Ewen C. Dingwall papers, 1957-1992

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Dingwall, Ewen C., 1913-1996
Title
Ewen C. Dingwall papers
Dates
1957-1992 (inclusive)
Quantity
approximately 13.22 cubic feet
Collection Number
0420
Summary
Papers and transcribed interview of Seattle World's fair organizer and planner
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

Consult the access restrictions information for each of the accessions listed below.

Request at UW

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Ewen Dingwall was justifiably called the mastermind of the 1962 Seattle World's Fair. Born in 1913, Dingwall graduated from the University of Washington in 1939. He spent much of his early career working for "good government" groups such as the Seattle Municipal League and the Washington Research Council. He also served as assistant to Seattle Mayor William Devin. When the state legislature created Century 21 Exposition, Inc. in 1957, city and state officials picked Dingwall to head the project. He was appointed Vice-President and Executive Director of the Century 21 Exposition and Executive Director of the Seattle Civic Center Advisory Board.

The World's Fair was originally the brain-child of Seattle businessmen and civic leaders who wanted to revitalize downtown and provide it with amenities to lure shoppers away from growing suburban shopping complexes. Dingwall and his planners thus quickly settled on the Warren neighborhood, just outside of downtown, as the site of the fair. Arts activists, realizing that buildings used for the exposition could later be turned into playhouses and museums, soon joined downtown businessmen in promoting the fair.

Dingwall and other planners initially thought that the Century 21 Exposition would have a "Festival of the West" theme, but the launch of the Soviet satellite Sputnik in late 1957 changed that. The start of the space race, combined with the fact that America had not had a World's Fair in over 20 years, led federal officials to use the Seattle fair to highlight America's scientific and technical achievements. Dingwall quickly realized that a scientific, futuristic theme would draw larger crowds and attract more federal support. Thus the Century 21 Exposition became "America's Space Age World's Fair." Senator Warren Magnuson promoted the project in Congress and won $10 million appropriation to build the centerpiece of the exposition, the U.S. Science Exhibit, which became the Pacific Science Center after the fair. The U.S. Science Exhibit and most other exhibits portrayed science and technology as creative endeavors which made life better, promoted understanding between nations, and led toward world peace. (Ironically, this optimistic vision took a severe jolt the day after the fair closed, when President Kennedy blockaded Cuba and announced that the Soviets had placed atomic missiles there.) Dingwall convinced most of the participating states, nations, and corporations to send exhibits which related to the scientific theme. The fair planners also decided to build two "futuristic" structures that would later become Seattle landmarks--the Space Needle and the Monorail.

Although the 1962 Seattle World's Fair was small by the standards of the earlier World's Fairs, occupying only 76 acres and drawing 9.6 million visitors, it was very successful. Unlike most World's Fair, the Seattle exposition produced a profit. Furthermore, the fair provided a substantial boost to the local economy that extended beyond 1962. More tourists visited Seattle and more businesses opened regional office in the city in the years immediately after the fair. The remodeling of the fairgrounds also gave the city one of the largest civic centers in the nation, the Seattle Center. While the Seattle Center did not help downtown stores compete with suburban retailers in the long run, it still furnished many benefits. The remodeled fairgrounds included three playhouses, an opera house, and an exhibit hall. Additionally, the Seattle Center Coliseum was crucial to Seattle's successful bid to obtain its first major-league sports team, the SuperSonics.

Dingwall moved to Washington, DC in 1964 and worked as a consultant for a number of other expositions. He returned to Seattle and renewed his ties in the area that he had helped build when he became temporary director of the Pacific Science Center for most of 1977. In 1982, when the Seattle Center went almost $1 million in debt, the City Council fired Seattle Center Director Jack Fearey and picked Dingwall to replace him. Dingwall improved the Center's financial situation but ran into criticism for hiring Disney to make plans to turn the Seattle Center into a theme park. He resigned in 1988.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Consult the scope and content information for each of the accessions listed below.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Consult the restrictions governing reproduction and use for each of the accessions listed below.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Organized into 3 accessions.

  • Accession No. 0420-001, Ewen C. Dingwall papers, 1957-1962
  • Accession No. 0420-002, Ewen C. Dingwall papers, 1985
  • Accession No. 0420-003, Ewen C. Dingwall papers, 1960-1992

Separated Materials

Material Described Separately:

Ewen C. Dingwall Century 21 Exposition photograph collection (PH0463)

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Accession No. 0420-001: Ewen C. Dingwall papers, 1957-1962Return to Top

11.22 cubic feet

Scope and Content: Correspondence, reports, studies, minutes, ephemera.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Acquisition Info: Donated by Ewen Dingwall, 1/2/1964.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Accession
1 0420-001
City of Seattle
General Notes: See Seattle, City of
Century 21 Exposition
Auditorium Conversion
Bond issue program
Civic Center Advisory Commission (CCAC) Recommendations
Design Standards Advisory Board (DSAB) Performing Arts Committee
DSAB Engineering Committee
DSAB Establishment
DSAB Hearing for May 28, 1957
1957
DSAB Landscape Committee
DSAB Miscellaneous Correspondance
DSAB Meeting for December 18, 1957
1957
DSAB Primary Architect Selection
DSAB USSC Correspondance
Coliseum
DDA (Deskey (Donald) Assoc., Inc)
Early Concept to July 1960
Exhibit Sales
Miscellaneous
RCA
Robinson-Stern Association
Concessions
Amusements
Exclusives
Food Department
Information
Miscellaneous
Participants
Staff Report (Concessions and Amusements)
2 0420-001
Controller
Budget--capital
Budget--combined
Budget--income
Budget--operating period
Budget--pre-operating
Budget--pre-operating--cumulative no. 1
Budget--pre-operating--cumulative no. 2
Budget and Finance
Budget Schedules
Capital Trust Agreement
Cash Report--File no. 1
Cash Report--File no. 2
Classification of Balance Sheet
Financial Statements
General Correspondance
Haskins & Sells, Financial Statement
1957-1962
Insurance Coverage
Miscellaneous
Monthly Operation Statements to August 31, 1962
Staff Report
Statements, Miscellaneous through December 1960
Tax (memo, letters)
Trial Balances
Weekly Commitment Report through June 1961
Weekly Commitment Reports
1961-1962
3 0420-001
Corporation Activities
Appreciation Dinner--April 19, 1962
1962
Leases
Legal services
Personnel--Garden, Victoria
Personnel--Job Description
Personnel--Miscellaneous
Personnel--Rosenthal, Herb
Personnel--Stern, Alfred
Personnel--Thiry, Paul
Personnel--Yamasaki, Minoru
3 0420-001
Exhibits
Boulevards of the World
Domestic--Aerospace & NASA
Domestic--General File no. 1 to June 1962
Domestic--General File no. 2
Domestic--Participation
Domestic--Exhibit Work to October 6, 1960
Exhibitor Information--Domestic
Exhibitor Information--Foreign
Exhibitor Information--Immigration
Foreign--Africa
Foreign--Austria
Foreign--Belgium-Holland
Foreign--Brazil
Foreign--Canada
Foreign--Central America
Foreign--China
Foreign--Czech., Bulgaria, Romania, Poland
Foreign--European Agencies
Foreign--France
Foreign--Germany
Foreign--Great Britain and Ireland
Foreign--Greece
Foreign--Hong Kong
Foreign--India and Pakistan
Foreign--Italy
4 0420-001
Exhibits (continued)
Foreign--Japan
Foreign--Korea
Foreign--Mexico
Foreign--Miscellaneous Countries
Foreign--Near East
Foreign--Philippines
Foreign--Scandinavia
Foreign--South America
Foreign--Spain and Portugal
Foreign--Thailand
Foreign--U.S.S.R.
Foreign--Yugoslavia
Foreign Participation--General Correspondance
Licenses
Staff Report no. 1
Staff Report no. 2
4 0420-001
Exposition--Lodging
Expo-lodging
Budget
Controlled Housing
Haskins--Sells Report
Traveller's Village
4 0420-001
Fine Arts
4 0420-001
General
4 0420-001
Inter-office Memoranda
E.C. Dingwall--Outgoing
Athens Office
Far East
Japan
Manila
1960-1961
Manila
1962, n.d.
New York
Paris
Paris--Publicity
Box Accession
5 0420-001
Staff Memos
Washington, DC
5 0420-001
Liberte
5 0420-001
Membership Lists--Various Committees
5 0420-001
Miscellaneous
Fairs--Brussels Youth Program
Greater Seattle
Washington State International Trade Fair
5 0420-001
Municipal Reference Library of Seattle
Bulletins
1959
5 0420-001
Operations and Services
Admission and Pass Procedure
Advance Ticket Sale Program
General Correspondance
Labor
Official Car
Staff Report
5 0420-001
Parking and Transportation
General Correspondance
Monorail--File no. 1 through 1960
Monorail--File no. 2
Monorail--Financing
Seattle Transit
6 0420-001
Performing Arts
Cultural Arts Advisory Board--Minutes
1958-1959
Dignitaries Visiting
Foreign
General--File no. 1
1961-1962
General--File no. 2
1962
Leases, Tickets, Buildings
Military
Overseas Reports from H. Shaw
Radio, Television, Promotion
Schedule
Special Days
Staff Report
6 0420-001
Performing Arts Committees
Early Civic Center Planning
Cultural, Exhibits, Decorative, etc.
Special Events, Children's Acts, Films, Horticultural, Jazz, etc.
6 0420-001
Project Development
Attendance and SRI
Club 21
Commemorative Medal
Early Programming and Schedule to 1960
General
Gold Rush Report
Official Emblem Use
Reorganization
Rules and Regulations
Space Rates
Trade Dollars
6 0420-001
Public Relations
Anderson (Daniel)--VEK Associates
Countdown
Fair Practices
General Correspondance no. 1
General Correspondance no. 2
General Public Relations
History Book
Kraft, Smith and Ehris
Miller, McKay, Hoeck and Hartung
7 0420-001
News Releases
1958-1962
7 0420-001
News Wire--Local
7 0420-001
News Wire--National
7 0420-001
Weekly Newspapers Roundup
7 0420-001
Philatelic Program
7 0420-001
Press--General Correspondance
7 0420-001
Promotion
8 0420-001
Public Relations (continued)
Staff Report no. 1
Staff Report no. 2
Sunset Magazine Project
TV-Radio
Show Street--Backstage USA
Show Street--General
Show Street--Girls of the Galaxie
Show Street--Indian Village
Show Street--Japanese Village
Show Street--Paradise International
Show Street--Spanish Village
Show Street--Stella
8 0420-001
Seattle, City of
City Departments Participation
Resolutions and Ordinances
8 0420-001
Site and Building Development
Building and Construction
City Fountain
General
Site Planning
Space Needle
Space Options
Staff Report no. 1
Staff Report no. 2
8 0420-001
Special Events
General
Hospitality and Reception
Opening Weekend
Protocol
Schedules (July-October)
Weekly Schedule (April-June)
VIPs--Space Needle
8 0420-001
Underwriting
Fry (Don) Report
General Correspondence
Subscriptions
8 0420-001
Washington, State of
Legislation
9 0420-001
Applications
9 0420-001
Budget and Finance
Weekly Report of Average Daily Revenue and Expense
9 0420-001
Civic Center
General
Ice Arena
Land Acquisition--Nile Temple
Land Acquisition--Seattle, City of
Land Acquisition--Seattle, Public Schools
Land Acquisition--Washington, State of
Land Ownership Policy
Site Selection--Fort Lawton
Site Selection--Miscellaneous
9 0420-001
Controller
Department of Commerce and Economic Development, Administrative Procedure and Accounting
9 0420-001
Corporation Activities
Articles of Incorporation
By-laws
Early Organization Ideas
Executive Committee
Liquidation
Officers' Correspondence
Organization Charts
Trustees, Board of--Correspondence
Trustees, Board of--Meetings
Trustees, Board of--Membership
Classification of Balance Sheet and Revenue & Expense Accounts
9 0420-001
Directories
9 0420-001
Exhibits
Alaska, State of
Christian Witness
Columbia River Project--File no. 2
General Correspondence
Hawaii, State of
Miscellaneous
10 0420-001
Fine Arts
10 0420-001
Lists--Underwriters, Contractors, etc.
10 0420-001
Miscellaneous
Associations and Civic Groups
Aviation
Canada-U.S. Boundary Celebration
Central Association--Bulletins
Central Association--Correspondence
Century Mark Plan
Chamber of Commerce Bulletins
1958-1962
Chamber of Commerce Conventions--National Park
Chamber of Commerce Conventions--General
Colombo Plan Conference
1958
Foundations
General Correspondance--File no. 1
General Correspondance--File no. 2
Leif Erikson League
Metropolitan Area Problems Bulletin
Box/Folder Accession
11 0420-001
Pacific Northwest Trade Association
Planetarium
Resolutions
Theme Suggestions
Universities--Seattle University
Universities--University of Washington
Universities--Washington State University
Urban Renewal
Volunteers--Organizations and Groups
Volunteers--Seattle, City of
Volunteers--Statewide
Washington Festivals
Washington State International Trade Fair
Waterfront--Hydofoil
Waterfront--Ships
Waterfront--Windjammer Program
Weather
Youth Program
11 0420-001
Operations and Services
Customs--Patent Protection
First Aid and Safety
Helicopter Service
11 0420-001
Parking and Transportation
General Correspondence
Monorail--Lockheed
Monorail--Miscellaneous
Monorail--S.A.F.E.G.E.
11 0420-001
Performing Arts and Entertainment
Sports
Performing Arts Tabulations
11 0420-001
Project Development
Attendance
General Notes: See also Box 11A
Attendance--Stanford Research Institute
Ebasco Services
11A 0420-001
Attendance--Forecast, Daily Records, Gate Reports, etc
12 0420-001
Public Relations
Advertising
Beautification Project
Centurions
Countdown Chronometer
Display Material
Federal Agencies et. al.
Firms--Bergdahl, McCarthy, and Court
Firms--Miscellaneous
Flying Squadron
General Correspondence- File no. 1
General Correspondence- File no. 2
International Science Writers Seminar
News
Presentation Outline (not in folder)
Publicity Committee
TV-Radio
World's Fair Book by Murray Morgan (galley proofs)
12 0420-001
Purchase Orders
12 0420-001
Seattle, City of
Aquarium Program
Newsletter from City Hall
12 0420-001
Site and Building Development
Armory
Designers--Displayers
Designers--Miscellaneous
Designers--Teague
General Correspondence- File no. 1
General Correspondence- File no. 2
Landscaping
Post Office
Tree Planting for City Streets
Utilities
12 0420-001
Underwriting
Campaign of Spring 1958
1958
12 0420-001
Washington, State of
Department of Commerce and Economic Development Bulleting
Governor's Meeting
1957
Reports to Legislature, Correspondence
World's Fair Commission Correspondence
13 0420-001
Reports
Preliminary Site Plan Report
Staff Reports
Final Report to World's Fair Commission
Report to State Legislature
Box/Folder Accession
14 0420-001
Status reports
14 0420-001
Minutes
Advisory Commission
Steering Committee
Board of Trustees, Budget and Finance, Cultural Arts, Expo-Lodging, Public Relations Committees
Exhibits and Concessions, Expo-Dining, Lease Comm., Public Works Bd., NSPB, Misc., Trade Fair Group, Operating Bd., Waterfront Committees
15 0420-001
C-21 Publications
15 0420-001
Advertisements in Booklet Form
15 0420-001
Clippings (original and Xerox copies)
15A 0420-001
Periodicals containing either articles about or ads using World's Fair
15A 0420-001
Miscellany
Meeting Minutes
Suggestions
Fair Comments
Complaints
E. C. Dingwall--Praises
Organization Chart
Emblem Cuts
Space Needle Cuts
Miscellaneous Maps
Financial Miscellany
16 0420-001
Civic Center Advisory Commission
Membership List
Minutes
Future Use of Federal Building Subcommittee
Special Program Subcommittee
Correspondence
Concert-Convention Hall Subcommittee--Minutes
Correspondence re: Ice Sheet
Multi-purpose Auditorium--Correspondence
Multi-purpose Auditorium Subcommittee--Minutes
Name-selecting Subcommittee (for Concert-Convention Hall and Multi-purpose Auditorium)
Design--Correpondence
16 0420-001
Civic Center
Scenic Backgrounds
Sculptors--Correspondence, etc.
Miscellaneous Types of Design and Art Work (Murals, etc.)
Exhibit Producers Assoc. (Al Rowan)
Lindsay Models and Metal Crafts, Ltd.
Exhibit Design Rules and Regulations
Exhibit Designers, Exhibit Ideas
City Council-Mayor: Report and Correspondence
Westlake Mall and Park--Civic Center
Restaurant--Other Areas
Art Work for Civic Center Committee
General Information (condemnation costs, facts and figures)
Water, light and sculpture display
16 0420-001
DSAB--Landscape Committee Minutes
1957-1958
16 0420-001
DSAB--Utilities, Service, Safety and Security Committee Minutes
1957-1959
16 0420-001
World's Fair Commission--Minutes
1959-1962
16 0420-001
World's Fair Commission--Report to Washington State Legislature
1963
16 0420-001
World's Fair Commission--Report to Washington State Legislature
1957

Accession No. 0420-002: Ewen C. Dingwall papers, 1985Return to Top

5 pages

Scope and Content: Paraphrased transcript of interview conducted by John M. Findlay, a historian in the U.W. History Department, on 19 Aug 1985.

This is not a verbatim transcript but a paraphrased version written by Findlay using the tape recording.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Acquisition Info: Donated by John M. Findlay, 4/25/1989.

Accession No. 0420-003: Ewen C. Dingwall papers, 1960-1992Return to Top

2.00 cubic feet (2 boxes)

Scope and Content: Writings, reports, publications, memorabilia kept by Dingwall about the 1962 Seattle World's Fair; ca. 1960-1963, 1981, 1992.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Restrictions on Use: Dingwall's rights transferred to the Libraries. Pacific Science Center may own rights in Dingwall's interview with Lorraine McConaghy.

Acquisition Info: Donated by Donnie Jewel, 8/28/1995.

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Civic leaders--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Exhibitions--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Science and civilization--Exhibitions
  • Science--Social aspect--Exhibitions
  • Technology--Social aspects--Exhbitions

Personal Names

  • Dingwall, Ewen C., 1913-1996--Archives

Corporate Names

  • Century 21 Exposition (1962 : Seattle, Wash.)

Other Creators

  • Corporate Names
    • Seattle (Wash.). Civic Center Advisory Committee (creator)
    • Washington (State). World Fair Commission (1955-1962) (creator)

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)