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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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1513 results for: City of Seattle

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Image of Beach shacks on waterfront, Seattle, 1903
Photograph

Beach shacks on waterfront, Seattle, 1903

Predating the settlement that became the city of Seattle, the Duwamish had an encampment with two longhouses situated along the north central waterfront, roughly at the intersection of present-day Bell Street and Alaskan Way. By around the 1860s, the longhouses were gone, leaving only modest beach structures. In the 1890s the waterfront from Pike Street north to Broad Street had…
ID Number:1980.6923.109
Date:1903
Image of Southwest view of Seattle after fire, July 1889
Photograph

Southwest view of Seattle after fire, July 1889

The Great Fire of June 6, 1889 was a significant turning point in Seattle's history and changed both the physical and political landscapes of the City, destroying 100 acres of Seattle's business district and waterfront. The city didn't take much time to mourn; most businesses decided to rebuild where they had been, and rebuilding began almost immediately, creating a building…
ID Number:1980.6923.118
Date:1889
Image of South-facing view of Seattle after fire, July 1889
Photograph

South-facing view of Seattle after fire, July 1889

The Great Fire of June 6, 1889 was a significant turning point in Seattle's history and changed both the physical and political landscapes of the City, destroying 100 acres of Seattle's business district and waterfront. The city didn't take much time to mourn; most businesses decided to rebuild where they had been, and rebuilding began almost immediately, creating a building…
ID Number:1980.6923.122
Date:1889
Image of Transit News, May, 1959
Serial

Transit News, May, 1959

The Seattle Transit System was created in 1940 to run the all-bus transit system for the City of Seattle. This department became part of Metro Transit in 1973, serving all of King County. This edition of the newsletter "Transit News" (Volume 2, number 9) covers funding and planning for the monorail, an appearance of bus operator James Wesselius on local…
ID Number:1980.6969.2.1
Date:1959
Image of Mayor-Elect George F. Cotterill dinner menu, Seattle, March 15, 1912
Ephemera

Mayor-Elect George F. Cotterill dinner menu, Seattle, March 15, 1912

George Cotterill was elected Mayor of Seattle in 1912, after working as Assistant City Engineer and holding other public offices. A dinner welcoming Cotterill and other elected city officials was hosted by the New Seattle Chamber of Commerce on March 15, 1912, at the New Washington Hotel. The menu lists the courses to be served at a dinner and is…
ID Number:1980.7025.3
Date:1912
Image of Buses in front of Pay 'n Save and Woolworth's, on Fourth Avenue, Seattle, 1967
Photograph

Buses in front of Pay 'n Save and Woolworth's, on Fourth Avenue, Seattle, 1967

This image shows two green and white Seattle city buses in front of a Pay 'n Save drugstore at the intersection of Pike Street and 4th Avenue, in the Joshua Green Building. An F.W. Woolworth five-and-dime store is partly visible at right. The buses are the number 2 to Madrona, and the number 14 to Summit Avenue.
ID Number:1980.7067.1.1.1
Date:1967
Image of Aerial view of Seattle, showing Grosvenor House, Seattle, circa 1967
Photograph

Aerial view of Seattle, showing Grosvenor House, Seattle, circa 1967

The end of World War II stimulated a huge demand for housing in Seattle. The modernist-style Grosvenor House, a large reinforced concrete apartment building designed by Earl W. Morrison, was built in the Belltown/Denny Triangle area of the city. Its 18 stories, with 370 units, housed some 1200 people. The base of the building occupied a full block. It had…
ID Number:1980.7067.1.18.1
Date:Circa 1967
Image of Businesses on Yesler Way near Occidental Ave S., 1967
Photograph

Businesses on Yesler Way near Occidental Ave S., 1967

This photograph, taken around 1967, shows the intersection of Yesler Way and Occidental Ave South. The building shown was originally named the Sanderson Block and it was constructed shortly after the Great Seattle Fire in 1889 to replace a wooden structure that had burned in the fire. It has been home to the Merchant's Cafe since opening in 1890, making…
ID Number:1980.7067.1.22.1
Date:1967
Image of Seattle High School Class of 1897
Photograph

Seattle High School Class of 1897

As the population of Seattle grew, so did the city's schools. The first school was called "Central School," a name that was applied to several different buildings as the original building was outgrown and a subsequent building burned down. In 1900, the older students of Seattle would have attended Seattle High School, located on the third floor of a building…
ID Number:1980.7070.47
Date:1897
Image of Men posing outside Jewel Saloon after Great Seattle Fire, June 1889
Photograph

Men posing outside Jewel Saloon after Great Seattle Fire, June 1889

The Great Fire of June 6, 1889 was a significant turning point in Seattle's history and changed both the physical and political landscapes of the City. The fire completely consumed 100 acres of Seattle's business district and waterfront. The city didn't take much time to mourn; most businesses decided to rebuild where they had been, and quickly set up tents…
ID Number:1980.7092.1
Date:1889
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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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