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Explore stories in Northwest history through highlights from MOHAI’s collections. Search by keyword below or browse the entire online collection by entering the asterisk symbol (*). Filter your search by type of materials.

Download lower resolution images directly from an item page. MOHAI offers high-resolution digital reproductions of photographs and other materials from our collections for personal and professional use.

We have many more items in our collections and not everything you see online is on view at the museum. We have additional materials online at the University of Washington’s Digital Collections.

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Image of Painting of the Seattle waterfront with Indigenous canoes by P.A. Morgan, ca. 1880

Painting of the Seattle waterfront with Indigenous canoes by P.A. Morgan, ca. 1880

This is a finely executed painting of the Seattle waterfront in the late 1800s. The artist, P.A. Morgan was active in Seattle at this time but is relatively unknown.
ID Number:1957.1281.2
Date:Circa 1880
Image of Framed photograph of Elisha P. Ferry, ca.1875

Framed photograph of Elisha P. Ferry, ca.1875

Elisha P. Ferry was the territorial governor of Washington from 1872-1880.
ID Number:1957.1284.4
Date:Circa 1875
Image of Fish club, 1900-1920

Fish club, 1900-1920

This fish club was carved and painted by an unknown local tribe, possibly for trade or other commercial use.
ID Number:1958.1581.2
Date:1900-1920
Image of Pieced quilt in sunflower pattern, ca. 1850

Pieced quilt in sunflower pattern, ca. 1850

The maker of this sunflower pattern quilt is unknown.
ID Number:1960.1837.4
Date:Circa 1850
Image of Pieced quilt with concentric six-point star, ca. 1860

Pieced quilt with concentric six-point star, ca. 1860

The maker of this quilt, featuring hundreds of diamond pattern shapes sewed together, is unknown.
ID Number:1960.1837.5
Date:Circa 1860
Image of Portrait of William H. Shoudy by unknown artist, ca. 1850-1900

Portrait of William H. Shoudy by unknown artist, ca. 1850-1900

William H. Shoudy was an early settler in Seattle, emigrating by covered wagon from Illinois in a party led by Thomas Mercer. Riding a wave of anti-Chinese sentiments that culminated in race riots, Shoudy was elected Mayor as representative of the People's Party in 1886. The People's Party supported the expulsion of all people of Chinese ancestry from Seattle, narrowly…
ID Number:1960.1854.1
Date:Circa 1850-1900
Image of Oil portrait of Henry Yesler by unknown artist, ca. 1850-1890

Oil portrait of Henry Yesler by unknown artist, ca. 1850-1890

On July 8, 1885, voters elected Henry Yesler (1810-1892) as mayor of the City of Seattle. Yesler had served a previous one-year term beginning in 1874. His total education consisted of a few years in a log-cabin school, but when he arrived in Seattle in 1852, he turned the place into a real town instead of a collection of a…
ID Number:1960.1924
Date:Circa 1850-1890
Image of Reversible bench used on a sailing ship, 1860-1890

Reversible bench used on a sailing ship, 1860-1890

Although it is unknown which ship this bench belonged to, the furniture piece has a noteworthy and unusual component. The bench has a swinging and alternating back which pivots on the two end seat rails. The back reversed when the ship changed tack and heeled the opposite way. Ben Wilcox, a member of the US Revenue Cutter Service since 1911…
ID Number:1960.2005.1
Date:1860-1890
Image of High school pennant,

High school pennant, "West Seattle," ca. 1920-1960

This West Seattle High School pennant (date unknown) displays the controversial former "mascot" of an Indian chief. The symbol of the school has since been changed to Wildcats.The appropriation of Indigenous culture as mascots, or to market products or events, are some common examples of discrimination and marginalization faced by Native peoples in the United States.
ID Number:1961.2427.1
Date:Circa 1920-1960
Image of Drawing of USS Decatur,

Drawing of USS Decatur, "Seattle-1855," by Hewitt Jackson, ca. 1961

Hewitt Jackson (1914-2007) was a seaman, marine draftsman, and artist. He is best known for his maritime drawings of ships that sailed the Puget Sound and Pacific Northwest. The MOHAI collection contains seven of Hewitt's works. This particular drawing features the USS Decatur which was an armed vessel anchored in Elliott Bay during the "Battle of Seattle" that took place…
ID Number:1961.2441.1
Date:1961
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MOHAI stands on the historic and contemporary lands and shores of the Duwamish, Suquamish, Muckleshoot, and other Coast Salish Nations. We acknowledge the forced displacement of Native Communities from this land while honoring the endurance of the Duwamish people who still live here.
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Phone: 206 324 1126
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