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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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102 results for: Nowell, Frank H., 1864-1950

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Image of Launching of the Steamship
Photograph

Launching of the Steamship "Bellata," Seattle, April 17, 1918

Patterson-McDonald Shipbuilding Co. was founded during World War I by Adam Patterson and Alex M. McDonald. According to the Seattle Daily Times, the company went into bankruptcy in 1920 due to protracted legal battle with the Government of Australia over the cancellation of part of a contract to build nine steamships. The shipping company was also idle during the Seattle…
ID Number:1982.34.1
Date:1918
Image of South Park Fieldhouse and playground, Seattle, circa 1913
Postcard

South Park Fieldhouse and playground, Seattle, circa 1913

The South Park Fieldhouse was one of the first recreation buildings constructed by the Seattle Parks Department and served the diverse community of South Park. Dedicated in 1913, the field house contained a gym complete with lockers and showers, a social room, a crafts room, kitchen, and staff room. The ball field was used by a variety of sports organizations,…
ID Number:1982.156.6
Date:Circa 1913
Image of Steamer
Photograph

Steamer "Cutch" covered with ice, February 19, 1900

Any ships sailing Alaskan and Canadian waters in cold weather ran the risk of ice. This photo shows the steamer "Cutch" in Skagway harbor in February 1900. The "Cutch" made regular runs between Skagway and Dyea, Alaska, for the North American Transportation & Trading Company. Original title: Steamer Cutch Feb. 19, 1900Webster & Stevens number: 1948
ID Number:1983.10.13082
Date:1900
Image of Miner's home in winter quarters, Nome, circa 1905
Photograph

Miner's home in winter quarters, Nome, circa 1905

Winters were long and dark in Nome. Strong winds blew off the Bering Sea, and snowfalls sometimes buried small dwellings. Residents might be isolated in their homes for weeks at a time.This photo of a miner's dwelling nearly covered with snow was taken during the winter of 1905-06 by Seattle photographer Frank Nowell, who spent several years in the Nome…
ID Number:1983.10.13090
Date:Circa 1905
Image of A prospector, Nome, Alaska, circa 1905
Photograph

A prospector, Nome, Alaska, circa 1905

The mining in the Alaska gold rush was mainly surface mining. The gold had been washed away from its original location and had collected in river gravel and beach sand. Miners took a sample of sand or gravel, washed it in a pan to separate out any gold, and staked a claim if it looked like there might be more…
ID Number:1983.10.13102
Date:Circa 1905
Image of Prospector operating a rocker, Nome, 1904
Photograph

Prospector operating a rocker, Nome, 1904

In 1898, gold was found near Nome, Alaska, setting off a new stampede of fortune hunters. For the next decade or more, crowds of men, women, and children washed gravel and sand through rockers and other equipment, trying to find gold. Rockers were easily built and simple to operate. About $50 million in gold was removed from the Nome area…
ID Number:1983.10.13104
Date:1904
Image of Native Alaskan women and children, 1905
Photograph

Native Alaskan women and children, 1905

In the early years of the 20th century, Frank H. Nowell, a Seattle photographer, spent several years in the area around Nome, Alaska. He took many photographs of the region and its native inhabitants and sold the photos to tourists and residents alike.In this photo, taken on a summer day in 1905, a group of Alaska Native, likely Inupiat, women…
ID Number:1983.10.13110
Date:1905
Image of Reindeer, circa 1905
Photograph

Reindeer, circa 1905

Beginning in 1892, the United States government brought reindeer from Asia and Europe into Alaska as a new food source for the Native Peoples. The idea was to replace hunting with herding. Although the reindeer multiplied until the 1930s, the experiment was not a success. The imported reindeer had to be fenced, fed, and protected from predators. It made more…
ID Number:1983.10.13121
Date:Circa 1905
Image of A section of the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad, circa 1899
Photograph

A section of the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad, circa 1899

The trek over Chilkoot and White Passes was grueling at best, particularly since gold seekers had to carry a ton or more of food and supplies. In 1898, businessmen got together to build a railroad through White Pass. The terrain and weather made construction very difficult, but the line was completed as far as Lake Bennett in July 1899.This photo…
ID Number:1983.10.13124
Date:Circa 1899
Image of Golden Gate Store and Circulating Library, Alaska, 1905
Photograph

Golden Gate Store and Circulating Library, Alaska, 1905

In Alaska, many general stores still carry a little bit of everything, from thread and canned goods to boots and library books.This 1905 photo, taken during the Nome gold rush, shows an Alaskan Native man and boy sitting on the wooden sidewalk outside the Golden Gate Store. Baskets, furs, dolls, and other souvenirs cover the outside of the building. Even…
ID Number:1983.10.13147
Date:1905
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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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