The 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition (AYPE) held in Seattle, Washington, was the spectacular result of nearly 10 million dollars and four years of effort. The Klondike Gold Rush made Seattle the dominant city in the Pacific Northwest, as the major supplier to Alaska. The goal of the 1909 AYPE was to show off the growth and development of the Pacific Northwest, specifically Seattle, and to display the value of commercial trade with the Pacific Rim. When Japan agreed to participate, the AYPE became a truly international, multi-cultural event, which planners of the AYPE hoped would demonstrate cooperation between people from around the world. On a less philosophical level, city officials also hoped that the exposition would encourage people to relocate to the growing metropolis of Seattle.
Officials soon decided on the largely wooded grounds of the University of Washington, situated on Lake Washington, with Mount Rainier visible in the distance. The first $650,000 for the AYPE was raised by proud Seattleites, who bought "shares" of the exposition. Much of the rest was funded by the sale of public lands and by the Washington State legislature, with the understanding that the buildings built for the exposition would become part of the University of Washington at the end of the AYPE. John and Frederick Olmsted, son and stepson of Frederick Law Olmsted, prominent landscape architects in their own right, designed much of the AYPE grounds.
Thanks to two years of planning and the huge sums of money raised, the AYPE grounds and exposition were everything the planners had hoped for. It was a fascinating mix of ethnic diversity and crass commercialism, but it clearly appealed to the people of the United States. Over 80,000 people attended the AYPE on opening day in June 1909, and by closing day (October 16, 1909) 3.7 million people had paid to see attractions such as the Igorrote Village, and the Indian and Eskimo exhibits.
Although the Exposition boasted its own official photographer, amateur photographers could purchase a paper permit, allowing access for one day. With the day pass, an amateur photographer with a camera smaller than 6 x 8 inches was allowed to take unlimited photographs of the buildings, exhibits and other features. In February, 1909, newspaper articles encouraged Seattle residents to take photographs of the construction and send them "back home" to people outside the city as incentive to attend the upcoming Exposition.
Photographs of the buildings, events, ephemera, exhibits, grounds and visitors to the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exhibition.
Selections from the collection can be viewed on the Libraries' Digital Collections website. Permission of Visual Materials Curator is required to view the originals. Contact Special Collections for more information.
Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.
Processed by Marion Brown, 2008; Don Romero, 2013
Transferred from the University of Washington subject file in 2007.
2 photographic prints transferred from the Seattle Subject File, 2016.
Written on verso: Olympia High School Shop. All equipment built by the boys. Finishing corner showing a few of the many articles made by the boys. Manual training has paid its own way in Olympia.
Written on verso: Tree cut from Tyee Camp of E.G. English Lumber Co. Timber 4' x 74'. Timber hewed by Jack Davis and helper. Picture taken at English Headquarters camp, 2 miles east of Conway. Shipped to AYP on 2 G. N. flat cars from Skagit XX intersection GNRR & English RR, 2 miles south of Conway.
Written on verso: Museum of Natural History built for the Alaska-Yukon Exposition, 1909, on approximately the site of the present Student Union Bldg. at U. of W. Was in use up to the late 20s when termites made it unsafe. The wood had not been properly treated. Benjamin S. Malloy, 1969.
This photo has been hand-colored.
Some hand-coloring in photo.
Written on verso: The New York State Building at the Alaska-Yukon Exposition was copied after this house.
Copy of the postcard Oakes 1318.
Written on verso: The open auditorium down by Lake Washington-natural hollow- all they had to do was to terrace it to as to put the seats in place. Perfectly beautiful.
Comments by Emma A. (Daisy) Egan, who worked at the fair.
Broken into 2 parts.
See GAV1a-e below for modern copy prints of panorama and each of the five sections.
Modern copy prints of entire panorama and of each the five sections.
Black and white image that has been hand-colored.
Possibly Oakes Photo Co. with signature torn off.
Photo is in two parts.
Blueprint mounted on linen.
Olmsted Brothers: Landscape Architects.
George F. Cotterill: Consulting Engineer.
Written on verso: Salt Lake City Estabulary Band. Brought to A.Y.P paying all expenses by Jacklin.
Written on verso: Looking north on 3rd from Columbia (Central Building in foreground).
Written on verso: Parade during summer of 1909. Seattle, WA. A.Y.P. Exposition.
The parade may have been in celebration of China Day for the A.Y.P.E.
The parade may have been in celebration of China Day for the A.Y.P.E.
The parade may have been in celebration of China Day for the A.Y.P.E.
Printed on verso is a Report of AYPE Commission with information on various exhibits.
Some names are identified on verso: Frank Row, C.J. Smith, Jec, Josiah Collins, Henry Disch, Robert, Jap., Frank Wagger, Bobbie Boyce.
Olmsted Brothers: Landscape Architects.
Howard Galloway: Supervising Architects.
This photograph is included in this collection due to the handwritten note on verso, which indicates that this was part of a railroad equipment exhibit at the A.Y.P.E. This has not been confirmed.