Happy New Year from MOHAI! In Seattle’s early days, a trio of friends—Henry Yesler, Bailey Gatzert, and Moses Maddocks—helped shape the young city while also sharing a mischievous sense of humor. Each would go on to serve as mayor, but beyond politics, they were known for their camaraderie and love of practical jokes.
Yesler (1810–1892) was a pioneering lumberman who built Seattle’s first steam-powered sawmill in 1852 and served as mayor twice. Gatzert (1829–1893), who arrived in 1869 to manage the Schwabacher Brothers and Company hardware store, remains Seattle’s only Jewish mayor. Maddocks (1833–1919) came to Washington Territory as a logger before turning to real estate, briefly serving as mayor in 1873.
In 1871, the three friends began a playful tradition to ring in the New Year: doling out humorous greeting cards to their fellow Seattleites. Below, explore a few of these delightful New Year’s cards that capture the wit and warmth of Seattle’s earliest leaders.
