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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.

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272 results for: Lake Union

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Image of View west on Boyer Avenue, Seattle, December 15, 1911
Photograph

View west on Boyer Avenue, Seattle, December 15, 1911

The Montlake neighborhood of Seattle has a rich history that dates back to its earliest settlement, where both Indigenous Peoples and European settlers acknowledged the significance of the region as a vital portage route for watercraft. This area, being the narrowest stretch of land between Lake Union and Lake Washington, naturally led early inhabitants to envision a future canal connecting…
ID Number:1952.146.1
Date:1911
Image of View west on Boyer Avenue, Seattle, March 15, 1913
Photograph

View west on Boyer Avenue, Seattle, March 15, 1913

The Montlake neighborhood of Seattle has a rich history that dates back to its earliest settlement, where both Indigenous Peoples and European settlers acknowledged the significance of the region as a vital portage route for watercraft. This area, being the narrowest stretch of land between Lake Union and Lake Washington, naturally led early inhabitants to envision a future canal connecting…
ID Number:1952.146.2
Date:1913
Image of View east on Boyer Avenue, Seattle, March 15, 1913
Photograph

View east on Boyer Avenue, Seattle, March 15, 1913

The Montlake neighborhood of Seattle has a rich history that dates back to its earliest settlement, where both Indigenous Peoples and European settlers acknowledged the significance of the region as a vital portage route for watercraft. This area, being the narrowest stretch of land between Lake Union and Lake Washington, naturally led early inhabitants to envision a future canal connecting…
ID Number:1952.146.3
Date:1913
Image of Boeing Model B1-E Flying Boat on Lake Union, April 15, 1929
Photograph

Boeing Model B1-E Flying Boat on Lake Union, April 15, 1929

The name "Pintail" is painted on the nose of this Boeing seaplane Model B1-E, and the letters CF-ABB on the body. The gas works on the north shore of Lake Union are visible in the distance. Embossed with Boeing logo. Stamped on verso with Boeing logo and "Off. Boeing Photo"Photographer's number: 2410-B
ID Number:1953.345.5
Date:1929
Image of Slo-Mo-Shun IV Gold Cup winner certificate, Seattle, June 2, 1956
Document

Slo-Mo-Shun IV Gold Cup winner certificate, Seattle, June 2, 1956

This hand-drawn certificate from the Union of International Motorboating (UIM) declares in both French and English that SLO-MO-SHUN IV, owned by Stanley Sayres and driven by Joe Taggart, won the Best Performance Gold Cup, Unlimited Class on August 7, 1955, during a 15-mile heat on Lake Washington. The boat's speed was recorded that day as 166 kilometers per hour. Stanley…
ID Number:1959.1701.c.1
Date:1956
Image of Canoe War during Junior Day event at University of Washington, circa 1910
Photograph

Canoe War during Junior Day event at University of Washington, circa 1910

The University of Washington crew teams hosted "Junior Day" events, held in the spring at the end of the season, and located on the shores of Lake Washington's Union Bay. Included in the water fun were log rolling and the canoe fights. Canoe war participants were given a ten foot pole and the object was to force your opponent out…
ID Number:1960.1821.59.1
Date:Circa 1910
Image of U.S. Naval Training Station view, circa 1918
Photograph

U.S. Naval Training Station view, circa 1918

In 1917, a committee from the University of Washington offered campus facilities to the United States Navy, which decided to build a temporary Naval Training Station on campus grounds along Portage Bay on Lake Union (near the area now occupied by the UW Health Sciences Center). The station was established on August 1, 1917, and before the camp closed in…
ID Number:1963.3000.1
Date:Circa 1918
Image of
Ephemera

"Location of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition" advertising card, circa 1909

Singer Sewing Machines, founded in 1851 in Boston, was the largest sewing machine manufacturer in the world by 1860. The company was known for its innovations in installment payment plans and early advertising, as well as creating international markets. Singer had a history of creating trading cards for world's expositions, including an international set of cards for the Columbian Exposition…
ID Number:1964.3317.1.1
Date:Circa 1909
Image of Washington Laundry building and delivery carriages, Seattle, 1910
Photograph

Washington Laundry building and delivery carriages, Seattle, 1910

Born in Tennessee, James Thomas Huff (1868-1924) moved to Seattle in 1894, finding work at the Seattle Laundry. In 1904, he established his own laundry business, Washington Laundry, at 1165 Eastlake Avenue on Lake Union.In this image Mr. Huff stands next to his Winton automobile in front of Washington Laundry. The laundry delivery drivers with their horses and wagons are…
ID Number:1969.4602.2
Date:1910
Image of Helene Madison's American record certificate, September 12, 1931
Document

Helene Madison's American record certificate, September 12, 1931

Helene Emma Madison started swimming at Green Lake in Seattle when she was 12 years old. At 19, she swept the women's freestyle swimming events in the 1932 Olympics. That year, she held all 16 women's world freestyle records, 56 American awards, and was the first woman to swim the 100-yard freestyle in one minute flat. Unfortunately she was unable…
ID Number:1970.5051.95.2
Date:1931
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Land Acknowledgement

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.
Address: 860 Terry Ave N, Seattle WA, 98109
Phone: 206 324 1126
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