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Scroll down and listen to seven episodes that commemorate Expo '74. Join us as we uncover and celebrate the 1974 World's Fair that still shapes Spokane and its residents today.
MAY 4TH, 1974
Spokane kicked off a landmark event that would reshape the city forever: The 1974 World’s Fair, or Expo '74.
For six months, millions flocked from every corner of the globe to experience what is regarded as one of the most significant world’s fairs in history. Merging personal stories, historical insights, and immersive soundscapes, this 7-episode series explores the Fair’s lasting impact on urban renewal, environmental awakening, the complexities of progress, and community dynamics in Spokane.
Join us as we uncover and celebrate the lasting impact of the 1974 World Fair that still shapes Spokane and its residents today.
Episode 01
Becoming Spokane
As we delve into the origin of and context surrounding the 1974 World’s Fair, or Expo ’74, Spokane’s storied past comes into view. We learn that the story of Spokane is inextricably intertwined with the story of the Spokane River.
“Having the river, harnessing the river, losing the river in that process, having a city, losing the city through expansion into the suburbs, and then somehow with Expo, recovering the river and recovering the city, I think, is an extraordinary story in itself.”
- Bill Youngs, historian and author of “Fair and The Falls”
Steven Bingo, Marty Cole, David Ellis Evans, Anna Harbine, Margo Hill, Ken Kato, Rose Krause, Mike Petersen, Matt Santangelo, Warren Seyler, Dr. Liz Wood, Bill Youngs
Guests:
Episode 02
The Little City That Could
How does a relatively small and unassuming city facing economic hardships, defy expectations and host a World’s Fair? Episode 2 chronicles the remarkable journey of King Cole and the small group of locals who persisted against all odds to make it happen.
“At the time that was seen as crazy. Spokane was a very small city. It would've been the smallest city at the time to ever host a World's Fair. And for many it was seen as not doable, not feasible.”
- Anna Harbine, archivist at The Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture
Guests:
Marty Cole, Jim Cowles, David Ellis Evans, Anna Harbine, Warren Seyler, Bill Youngs
Episode 03
What was lost
The pursuit of progress can be both noble and complex. What was lost and who was forgotten to make way for Expo ’74 and Spokane’s urgent renewal?
“Because the buildings no longer exist, it's harder to see the history of the people who helped Spokane grow and prosper in the early 20th century. It may not have been pretty, but it was an important part of making Spokane what it was then, and therefore, what it is today.”
- Steven Bingo, archivist at Eastern Washington University
Steven Bingo, Marty Cole, Anna Harbine, Ken Kato, Rose Krause, Dr. Liz Wood, Bill Youngs
Guests:
Episode 04
Helter Skelter
1974 proved a watershed year for America - the Vietnam War was on its dying breath, the Watergate scandal rocked the nation's faith in government, the Civil Rights Movement raged on, and the Cold War persisted. Episode four zooms out from Spokane to examine how geopolitical dynamics, pivotal national events, and cultural shifts shaped this global Fair.
“Expo 74 opens at this weird time. This is at a period of just rapid and drastic social change. I mean, the seventies are kind of this, to co-opt the Beatles, Helter Skelter period. There's all kinds of things happening.”
- Anna Harbine, archivist at The Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture
Episode 05
Birth Of A Movement
Expo ‘74 was a pioneering World’s Fair due in large part to its groundbreaking environmental theme, which channeled the rapidly growing eco-consciousness of the late 1960’s and early ‘70’s. But beyond bold messaging, how did this theme materialize in 1974? Where did the Fair's environmental commitments hit their mark, and in what areas did reality fail to match the rhetoric?
“It's the first time a World's Fair has an environmental theme. It's the first time a World's Fair is not focused on something that's architectural. The architectural theme of the fair is the river, is cleanup, is urban renewal, is kind of restoring back, and there are critiques to that.”
- Anna Harbine, archivist at The Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture
Episode 06
River people
For 10,000 years, the Spokane River has been the lifeblood of the Spokane Tribe. In episode 6, we use Expo ‘74 as a lens to better understand the Tribe’s profound relationship with and commitment to the river, showcasing the unwavering resilience that has sustained their culture for generations.
“If you take nothing else away from today, please understand that the Spokane tribe is a River People. 60 to 65% of our diet, our staff of life, was brought to us from the creator through the river system. And so that's who we were.”
- Warren Seyler, Spokane Tribal citizen and historian
Episode 07
Reverberations
Expo '74 left an indelible mark on Spokane. In our final episode, we honor the World's Fair's enduring legacy and explore how it continues to shape the city's evolution and future possibilities.
“And King Cole's image of the heart of a city is so important. The downtown is so important. He not only resuscitated the downtown, but arguably he resuscitated the hearts of a lot of folks living in Spokane, feeling that there could be a brighter future, that good things could happen.”
- Bill Youngs, historian and author of “Fair and The Falls”