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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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593 results for: Maritime

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Image of Steamship
Photograph

Steamship "Northwestern" in dry dock, circa 1928

When a ship needs repairs to its hull, rudder, or propeller, it is floated into a shipyard dry dock. The dry dock is then closed and the water is pumped out so that workmen can reach the underside of the ship without getting wet. This photo, taken around 1928, shows the steamship "Northwestern" in a Seattle dry dock. Workmen stand…
ID Number:1983.10.3942
Date:Circa 1928
Image of Whaleboats at Bellevue, circa 1922
Photograph

Whaleboats at Bellevue, circa 1922

From the 1920s to 1940, the ships of the American Pacific Whaling Company wintered in Bellevue, Washington. While there, the company made repairs to the ships and equipment and got them ready for the next Alaska whaling season. In 1940, the docks were turned over to the United States Coast Guard for a repair base.This photo, probably taken in the…
ID Number:1983.10.3974
Date:Circa 1922
Image of Man with harpoon cannon, Bellevue, circa 1925
Photograph

Man with harpoon cannon, Bellevue, circa 1925

From the 1920s to 1940, the ships of the American Pacific Whaling Company spent each winter in Bellevue. During the winter, the company made repairs to the ships and equipment and got them ready for the next Alaska whaling season. This photo shows a man checking out the harpoon cannon on the bow of the Westport. The vessel was part…
ID Number:1983.10.3975
Date:Circa 1925
Image of Steamship
Photograph

Steamship "Princess Kathleen" at the B.C. Steamship Company wharf, August 15, 1930

By the early 1930s, Seattle's waterfront near Lenora Street had roadways and parking areas on wooden trestles. Ships in the Canadian trade docked in this area. This 1930 photo shows the B.C. Coast Steamship Company's "Princess Kathleen" (right) at the Lenora Street Pier. The vessel carried passengers between Victoria, Vancouver, and Seattle. The "Border King" (left) carried general freight between…
ID Number:1983.10.4177.1
Date:1930
Image of Schooner C.S. Holmes at anchor, Seattle, April 15, 1930
Photograph

Schooner C.S. Holmes at anchor, Seattle, April 15, 1930

The four-masted schooner C.S. Holmes, shown here anchored in Seattle, was a cod ship that operated in the Bering Sea and Alaskan coast. Handwritten on sleeve: Schr. C.S. Holmes at Anchor 4/15/30.Photographer's Reference Number: 135057Caption information source: "Puget Sound's Cod Schooners," by Walt Crowley, HistoryLink.org Essay 3695
ID Number:1983.10.4225
Date:1930
Image of Smith Cove terminals, Seattle, February 21, 1931
Photograph

Smith Cove terminals, Seattle, February 21, 1931

Originally home to a village of the Duwamish people, the area that became known as Smith Cove was settled by European Americans in the 1850s. Doctor, farmer, and territorial legislator Henry Smith (1830-1915) received a land claim of 160 acres on the deep water cove on the north side of Elliott Bay in 1853. Smith Cove, just south of what…
ID Number:1983.10.4369.1
Date:1931
Image of Atlantic Street piers, Seattle, circa 1932
Photograph

Atlantic Street piers, Seattle, circa 1932

This aerial view features docks that were owned by the Port of Seattle and utilized by shipping companies. Handwritten on sleeve: Port of Seattle Atlantic Street docks A-B from street.Photographer's Reference Number: 138570
ID Number:1983.10.4392.1
Date:Circa 1932
Image of Steamship
Photograph

Steamship "Santa Rosa" arriving on maiden voyage, December 18, 1932

In the 1930s, the "Santa Rosa" was one of the most modern ships to visit northwest ports. It carried passengers and freight from Seattle through the Panama Canal and on to New York City, with many stops along the way. The ship's dining rooms had sliding roofs so that passengers could dine under the stars in the tropics. This 1932…
ID Number:1983.10.4418.5
Date:1932
Image of Finnish community at Smith Cove, August 2, 1935
Photograph

Finnish community at Smith Cove, August 2, 1935

Until the late 1930s or 1940s, a small community made up mainly of Finns lived near Smith Cove, north of downtown Seattle. They owned their one and two story homes, but the Great Northern Railway owned the land. Many residents worked in the logging, fishing, and railroad industries. A former resident remembers swimming with other children in the waves made…
ID Number:1983.10.4536.3
Date:1935
Image of Seattle Yacht Club in Portage Bay, Seattle, July 17, 1936
Photograph

Seattle Yacht Club in Portage Bay, Seattle, July 17, 1936

The Seattle Yacht Club had its first home in West Seattle. After the Lake Washington Ship Canal opened in 1919, the club built new facilities in Montlake, on Portage Bay. This gave members a sheltered place to keep their boats and access to both Lake Washington and Puget Sound. The fresh water of Portage Bay also kept destructive barnacles from…
ID Number:1983.10.4561.1
Date:1936
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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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