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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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256 results for: Politics and Politicians

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Image of Mayor Bertha Landes and newspaper boy, Seattle, circa 1927
Photograph

Mayor Bertha Landes and newspaper boy, Seattle, circa 1927

Bertha Ethel Knight Landes (1868-1943) was the first female mayor of a major American city, serving as mayor of Seattle from 1926 to 1928. Landes vowed to clean up city government, running for mayor on the platform of "municipal housekeeping." She served only one term as mayor but remained a civic leader in such organizations as the Women's University Club,…
ID Number:1974.5855.30
Date:Circa 1927
Image of Mayor Bertha Landes and Mae Murray, Seattle, November 1927
Photograph

Mayor Bertha Landes and Mae Murray, Seattle, November 1927

Bertha Ethel Knight Landes (1868-1943) was the first female mayor of a major American city, serving as mayor of Seattle from 1926 to 1928. Landes vowed to clean up city government, running for mayor on the platform of "municipal housekeeping." She served only one term as mayor but remained a civic leader in such organizations as the Women's University Club,…
ID Number:1974.5855.31
Date:1927
Image of Mayor Landes and Marie of Romania, Seattle, November 4, 1926
Photograph

Mayor Landes and Marie of Romania, Seattle, November 4, 1926

Bertha Ethel Knight Landes (1868-1943) was the first female mayor of a major American city, serving as mayor of Seattle from 1926 to 1928. Bertha vowed to clean up city government, running for mayor on the platform of "municipal housekeeping." She served only one term as mayor but remained a civic leader in such organizations as the Women's University Club,…
ID Number:1974.5855.34
Date:1926
Image of A. Scott Bullitt, Seattle, circa 1925
Photograph

A. Scott Bullitt, Seattle, circa 1925

A. Scott Bullitt was a member of a prominent Kentucky family, a Princeton graduate and a lawyer who transplanted to Seattle. In 1918 he married Dorothy Stimson, a young woman from a wealthy Seattle family. He was passionate about politics and, unlike his in-laws the Stimsons, he was a Democrat. He organized the Democratic party in Washington state and ran…
ID Number:1974.5923.48
Date:Circa 1925
Image of Janet Tourtelotte, Seattle, circa 1928
Photograph

Janet Tourtelotte, Seattle, circa 1928

Janet Tourtelotte was involved in Republican politics, and in 1928 was a national committee person for Washington state. This portrait of her is part of a collection from McBride and Anderson photographers.Born in 1863, Ella McBride began working in the photography field in 1909 when she managed the Edward Curtis Studio. She opened her own studio in 1917 with Wayne…
ID Number:1974.5923.77
Date:Circa 1928
Image of Bertha Knight Landes, Seattle, circa 1925
Photograph

Bertha Knight Landes, Seattle, circa 1925

In 1926, Bertha Knight Landes was the first woman to be elected mayor of a major American city when she became mayor of Seattle. She vowed to clean up city government, running on the platform of "municipal housekeeping." She served only one term as mayor but remained a civic leader in such organizations as the Women's University Club, the Woman's…
ID Number:1974.5923.102
Date:Circa 1925
Image of Puget Power & Light payment to King County Sheriff Matt Starwich, Seattle, circa 1924
Photograph

Puget Power & Light payment to King County Sheriff Matt Starwich, Seattle, circa 1924

This image documents a payment from Puget Power and Light to King County Sherriff Matt Starwich. Above is a reproduction of a Puget Power and Light check for over $655,000 made out to Starwich signed by Puget Power and Light President A.W. Leonard. The photo below shows Starwich accepting the check.The mock up is part of a collection from McBride…
ID Number:1974.5923.181
Date:Circa 1924
Image of Dixy Lee Rag, 1980
Music, notated

Dixy Lee Rag, 1980

Tacoma-born Dixy Lee Ray (1914-1994) held many prestigious posts in Washington State: first woman on the Atomic Energy Commission, director of the Pacific Science Center, and longtime University of Washington professor. A political novice, Ms. Ray served as Washington's first female governor from 1977-1981, gaining popularity as an outsider and a non-politician. Her blunt style won her as many enemies…
ID Number:1979.6775.12a
Date:1980
Image of Voters' Register Book, First Precinct, First Ward, Seattle, 1892
Book

Voters' Register Book, First Precinct, First Ward, Seattle, 1892

Several months after gaining statehood in 1889, Washington legislators passed an “act to provide for and to regulate the registration of voters in cities.” This act required Washington State electors living in cities with populations over 250 to annually register to vote in that year’s elections. A required “Notice to Register” ran in newspapers for 10 days at the beginning…
ID Number:1979.6833.1
Date:1892
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
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