The Howard Wright Construction Company broke ground at the Space Needle site on April 17, 1961. The result of a design collaboration among businessman Edward E. Carlson, architect John Graham and University of Washington architecture professor Victor Steinbrueck, the Space Needle was built for the 1962 Century 21 Exposition (World’s Fair) in Seattle. With the addition of the final torch tower, the construction of the 600 foot Space Needle was completed on December 8. 1961. Seattle’s Pacific Car and Foundry Company was the subcontractor for the steel fabrication and erection of the Space Needle.
In this photo, Jack Edwards (left) and Amby Wirkus (right) connect the joists on the needle's halo. This photograph depicts two men, steelworkers for Seattle’s Pacific Car and Foundry Company, at about the 515 feet level of Space Needle construction installing a crosspiece on the bracket which will support the observation deck. Remarkably, no men were injured during the often precarious work involved in the construction of the Space Needle.
Printed on border of photograph: Pacific Car and Foundry Company
Stamped on verso: Photograph by Pacific Car & Foundry Co, Neg. No. 11815-407
Caption information source: Space Needle USA by Harold Mansfield and George Gulacsik, 1962.
