Numerous World’s Fair programs were produced for the heady April to October run.
One concerned art.
A 160-age paperback book: “Art Since 1950: Seattle World’s Fair 1962,” featured black and white illustrations of the exhibitors’ work, which included Georgia O’Keefe, Mark Rothko, Juan Miro, Jean Dubuffet, Francis Bacon, Paul Horiuchi and Morris Graves.
A big, colorful hardcover, “Seattle World’s Fair 1962: Official Souvenir Program,” was more of a tourist piece for the region, anchored with an essay by Seattle P-I columnist Emmett Watson.
“In the Pike Place Market,” he wrote, “it is possible to be yelled at in sixteen languages and you can buy everything from a loaf of pumpernickel to a parakeet.”
But it is the little, blue soft cover “Official Guide Book” — sale price $1 — that everyone carried around on the Fair grounds.
The 136-page booklet, done in mostly black and white, was a surprisingly amateurish production, with crude maps, few illustrations and plodding prose.
Some of the few advertisers are around today: Alaska Airlines, Longacres and the Boeing Co., with its come-on for visiting scientists and engineers to stop by their Professional Employment Center at Second Avenue and Broad Street.
The role call of those no longer with us includes Gasperettis, Victor Rossellini’s 410 and 610, Andy’s Diner and the Norselander.
The booklet is a poignant little talisman from another world.
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