The historic Bubbleator – which moved people up and down and up and down at the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair, then the Food Circus, now sits motionless in Redondo resident Gene Achziger’s front yard right here in Des Moines.

“Little did I know the impact of saving the Bubbleator 20 years after the close of the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair would still be reverberating as we approach the 60th anniversary of the Fair,” Achziger said.

Here’s more from the Seattle Channel:

The Space Needle, Monorail, and Pacific Science Center helped Seattle shine as the city of the future during the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair. A lesser-known but equally unique attraction was the Bubbleator. Visitors entering the high-tech elevator were greeted with “Please step to the rear of the sphere” before they enjoyed a ride with a 360-degree view. After a six-month run at the World’s Fair, the Bubbleator spent decades inside what is now the Seattle Center Armory, but renovations forced a move in the 1980s. So, what happened to the Bubbleator? Where is it now and does it still work? Feliks Banel has all the answers!

This chunk of Seattle history continues to draw attention, as evidenced by this latest video, which aired this week on The Seattle Channel:

One thing not mentioned in this video is that – in 2012 – Achziger was generous enough to let local band Trip Like Animals record an EP inside the Bubbleator (which has great, amphitheater-style acoustics) – check it out in this promo for The Bubbleator Sessions Vol. 1 voiced by Seattle comedy legend Pat Cashman:

Listen to/buy the full EP below:

    • All music by Trip Like Animals: Mike Molner, Joe Molner, Jerome Dimanlig, Douglas Stonerock (triplikeanimals.com)
    • Engineered, Produced & Mastered by Norm Bowler (facebook.com/GrumpyOldBear).
    • Executive Producer Scott Schaefer.
    • Special thanks to Gene Achziger for his hospitable use of the Bubbleator!