5, 1960 the Bureau granted tentative approval to the Seattle World's Fair.

Having achieved world recognition, Gandy returned to Europe again with William W. Phillips, the Fair's European representative, to sign up exhibitors. He also visited Latin America and Africa. Gandy signed up many nations, but some exhibitors backed out after signing. The Common Market nations, together with the members of Euratom and the Coal and Steel Community, had agreed to mount an exhibit, but a few weeks before opening the Fair rumors reached Gandy that they were going to pull out. He immediately flew to Europe, met with EEC leaders in Brussels and convinced them to reinstate their exhibit. Gandy was also personally responsible for persuading Ford Motor Company to build a pavilion at the Fair. Ford had repeatedly declined offers to exhibit, but Gandy, refusing to take no for an answer, drew upon his standing as a Ford dealer to persuade them. Among Gandy's other duties as President was hosting the succession of celebrities who visited the Fair throughout its run.

Joseph Gandy helped pilot the first American world's fair since World War II to its successful conclusion. Though Century 21 was not on a scale with the world's largest expositions, it was impressive and was often described as a "jewel box" of a fair. When the Fair opened on April 21, 1962 its exhibits were complete. No previous world's fair had come so close to being ready on time. Century 21 exceeded expectations for attendance and when it closed, it was the first to finish with a profit. After the Fair, in 1963, Gandy and his family went on a world tour of 30 countries to personally thank them for their participation.

The other civic project for which Joseph Gandy was best known is the King County Stadium. The idea of a municipal domed stadium had been discussed as early as 1957, but the first stadium bond proposal was rejected by voters in a 1962 election. In 1966 Gandy led the second campaign for a stadium bond issue as chairman of King County Citizens for All-Purpose Stadium Now. Gandy argued that "The value of a domed all-purpose stadium to Seattle and King County will far exceed that of the World's Fair." On January 20, 1966 Gandy was also designated by the governor, the mayor of Seattle, the chairman of the King County Commission and the Seattle Chamber of Commerce to represent the state, county and city in discussions with the National Football League to obtain a football franchise. With assurances of an NFL franchise and hopes for a major league baseball team contingent on a stadium, the second bond issue narrowly failed passage on September 21, 1966.

Stadium proponents were not discouraged by the narrow defeat. In 1967 the Legislature passed enabling legislation authorizing King County to defer 2% of its hotel sales tax for the purpose of retiring stadium bonds and created a Stadium Commission to select a location for the stadium. Also in 1967, The American League voted to grant Seattle an expansion franchise contingent on the city being able to provide suitable stadium facilities. The stadium bond issue became part of the monumental Forward Thrust proposal which, on February 13, 1968, received approval from the required majority of voters.

In 1968 Joseph Gandy was appointed to head the Washington Stadium Commission and entered what was to be a controversial and prolonged site selection process. The selection of the stadium site seemed to be settled in 1968 when a research team, followed by the Stadium Commission, chose the Seattle Center site. After Gandy and the other Stadium Commissioners resigned in 1969, Frank Ruano launched a drive to submit the Seattle Center site to a vote. It was rejected by voters on May 17, 1970. Subsequently, a new Commission chose the King Street site and work on the Kingdome began near the end of 1971.

Gandy was President of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce from 1956-57. From 1957-59 he represented the Chamber of Commerce in its negotiation with the Jackson Hole Preserve in an effort to secure support for hotel accommodations at a high level in Mt. Rainier National Park. This effort was prompted by Mission 66, a National Park Service Plan for Mt. Rainier National Park introduced in 1956. The Jackson Hole Preserve Inc., an organization created by Laurence S. Rockefeller, conducted a study in 1959 of the need for a hotel in the park.

In 1960 Gandy served on the executive committee of the U.S.-Japan Centennial Royal Visit Committee. The Committee made preparations for the visit to Seattle by Japanese Crown Prince Akihito and Princess Michiko.

In 1964 Joseph Gandy entered the race for the Republican nomination for governor. He campaigned actively for a few months, then dropped out of the race in July.

Joseph Gandy served in numerous civic organizations and headed many of them. He died of a heart attack in June 13, 1971.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Correspondence, reports, minutes, surveys, financial records, news releases, speeches and writings, ephemera, photographs.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Alternative Forms Available

View selections from this collection in digital format.

Restrictions on Use

Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The Gandy papers are arranged by subgroups for each major activity. The remainder of the papers are subgrouped as "Personal Papers."

The Century 21 Exposition subgroup is the largest and includes a variety of material documenting the Fair. Much of the correspondence in this subgroup consists of thank-you letters from VIP visitors to the Fair. A large subject series in the papers documents Gandy's unsuccessful efforts to purchase the luxury liner, Liberte, and bring it to Seattle for use as a floating hotel. For more information on Century 21, see two related accessions in the Manuscripts Collection: Ewen C. Dingwall papers (chief administrator of Century 21) and the small accession, Seattle Century 21 Exposition records. Official records of Century 21 are kept by the Northwest Regional State Archives in Bellingham.

The King County Stadium subgroup includes everything Gandy kept regarding the stadium issue. It was not feasible to separate the King County Citizens for All-Purpose Stadium Now records from Washington Stadium Commission records and the papers Gandy generated on his own.

The U.S. National Park Service Mission 66 subgroup includes material relating to Gandy's involvement with the effort to get a hotel at Mt. Rainier. He had no connection with the Park Service or Mission 66.

Acquisition Information

Donated by Laurene Gandy, 10/20/1971.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Century 21 Exposition, 1962. SeattleReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/1-2
Historical Features
1955-1962
1/3-5
Organizational Features
1957-1962
1/6-2/3
Incoming Letters
1957-1962
Box/Folder
1/6
Canada. [Government, various agencies]
1962
1/7
Carlson, Edward E.
1960-1962
1/8
China, Republic. Consulate and Embassy
1962
1/9
Diefenbaker, John G.
1962
1/9
Disney, Walt
1962
1/9
Dobrynin, Anatoly
1962
1/10
Eisenhower, Dwight D.
1961
1/10
Eisenhower, Milton
1962
1/10
European Economic Community
1962
1/11
Ford, Henry
1962
1/11
Green, Joshua
1962
1/11
Kennedy, Robert
1962
1/11
Korea. Consulate and Embassy
1962
1/12
Magnuson, Warren G.
1959-1963
1/13
McCutcheon, John
1962
1/13
Mexico. [Government]
1962
1/14
New York World's Fair 1964-65 Corp.
1962
1/14
Nixon, Richard M.
1962
1/15
U.S. [Government, various agencies]
1962-1963
1/16
U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
1961-1962
1/17-2/3
A-Z Miscellaneous
1958-1963
2/4-8
Outgoing Letters
1960-1962
2/9-10
Interoffice Correspondance
1959-1963
2/11-12
Incoming Letters Collected by Joseph Gandy
1959-1963
2/13-15
Incoming Letters from Foreign Exhibitors
1962
2/16-18
Invitations
1962
3/1-11
Minutes
1959-1963
Box/Folder
3/1-7
Century 21 Steering Committee
1959-1962
3/8-10
Century 21 Executive Committee
1959
3/11
Miscellaneous
1960-1963
3/12-15
Financial Records
1957-1962
3/16
News Releases
1961-1962
3/17-4/7
Reports
1955-1976
4/8-10
Weekly Status Reports
1960
4/11-5/6
Speeches and Writings
1959-1963
5/7-8
Legal Documents
1962-1963
5/9-10
Project and Planning Files
1959-1962
5/11
Itinerary
1961
5/12
Gandy Radio and TV Appearances
1961-1962
5/13
Telephone Directory
1962
5/14-16
Lists
1959-1962
5/17
Awards
1962
carton:oversize
Disc Recordings Box #2
Disc Recordings
1962
Box/Folder
5/18-6/10,23
Photographs
1961-1962
7/1-8/2
Clippings
1959-87
8/3-17
Publications Containing Articles on Century 21
1962-1982
9/1-2
Business Cards
n.d.
9/3
Handouts Collected from Century 21 Exhibits
ca. 1962
9/14-12/3,24
Ephemera
1959-1963
Subject Series
Box/Folder
12/5-13/18
Protocol Office
1962
23
Guest Relations
1962
13/19-24
Century 21 Commission
1957-1960
14/1-5
Public Relations Division
1962
14/6
Controller Division
1963
14/7-9
Domestic Exhibitors Division
1960-1962
14/10
Foreign Exhibitors Division
1961
14/11
Underwriting Division
1960-1962
14/12
Production Division
1959-1962
14/13
Performing Arts Division
1961-1962
14/14-15/11
Special Events Division
1962
15/12
Food Services Division
1960-1962
15/13
Concessions Department
1960-1962
15/14-20,23
Monorail
190-1962
15/21
Competition-International Fountain
1960-1961
15/22
No-Strike Agreement
1960
15/23
Max Ingrand
n.d.
15/24-16/7
Bureau International des Exposition
1960-1962
16/8-21
Liberte (ship)
1957-1962
16/22
India Pavilion
n.d.
16/23
U.S. Science Exhibit
1961-1963
16/24
Pacific Science Center (formerly U.S. Science Exhibit)
1962
17/1-3
Seattle Center
1962-1971
17/4
Century 21 Community Programs
1958-1962
17/5-11
Gandy Post-Fair World Trip
1963

U.S. National Park Service. Mission 66.Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
17/12-13
Incoming Letters
1957-1959
Box/Folder
17/12
Udall, Stewart
1962
17/13
A-Z
1957-1959
17/14
Outgoing Letters
1957-1959
17/15
Correspondance Collected by Joseph Gandy
1957-1959
17/16
Financial Records
1916-1956
17/17-18
Reports
1946-1957
17/19
Legislation
1956-1959
17/20
News Releases
1956-1957
17/21
Projected Costs and Revenues
1956
17/22
Lists
n.d.
17/23
Clippings
1959
17/24
Ephemera
n.d.

King County StadiumReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Incoming Letters
1966-1968
Box/Folder
18/1
Anderson, Mel
1966
18/2
Braman, J.D.
1966-1968
18/3
Central Association of Seattle
1968
18/4
Ellis, James R.
1966
18/4
Fenton, Conger and Ballaine, Inc.
1967-1968
18/5
Guzzo, Louis R.
1968
18/5
Nordstrom, Lloyd W.
1966
18/6
Schweppe, Alfred J.
1966-1968
18/7
Sicks Rainier Brewing Company
1966
18/7
Washington State Stadium Commission
1966-1968
18/8-19
A-Z
1966-1968
Box/Folder
18/20-21
Outgoing Letters
1968-1970
18/22-23
General Correspondance
1968-1970
18/24-25
Incoming Letters Collected by Joseph Gandy
1965-1968
19/1
Minutes
1966-1968
19/2
Financial Records
1968, n.d.
19/3-20/4
Reports
1960-1968
20/5
Stadium Feasibility Study
1966
20/6
Survey
1963
20/7-8
Speeches and Writings
1966-1968
20/9
News Releases
1966
20/10-11
Background Information
1966-1969
20/12
Statements
1966-1968
20/13
Cost Estimates of Various Proposed Stadiums
1966, n.d.
20/14
Final Recommendation of Site
1968
20/15
Speaker's Manual
1966
20/16
Lists
1966
20/17
Statistics
n.d.
20/18
Notes
n.d.
20/19
Agenda
1966
20/20
Schedules
1966
20/21
Legal Documents
1967-1968
21/1,24
Drawings
1963, n.d.
21/2,24
Maps
1965, n.d.
21/3-11
Clippings
1966
21/12-22/3,24
Ephemera
Subject Series
Box/Folder
22/4
Proposed Use of the University of Washington Stadium
1965
22/5
Municipal League of Seattle and King County
1966, n.d.
22/6
Efforts to Obtain Seattle NFL Franchise
n.d.
22/7
Central Association of Seattle
n.d.

U.S.-Japan Centennial Royal Visit CommitteeReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
22/8
Incoming Letters
1960
22/9
Minutes
1960
22/10
Speeches and Writings
1960
22/11
Itinerary
n.d.
22/12
Program - Dinner
1960
22/13
Guest List - Dinner
1960
22/14
List
1960
22/15
Photographs
1960
22/16
Clippings
1960
22/17
Ephemera
1960

Personal PapersReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
22/18
Incoming Letters
1961-1963
22/19
Outgoing Letters
1961-1963
22/20
Ephemera
n.d.

Gandy, Laurene (Mrs. Joseph Gandy)Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
22/21
Incoming Letters
1962-1982
22/22
Invitations
1961-1963
22/23
Financial Records
1987
22/24
Programs
1972-1987
22/25
Photographs
1972
22/26
Clippings
1974-1987

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Civic leaders--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Lawyers--Washington (State)--Seattle

Personal Names

  • Gandy, Joseph E.--Archives

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Carlson, Edward E. (Edward Elmer), 1911- (creator)
    • Rockefeller, Laurance S (creator)
    Corporate Names
    • Central Association of Seattle (Seattle, Wash.) (creator)
    • Seattle Chamber of Commerce (creator)
    • Washington (State). Stadium Commission (creator)

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)