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CENTURY 21 EXPO 50TH ANNIVERSARY FAIR START AT THE WAC Although it's only urban legend that a rudimentary sketch of the Space Needle was made at the Washington Athletic Club—that actually happened in Stuttgart, Germany—the Club did play a critical role in the birth of the Seattle World's Fair. According to a 1962 account by Seattle Times columnist John J. Reddin, in the early 1950s, a couple of city leaders began bandying about an idea for "some kind of event" to boost Seattle and its cutting-edge structures, such as the soon-to-be-built Evergreen Point Floating Bridge. Unfortunately, the idea "worked up as much momentum as a lead balloon." At least it did until the men got into a conversation with city councilman and Seattle spark plug Al Rochester during a martini lunch at the WAC in late 1954. Rochester, who'd been enthralled by the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition as a youth, suggested the idea of a Seattle World's Fair, which he envisioned as a 50th anniversary party for the AYP. Within weeks, Rochester had the backing of the city council and drafted a statement outlining his plan for a 1959 golden anniversary celebration of the AYP to the state legislature. The legislature gave the project a green light and set up a World's Fair Commission to study the feasibility of a fair, chaired by another Seattle mover and shaker, Eddie Carlson. Rochester went on to become the fair's executive director; the event rocketed Seattle into global consciousness; and the rest, as they say, is history. —Diane Mapes DRESSING UP FOR ARRIVAL Suzanne Carvalho-Maia traveled from Boston to Seattle by train to attend the 1962 World's Fair. During the final stretch, Suzanne, who was 27 at the time and attending grad school, prettied herself for arrival. "I looked great," she recalled 50 years later. director of housing for the fair. He joined the WAC in 1937 and remained a member until his death in 1997, serving on the Board of Governors from 1977–1982. When Suzanne's train arrived at King Her father, John E. Graham, served as John E. Graham, on left. Street Station, her mom greeted her warmly and wasted no time commenting on her attire. don't have a girdle on,'" Suzanne recalls. "Those were the times we lived in." —Darrick Meneken "She took one look at me and said, 'You FAIR BUSINESS: WAC MEMBER Ray Marik attended almost every day of the 1962 World's Fair. As owner of the Space Bar, located in the food circus, Ray sold ice cream, milkshakes and juice drinks. "It was exhilarating," the now 80-year-old says. "A lot of hard work and long hours." He also developed an "Astronaut Shake" with a modified vitamin and mineral formula. "It was probably a bit ahead of its time," he says. 34 | Washington Athletic Club Magazine | MAY / JUNE 2012 —Darrick Meneken CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: MUSEUM OF HISTORY & INDUSTRY, COURTESY SUZANNE CARVALHO-MAI A , COURTESY RAY MARIK