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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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316 results for: Recreation

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Image of Campers at Lake Washington, 1900
Photograph

Campers at Lake Washington, 1900

Some of the parks on Seattle's Lake Washington provided platforms for tent camping. City dwellers could escape to the woods and spend the warm summer days and nights by the lakeshore.This photo, taken by Anders Wilse for the Seattle Photo Company, shows a shady campsite by the shores of Lake Washington. A canoe and several other small boats are hauled…
ID Number:Lib1988.33.100
Date:1900
Image of Entrance to Woodland Park, Seattle, circa 1898
Photograph

Entrance to Woodland Park, Seattle, circa 1898

Guy Phinney developed Woodland Park during the 1890s. The park had gardens, a zoo, a large greenhouse, and many miles of winding paths through the woods. At that time, Woodland Park included Green Lake. Caption on image: Woodland Park Seattle. Wilse, SeattlePhotographer's Reference Number: 950
ID Number:Lib1988.33.105
Date:Circa 1898
Image of Entrance to Woodland Park, Seattle, circa 1900
Photograph

Entrance to Woodland Park, Seattle, circa 1900

Guy Phinney developed Woodland Park during the 1890s. The park had gardens, a zoo, a large greenhouse, and many miles of winding paths through the woods. At that time, Woodland Park included Green Lake. Caption on image: S.P.Co.Photographer's Reference Number: 1435
ID Number:Lib1988.33.111
Date:Circa 1900
Image of Kinnear Park, Seattle, circa 1898
Photograph

Kinnear Park, Seattle, circa 1898

Kinnear Park is located on the southwest slope of Queen Anne Hill, near Smith Cove. In 1889, George Kinnear gave the park to the City of Seattle for one dollar. Over the next ten or so years, the city built paths and flower beds, and added seats and a pavilion. Landslides plagued the lower part of the park until the…
ID Number:Lib1988.33.229
Date:Circa 1898
Image of Magnolia Bluff bicycle path, Seattle, circa 1898
Photograph

Magnolia Bluff bicycle path, Seattle, circa 1898

Caption on image: Magnolia Bluff Bicycle Path. Wilse.Photographer's Reference Number: 490
ID Number:Lib1988.33.239
Date:Circa 1898
Image of Men posing in ravine at Ravenna Park, Seattle, circa 1900
Photograph

Men posing in ravine at Ravenna Park, Seattle, circa 1900

Ravenna Park, one of Seattle's oldest, was among the few areas that escaped the logger's ax in the late 1800s and thus preserved stunning examples of giant old-growth Douglas Firs. Centered around a steep ravine just north of the University District, the park opened in 1887 as a privately operated destination called Ravenna Springs Park. It featured nature trails and…
ID Number:Lib1991.5.18
Date:Circa 1900
Image of Men leaning on big tree at Ravenna Park, Seattle, circa 1900
Photograph

Men leaning on big tree at Ravenna Park, Seattle, circa 1900

Ravenna Park, one of Seattle's oldest, was among the few areas that escaped the logger's ax in the late 1800s and thus preserved stunning examples of giant old-growth Douglas Firs. Centered around a steep ravine just north of the University District, the park opened in 1887 as a privately operated destination called Ravenna Springs Park. It featured nature trails and…
ID Number:Lib1991.5.32
Date:Circa 1900
Image of Two couples on gliders at Madrona Park, Seattle, circa 1895
Photograph

Two couples on gliders at Madrona Park, Seattle, circa 1895

The first three parks along the west shore of Seattle's Lake Washington--Madison, Leschi and Madrona--originated in the early 1890s as marketable retreats by street railway companies, who also owned nearby lots they sold to the huge influx of people to the city after the Great Fire of 1889. The parks featured attractions like dance halls, promenades, canoes for hire, nature…
ID Number:Lib1991.5.70
Date:Circa 1895
Image of View of miniature railway at Madison Park, Seattle, circa 1910
Photograph

View of miniature railway at Madison Park, Seattle, circa 1910

An amusement park known as White City operated in Madison Park between 1910 and 1912. One of its attractions was a miniature train called the Lake Shore Railway, enjoyed by children and adults alike. The brothers Clarence and Otto Langstaff were prolific amateur photographers in Seattle. Clarence worked as a carpenter and also spent time at Mt. Rainier as a…
ID Number:Lib1993.8.2
Date:Circa 1910
Image of Children on log, Woodland Park, Seattle, circa 1904
Photograph

Children on log, Woodland Park, Seattle, circa 1904

Woodland Park, acquired by the City of Seattle in 1899, had many miles of trees and unpaved roads and paths. In this photo, a group of young people pose on a log that has fallen across the roadway. Woodland Park was a favorite setting for family photographs in the early twentieth century. The brothers Clarence and Otto Langstaff were prolific…
ID Number:Lib1993.8.28
Date:Circa 1904
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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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