Expo '74
| EXPO Spokane 1974 | |
|---|---|
The Expo '74 logo design, based on the Möbius strip.
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| Overview | |
| BIE-class | Specialized exposition |
| Name | Expo '74 |
| Motto | Progress without pollution |
| Area | 40.5 hectares (100 acres) |
| Visitors | 1,500,000 |
| Participant(s) | |
| Countries | 10 |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| City | Spokane |
| Venue | Crystal Island (renamed "Canada Island" when it was officially deeded to Canada and used to host the British Columbia pavilion), Havermale Island, and the adjacent north and south banks of the Spokane River |
| Coordinates | 47°39′43.9″N 117°25′8.4″W / 47.662194°N 117.419000°W |
| Timeline | |
| Opening | May 4, 1974 |
| Closure | November 3, 1974 |
| Specialized expositions | |
| Previous | Expo 71 in Budapest |
| Next | Expo '75 in Okinawa |
| Universal expositions | |
| Previous | Expo '70 in Osaka |
| Next | Seville Expo '92 in Seville |
| Horticultural expositions | |
| Previous | Internationale Gartenbauausstellung 73 in Hamburg |
| Next | Floralies Internationales de Montréal in Montreal |
| Simultaneous | |
| Horticultural (AIPH) | Wiener Internationale Gartenschau 74 |
Expo '74 was the first environmentally themed world's fair. It was held in Spokane, Washington, United States and ran from 4 May to 3 November 1974. The heart of the fair park grounds was located on Canada Island, Havermale Island, and the adjacent south bank of the Spokane River in the center of the city. With the exception of two pavilions, all of the major buildings were modular structures assembled on the site. The fair had 5.2 million visitors and was considered a success, nearly breaking even, revitalizing the blighted urban core, and pumping an estimated $150 million into the local economy and surrounding region.
In proclaiming itself the first exposition on an environmental theme, Expo '74 distanced itself from the more techno-centric world's fairs of the 1960s. The environmental theme was promoted in several high-profile events, such as a symposium on United Nations World Environment Day (June 5) attended by more than 1,200 people including many international representatives, and ECAFE Day for the United Nations Economic Council for Asia and the Far East (June 14) that discussed regional environment issues.
Spokane was the smallest city to host a world's fair recognized by the Bureau International des Expositions until Knoxville, Tennessee held the 1982 World's Fair eight years later. World's Fairs began at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution as public showcases. Expo '74 was the first fair in decades that did not focus on the space age, futuristic themes, or utopian ideas of living. An environmental theme was decided upon by the organizing committee, however there was some uncertainty about it because it had never been used previously by a World's Fair to that time. After considering several other slogans, such as "How Man Can Live, Work and Play in Harmony With His Environment", Expo '74 settled on "Celebrating Tomorrow's Fresh New Environment."
Uncertainty about the ability of a city the modest size of Spokane to create a successful event caused many nations and corporations to hesitate about making major investments in the fair. Kodak, General Motors, and Ford hosted pavilions at this fair but they were scaled down in size and presence compared to the exhibits constructed for the New York Worlds Fair ten years earlier. For the first time since the company's beginning, General Electric did not have a fair pavilion but it sponsored the musical group Up with People that performed during the summer at the fair. Pacific Northwest Bell had a pavilion that eliminated the use of air conditioning by using louvered panels on the roof. They demonstrated the use of TTY equipment and discussed the use of 911 for emergency telephone services. Expo '74 was the last time that the Bell system would exhibit at a world's fair before its breakup ten years later.
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