Rainier Vista, the central spine of the A-Y-P grounds as seen from this northwest view, extended north from the U.S. Government Building south to the South Gate and Street Car Terminal. Two secondary axes, Union and Washington, radiated out at 40 degree angles from the intersections of Rainier Avenue and the center of Geyser Basin. Only a few buildings were sited between Union and Washington Avenues, ensuring that the Douglas Fir-framed vistas were prominent. "The magnificent views of Mt. Rainier and other mountains and of Lake Union will…be by far the greatest features of the exposition and will be vividly remembered by most visitors when the best efforts of architects and landscape gardeners have been forgotten." (J.C. Olmsted, Alaska-Yukon Magazine, November 1906). ]]> Rainier Vista as seen from the upper levels of the U.S. Government Building. While it may seem obvious that the primary axis of the A-Y-P grounds would be aligned with Mt. Rainier, at 14410' tall, there was no precedent in the Olmsted or other American world's fairs legacies for doing so. Olmsted's decision to focus on distant views of Nature defined not only the University of Washington campus, but regional landscape architecture for the next century.]]> As Mount Rainier is only visible about one quarter of the year, it was often found penciled into the Olmsted photo albums (shown here much larger than it is). Just south of Geyser Basin were the Formal Gardens which contained over 50,000 plants, including 5000 roses. The University's rose garden now sits just north of the Drumheller Fountain.]]> The W-SW view down Washington Avenue toward Washington Circle. The Rainier, Washington, and Union axes were lined with benches, formal flower beds, and broad panels of grass. The buildings, from left to right, are Manufacturing, King County, and Machinery. Many large trees were cut so that Lake Washington would be visible from Geyser Basin.]]> The southwest view toward Lake Union in 1908 before the A-Y-P grounds were fully built out. The northern end of Union Vista is the darker triangle leading off to the left. Bagley Hall now occupies the site of the Agriculture Building.]]> Looking north across campus in 1924. The A-Y-P axes, pathways and circles served the campus for decades. The overall framework and spatial relationships developed by Olmsted remain to this day.]]>