Prohibition in Washington State went into effect 110 years ago this year, outlawing the manufacture and sale of liquor across the state. The business of regulating alcohol had been a concern of Seattle city government since the city’s incorporation in 1869, when the very first ordinance passed was to establish… [ Keep reading ]
In 1962, Wing Luke became the first person of color elected to Seattle City Council and the first Asian American elected to public office in King County. Born in China, Luke moved to Seattle as a young child and attended Roosevelt High School where he was student body president. After… [ Keep reading ]
Neighbor Appreciation Day started in Seattle in 1995 as an opportunity to recognize caring neighbors and help all neighbors to get to know each other. Over the past 31 years, the annual event – now called Neighbor Day – has continued to encourage community connections, with many neighborhoods participating through… [ Keep reading ]
In 1982, plans moved forward to install two 50-foot red cedar totem poles in Market Park (now Victor Steinbrueck Park), adjacent to Pike Place Market. SMA’s Market Park Totem Poles Photograph Collection (Record Series 5801-09) includes 125 photographs documenting the carving, finishing, painting, transport, and installation of the poles in… [ Keep reading ]
Happy National Poetry Month! Not so very long ago, poetry readings were a regular event at some City Council committee meetings. Soon after he took office in 1998, Councilmember Nick Licata began holding a series of poetry readings at his committee meetings related to the arts, establishing the nation’s only… [ Keep reading ]
Here at SMA we hold many different kinds of records: textual records, photographic materials, drawings, posters, maps, and audiovisual materials – that is, film, video, and audio recordings. These recordings exist in both analog and born-digital formats, each with their own needs and challenges for preservation and access. For example,… [ Keep reading ]
Drawn in 1926, the Porter Map of Seattle is a large wall map covering the entire city. It’s impressively detailed, with keys describing public buildings, road types and grades, street designations, and churches according to denomination. The author is shown as Mrs. Florence Porter. The name was unfamiliar to us,… [ Keep reading ]
Are you curious about the history of your Seattle neighborhood? Our series of online guides featuring resources in the archives by City Council district is a great place to start! Structured around the themes of Early Records, Parks and Recreation, Infrastructure and Public Works, Neighborhood Development and Community Services, and… [ Keep reading ]
Founded in 1970, Seattle’s Black Academy of Music (BAM) provided music instruction, visiting artist events, performances, and festivals that emphasized the importance of Black music, history, and culture. Led by local jazz icon Joe Brazil, BAM was a groundbreaking community arts organization that influenced and supported countless local (and beyond)… [ Keep reading ]
Happy National Handwriting Day! SMA holds many handwritten records, from individual letters and petitions to large, heavy volumes documenting official actions and reports. All of them give us valuable insights into the workings of city government over time and the issues that were important to Seattle. We’ve recently digitized two… [ Keep reading ]
