The Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition (AYPE) was a world's fair held in Seattle in 1909, publicizing the development of the Pacific Northwest. People traveled from all over the country to see the AYPE, with an estimated 3,700,000 visitors having attended the fair by the time it closed in October 1909. The fairgrounds became the campus of the University of Washington.

In this letter, student Ruth Prior writes to an anonymous "dear friend" in Findley, Ohio, singing the praises of the city of Seattle and inviting them to attend the Alaska-Pacific-Yukon Exposition. It is not known whether this letter was actually sent to Ohio; the envelope accompanying it is addressed simply "To an Eight Grade Pupil, Findlay, Ohio" with no postmark.

According to the Seattle Times, in 1909 a young woman named Ruth Prior was a student at Pacific School. She participated in a chorus of 1,500 children from public and parochial schools to perform at the AYPE on Children's Day, June 9, 1909.

Caption information source: A.-Y.-P. Chorus sings at Armory, May 4, 1909, p. 11.