In 1983, the National Press Photographers Association sponsored a documentary project called "Day in the Life of Washington: September 23, 1983." Photographers from the NPAA, the American Society of Magazine Photographers, and freelancers participated in the 24-hour "Dayshoot," recording the ordinary occurrences of everyday life that might take on larger significance in a historical perspective. One hundred twenty of the photographs were shown in an exhibit at MOHAI in 1984, and a book, "One Day in Washington," was published in 1985 by Madrona Publishers.
This image was taken as trucker Ted De Coster cleans the windshield of his big rig at the Hat 'n' Boots Gas Stop in the Georgetown neighborhood of Seattle. The hat and boots buildings, seen here in the background, are iconic examples of mid-century roadside Pop Art. Designed in 1953 by Seattle artist Lewis Masmyth for developer Buford Seals, they were part of a cowboy-themed gas station named "Premium Tex." The orange hat, 19 feet tall and 44 feet wide, sheltered the station office; the boots were Cowboys and Cowgirls bathrooms. To preserve the iconic buildings, the City of Seattle moved the Hat 'n' Boots to the new Oxbow Park in December 2003.
Caption information source: The Seattle Times, November 4, 1984, page 347 Caption information also derived from captions written by photographers and attached to the back of the photograph.
