"The Space Needle is an observation tower in Seattle, Washington, United States. Considered to be an icon of the city, it has been designated a Seattle landmark. Located in the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood, it was built in the Seattle Center for the 1962 World's Fair, which drew over 2.3 million visitors. The Space Needle, built in 1962 was once the tallest structure west of the Mississippi River, standing at 605 ft (184 m). The tower is built to withstand winds of up to 200 mph (320 km/h) and earthquakes of up to 9.0 magnitude, as strong as the 1700 Cascadia earthquake. Visitors can reach the top of the Space Needle by elevators, which take 41 seconds. In 1999 the city's Landmarks Preservation Board designated the tower a historic landmark. "