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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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410 results for: Urban Planning

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Image of Smith Tower, Seattle, circa 1928
Photograph

Smith Tower, Seattle, circa 1928

Though no longer the tallest building in Seattle, the 42-story L. C. Smith Building remains a city landmark. Construction took four years at an estimated cost of $1,500,000. Handwritten on sleeve: 2nd Avenue Extension from NorthPhotographer's Reference Number: 129719
ID Number:1983.10.3508.1
Date:Circa 1928
Image of Fourth and Pike Building, October 9, 1928
Photograph

Fourth and Pike Building, October 9, 1928

Downtown Seattle still has a number of older buildings which are surfaced in terra cotta tile. This building material was particularly popular in the 1920s. It was inexpensive and easy to cast in many colors, shapes, and designs. This picture, taken in the fall of 1928, shows the tile-covered Fourth & Pike Building at its busy downtown intersection. At that…
ID Number:1983.10.3568
Date:1928
Image of Old and new styles of downtown office buildings, circa 1928
Photograph

Old and new styles of downtown office buildings, circa 1928

By the end of the 1920s, Seattle's Third Avenue had a mix of building styles. The new Northern Life Tower, now the Seattle Tower, stands next to the older Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Building. The designers said that the Tower's shape and color were inspired by the mountains and rock formations of the Pacific Northwest. The building's strong vertical lines…
ID Number:1983.10.3605.1
Date:Circa 1928
Image of Olympic Hotel addition under construction, Seattle, March 30, 1929
Photograph

Olympic Hotel addition under construction, Seattle, March 30, 1929

Seattle's Olympic Hotel is still a downtown landmark. It was built from steel, brick, concrete, and terra cotta. Like many taller city buildings, the decoration on the lower floors is much more detailed than that on the upper floors. The elegance of the lower floors was meant to attract people at street level. Handwritten on sleeve: John L. Wick -…
ID Number:1983.10.3661
Date:1929
Image of Exchange Building under construction, Seattle, May 1, 1929
Photograph

Exchange Building under construction, Seattle, May 1, 1929

The Exchange Building is one of several Art Deco office buildings in Seattle. It was designed as a home for stock and commodity exchanges. The Exchange Building was the last large downtown building built before the Depression of the 1930s hit the city. It was Seattle business district's tallest building until after World War II ended in 1945. Signs in…
ID Number:1983.10.3691.1
Date:1929
Image of Volunteer Park conservatory interior, Seattle, circa 1928

Volunteer Park conservatory interior, Seattle, circa 1928

The Volunteer Park Conservatory was completed in 1912 and opened in 1913, part of the Olmsted Brothers design for the park in Capitol Hill. Handwritten on sleeve: Vol. Park Green House Int.Photographer's Reference Number: 128650Caption information source: "Volunteer Park Conservatory nears completion on September 22, 1912," by Colleen E. O'Connor, HistoryLink.org Essay 10618
ID Number:1983.10.3935.3
Date:Circa 1928
Image of Aurora Bridge abutments, circa 1931
Photograph

Aurora Bridge abutments, circa 1931

The Aurora Bridge stretches across the Lake Washington Ship Canal. The route of its approach road from the north was controversial. In spite of opposition, the road was build through the Aurora neighborhood and Woodland Park. This photo, taken about 1931, shows the supports of the Aurora Bridge under construction. Logs float near the lumber mill at the base of…
ID Number:1983.10.4971.70
Date:Circa 1931
Image of Aurora Bridge under construction, circa 1931
Photograph

Aurora Bridge under construction, circa 1931

The George Washington Memorial Bridge was Seattle's first high-level bridge. Before the bridge opened in 1932, cars and trucks had to wait while smaller bridges opened and closed to let ship traffic move along the Lake Washington Ship Canal. Because the new bridge carries Aurora Avenue across the canal, most people started calling it the Aurora Bridge.In this photo, probably…
ID Number:1983.10.4971.72
Date:Circa 1931
Image of Denny Clay Company buildings, circa 1911
Photograph

Denny Clay Company buildings, circa 1911

By 1910, the Denny-Renton Clay and Coal Company was one of Renton's most important businesses. Company workers removed the clay from nearby cliffs using high pressure hoses. Other laborers formed and baked the clay into bricks, sewer tile, terra cotta, and other building materials. By 1917, the Denny-Renton Clay Company was reportedly the world's largest producer of street paving brick.…
ID Number:1983.10.6573.2
Date:Circa 1911
Image of Northern Pacific railroad bridge, circa 1910
Photograph

Northern Pacific railroad bridge, circa 1910

In about 1910, the Northern Pacific Railroad built a bascule bridge in one of its railroad trestles. In this kind of bridge, a large weight is used as a counterbalance. When the weight is pulled downwards, the span of the bridge tilts upwards so that boats can pass underneath.In this photo, scaffolding supports the large weight while the railroad bridge…
ID Number:1983.10.6724
Date:Circa 1910
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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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