JFK OPENS WORLD'S FAIR IN SEATTLE BY CLOSING A TELEGRAPH KEY IN PALM BEACH
Palm Beach, Florida (JFK+50) On April 21, 1962, President John F. Kennedy officially opened the Seattle World's Fair* with the words...
"Let the fair begin!"
The President, however, was not in Seattle but at his family's residence in Palm Beach, Florida. He closed a telegraph key from there which activated a signal to turn on a strand of lights in Seattle.
There were 12,000 people waiting at the fair for the lights to come on.
The President said...
"This manner of opening the fair is in keeping with the exposition's space age theme."
JFK+50 NOTE
President Kennedy often made humorous comments on occasions such as this. Once he was dedicating the opening of a dam out west when before he hit a switch to put it into operation an official said that a man down at the generator would let them know if it was working. JFK replied, "If we don't hear from him, it's back to the drawing board."
*The Seattle World's Fair or Century 21 Exposition was attended by 10 million visitors. It showcased advances in science, technology and international relations.
It was noted for the Space Needle & Alweg monorail. A major theme of the fair was to demonstrate that the U.S. was not really behind the Soviet Union in the space race.
SOURCE
"JFK Opens World's Fair In Seattle," JFK+50, April 21, 2011, www.jfk50.blogspot.com,
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