Does anybody know what the story is behind the Space Tower at the fair grounds? Searching around on the internet I have found some pictures from what looks like an observatory. I kind of figure its like the FNC observatory that I have heard about, once there but no longer in use. I was just wondering if anybody knew anymore about it? Thanks guys.

Just give it time and I am sure the fair board will find a reason to tear the space needle down for a horse manure storage facility/flea market pavillon.

It was built back in the we're not real special period, hence a not so grand space needle and a miniature Arch. Sort of like shouting out the car window I wanna be somebody .... someday. As a community, OKC appears to be largely past that stage these days, and perhaps that's even an unfair portrayal of how mini-monuments came to be. After all, I was wrong once back in 1974 also 8^)

I was just curios about the observatory. I have seen some recent pictures of the 2006 or 2007 state fair from up there. I was just wondering if they still open it up?

Are you talking about the actual round all-window ride that goes to the top, spins slowly and then descends?

The 1957 State Fair had the theme "Arrows to Atoms." A giant arrow crowned with a stylized atom (proton with orbiting electrons and whatever) was erected where the Space Needle is now. The Arrows to Atoms tower was not as tall as the Space Tower, but it was internally illuminated and was visible from all over what was then north Oklahoma City.

There's a picture of it at OSU's Digital Library. (http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/S/SE010.html)

The Arrows to Atoms Tower was taken down in the late sixties or early seventies. My memory is that it was sold to an amusement park - perhaps Frontier City, but I'm not sure of that.

It was replaced by the current ride, built by the Willy Buhler Company of Switzerland. It cost more than a million dollars. It was an expensive upgrade, but it saved the city from being saddled with a 2nd-level space needle stigma. There are similar Buhler rides at Coney Island, Seaworld Orlando and the Minnesota State Fair.

The Oklahoma City space tower is open during the state fair in September.

Yeah I was mainly wondering if you could still go up in it and possibly take pictures. I didn't know if it was a ride or what. Thanks guys!

a giant arrow crowned with a stylized atom... there's a picture of it at osu's digital library.
that is too cool. i never heard about that arrow! -M

http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/S/images/SE010B.jpg

It pissed me off when they put that advertisement metal crap on it...I think it was from Shell??? You couldn't get a good view anymore because of that crap.

The Oklahoma City space tower is open during the state fair in September.

It's too bad that we can't find a way to have it open during all events, or even just as a city attraction all the time. Maybe it could generate some revenue, which could maybe be used to improve/replace it at some point.

^^^
that sounds cool, but during the rest of the year how many people are really going to go out of their way to ride that thing? ...certainly not enough to justify the cost of keeping it opened year 'round.

-M

Although the original tower was smaller and wasn't a ride, I thought it was cooler than the Space Tower or Sky Tower or Wind Power Tower or whatever it is called now.

The Arrows to Atoms Tower was taken down in the late sixties or early seventies. My memory is that it was sold to an amusement park - perhaps Frontier City, but I'm not sure of that.

Isn't the top of the arrow on top of the space tower?

Prunepicker

As a kid, while riding down May Avenue in the family Metropolitan, I remember seeing the arrow head lit at night but not the shaft.

Prunepicker

Move it downtown or rebuild a new one downtown and maybe it'll get year round visitors. Oh wait...that sounds like another city. Humm. Maybe it would be a good addition with all the extra foot traffic from NBA games from a team from some city.

Just because it's called a Space Needle, doesn't make it anything like theirs. Moving it downtown is not a bad idea.

Move it downtown or rebuild a new one downtown and maybe it'll get year round visitors. Oh wait...that sounds like another city. Humm. Maybe it would be a good addition with all the extra foot traffic from NBA games from a team from some city.

So what, San Antonio has one, Dallas has something similar, Seattle, Toronto, Las Vegas, I think Berlin has a space needle too. Probably a few more cities I'm not thinking of as well.

I suggested we move it downtown years ago. Just paint it and spruce it up just a bit. Although it is small and not that extravagant, I think it would at least get year round tourism and become profitable as compared to the fairgrounds. Once it picks up ridership, we can raise money and seek donations to build a nicer, taller space needle or observation tower.

Yet another attraction we could have in Bricktown.

Here's a recent photo:

http://mysite.verizon.net/res17zef/spaceneedle.jpg

hmmm... never noticed it before, but looks like the tip of the space needle is a miniature throwback to the arrow it replaced. pretty cool! -M

How tall is that ride?

BTW - there is also one at SeaWorld Orlando and Tampa was planning to build one.