Here at Crosscut, we've gone a bit hot and cold on Seattle's beloved Space Needle. We've paid homage to its architecture, reported on declining restaurant sales, and questioned why its owners wanted to spend their time building an adjacent museum filled with the works of glass artist Dale Chihuly.
And as the Needle begins a yearlong celebration of its 50th anniversary, our connection to the futuristic icon of the city's skyline is adding a new dimension: Crosscut's most prolific writer and columnist, Knute "Mossback" Berger, has been hired to write the official history of the Needle.
As a World's Fair aficionado and history buff, Berger is the perfect guy for the job. But this item is less about bragging or congratulating Mossback than it is a straight-up disclosure that we'll be keeping Berger off any news that may arise from the Space Needle beat for awhile.
During his time as Needle "Writer in Residence," Berger will continue to write for Crosscut. He will likely even spin off stories he finds while digging through archives from Seattle's mid-20th Century. But he won't write directly about the Needle or the Wright family, which owns it. And we'll disclose on his stories and our Mossback page his new relationship.
The Needle's history is rich with characters and cool images, as well. We, and the city, will look forward to whatever Berger's research uncovers.
