VintageSeattle.org

The next time someone in your family gives you a hard time for slamming down yet another cold one, go ahead and tell them this: “There’s new vigor and strength in every drop!” That’s the message this vintage ad is trying to get across in a 1900 issue of The Argus. It comes from the Seattle Brewing & Malting Company’s Rainier Beer and gives a nice example of the packaging of the era. If you haven’t yet seen my feature of the Rainier Cold Storage complex where this libation was brewed, check out Part 1 and Part 2. Click on the image for a full-res version.

Seattle Brewing & Malting Company. Rainier Beer. “There’s new vigor and strength in every drop.” The Argus, 1900.

It’s time to share another vintage postcard from the Vintage Seattle archives (which is actually just a few Ziploc bags over in the corner). This one comes from 1920 and shows the White-Henry and Cobb Buildings which were located on 4th and University. The White-Henry-Stuart buildings were all torn down in the 1970’s to make way for the hideous Rainier Square Tower. Luckily, the Cobb still stands and was just converted into apartments last year. I’m going to do my best to decipher the handwriting, but please feel free to correct my mistakes in the comments. And don’t forget to click on the images of the postcards to get a closer look.

Front: White-Henry And Cobb Buildings. Metropolitan Building Co. Seattle.

Back: Postcard sent November, 1920 to John Eggleston of the Mercantile Co. in St. Joseph, Mo.

Baseball season may be long gone and our hearts still full of bitter disappointment, but there’s always our ‘79 Mariners. So let’s indulge in some M’s nostalgia, shall we? Like the 1980 season, they didn’t fair all that well — winning 67 games and losing 95. On display here are a few scans from the one dollar 1979 souvenir program. You’ll recognize your favorite players — among them the one and only Mario Mendoza once again. Click on the images for larger versions. Blast! Now I’m hungry for a red hot. P.S. I gave the Vintage Seattle site design a spitshine. Here’s the old vs new. Thumbs up / thumbs down?

Front cover. 1979 Mariners Official Program & Souvenir Magazine. $1.00.	Page 15. Leon Roberts, Larry Cox, Shane Rawley, Bob Stinson, Larry Milbourne, Mario Mendoza.
Page 16. Floyd Bannister, Ruppert Jones, Willie Horton, John Hale, John Montague, Kevin Pasley.	Page 17. Julio Cruz, Glenn Abbott, Dan Meyer, Juan Bernhardt, Paul Mitchell, Odell Jones.
Page 18. Bruce Bochte, Byron McLaughlin, Jim Colborn, Rick Honeycutt, Tom Paciorek, Mike Parrott.	Page 19. Bill Stein, Rafael Vasquez, Bill Plummer, Mike Potter, Greg Biercevicz, Charlie Beamon.

As the first term of Greg Nickels slowly winds to a close, let’s look back 80+ years to the short tenure of Seattle Mayor Ole Hanson (1874-1940). Though mayor for just two years, Hanson is one of the most well known in the long line of Seattle mayors mostly because of his involvement in the Seattle General Strike of 1919. This was one of the first and most significant strikes in the United States. Known for his fiery rhetoric, he came out on the offensive in the Seattle newspapers: “The time has come for every person in Seattle to show his Americanism. Go about your daily duties without fear. We will see to it that you have food, transportation, water, light, gas, and all necessities. The anarchists in this community shall not rule its affairs. All persons violating the laws will be dealt with summarily.” In just days the strike was over and Hanson had become somewhat of a national celebrity. Whether he deserved the credit for the end of the strike or not, Hanson remains one of Seattle’s political icons. Here is his 1919-era portrait. Notice the name of the portrait studio (Martin, Spokane) has been “photoshopped” out. Click on the image for a high-res version.

Mayor of Seattle Ole Hanson, head-and-shoulders portrait, facing slightly left. Martin, Spokane. Circa 1919. Image courtesy Library of Congress, U.S. Copyright Office.

Today I want to take a look at one of Pioneer Square’s industrial relics that has been making headlines recently: the historic Seattle Plumbing Building. This striking nearly-triangular brick building was built in 1903 and originally housed the Duncan, Carrigan and Hayden Company. In 1916, the entire building was devoted to the Seattle Plumbing Company — hence the name. The site is currently slated to become the Stadium Lofts condo conversion with Nitze-Stagen & Co. and Historic Seattle partnering up to make it happen. They have promised that “wherever possible, historical elements, such as the original window and door openings, will be retained” and “railroad tracks that were once used inside the warehouse to unload passing cars are being preserved.” However, opponents of the plan for the new condo have not been happy about the proposed addition of a 4th floor of lofts sitting atop the old structure. Check out the original rendering vs the updated version to see what I mean. Regardless of how you come down on this issue of where to draw the line when it comes to adaptive re-use, let’s take a look at the building as it stands today. You won’t be able to see it in its original form for long, so check it out in person after a sports game if you can. Click on the images for high-res copies of the photos.

The south face of the Seattle Plumbing Building, and what a small face it is. It is not known who the architect for the building was.	The west face of the building. After the fire of 1889, many buildings in the downtown area were built with brick and stone.
A few steps to the right showing the south and east faces of the building. Qwest field and parking lot are just to the right of this.	In this photograph you can see Qwest field looming over the venerable old building.
The west face of the building as viewed from under the Alaskan Way Viaduct.	Once again shot from under the Viaduct, showing the adjoining building to the north.
Alternate view of the west side of the building. To the left of the building ran Railroad Avenue.	A head on shot of the west face of the building. Notice the double-hung sash on the second floor. You can also make out the ghost sign: “Seattle Plumbing Supply.”
The east face of the building complete with ghost sign, this time harder to make out. The original cornice of the building is long gone.	This loading bay along Occidental Ave is currently used as a storage entrance.
Alternate view of the loading bay. Each windows is grounded with a stone sill.	Close-up of the 1st floor windows and weathered brick.
Further south you will find another loading bay and more boarded up windows. Original railroad tracks remain.	Another view of the west side of the building. You can see some in-filled windows and bays. Most railroad tracks from this street have been removed.
A look inside the east loading bay reveals original wood timbers, car decking, and white painted brick.	Turning left you can see a storage loft area. These interiors are about to become an altogether different type of loft.

As you’re making your way back home across the state from family’s house, I hope you’re seeing scenery like this. This is a 1940’s era linen postcard showing Mount Rainier from Pacific Highway. Find the text from the unknown writer below and click on the images to inspect. Didi, how many miles did you travel for turkey dinner?

Front: 329: Mount Rainier From Pacific Highway, Washington.

Back: C.P. Johnston Co., Seattle, Washington.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! And if you’re not from the US, happy day! Hopefully you’ve already enjoyed your turkey (or tofurkey) dinner and are settling in, unbuckling the belt, ready to appreciate some Seattle nostalgia. In that case, today’s undated vintage ad features Gardner’s Pepsin Chewing Gum from The Consolidated Chicle Company of Seattle, most likely from the early 1900’s. President Joseph Gardner is right there front and center looking serious. In the late 1800’s, pepsin was used as a digestive aid and was soon also used in chewing gum for the same reason. Check out this turn-of-the-century Beeman’s ad from National Geographic. Perhaps you too could use some pepsin gum with all that tofurkey needing to be digested. Or maybe not. Click on the image for a larger view.

Gardner’s Pepsin Chewing Gum. The Consolidated Chicle Company. Seattle, Washington.

It’s now on to Part 2 of our look at the historic Victorian now for sale at 2819 Franklin Ave. If you missed the first part of the feature, click here to explore the history of the home. Today we’re going to look at the architectural significance of this historic 1895 property. Right now the home is selling for $950,000 with 2,457 square feet of livable space and a 5,500 square foot lot. It was granted historic status by the city in 1983 and once you view these pictures, you will see why. Now the real estate cliche with older homes is that they’ve been “lovingly restored and preserved” but with this home it happens to be true. Current owners and sellers Anne Fisher and Lynn Howell have painstakingly matched the bargeboards, molding, other millwork, etc with the original architectural details. When I spoke with Anne I could tell that she was very serious and passionate about getting the historic details right. Let’s have a closer look at the state of the home today. Click on the images for a high-res version of the photograph. Once again, I’d like to thank Anne Fisher for the tour as well as Larry Wilcynski and Edward Krigsman of ek Real Estate Group. Enjoy.

Establishing shot of the front of the home. The bargeboards missing from the 1980 photograph have been matched exactly and replaced. The leaves in the upper left are from the same laurel tree as the 1928 photo.	An alternate view of the front of the home, moving just to the left. The wrap-around porch’s decorative elements have also been historically matched and kept up.
The west facing back of the home. This siding, a remnent from a 1960’s update, is one of the few elements not in keeping with the original character of the home. You can see where the sun porch was added onto the original section of the house.	The back yard has a garden, a detached garage, as well as two additional parking spaces. The grounds are lush and well maintained. Since the zoning for the property is L2, the current owners explored the possibility of building a second structure behind the house.
This sun porch was designed by Cora Robinson and added to the kitchen, though a wall originally separated the two. On this porch, Cora and her brother were said to use their drafting boards side by side. Also notice the original built-in cabinetry.	Opposite angle of the kitchen area. The white custom cabinets were made to match the original built-ins. Tasteful wainscoting surrounds.
Looking outside from the front reception room. A number of the original 1895 glass windows still remain in the home. As with most Queen Anne style houses, the extra large windows let in a lot of natural light.	Opposite view of the reception room. You can see the original fir wood flooring that has been refinished. Most of the molding is original and in good condition.
This upstairs bathroom features an original claw-foot tub and (of course) my favorite, hex-tile.	This bedroom above the kitchen is now being used as the master suite, offering a great view of Lake Union. Sleepy cat not included in purchase price of the home.
A view of the stairwell leading to the second floor. As with many Victorians, the front of the home is well separated from the back.	The parlor is just past the front entryway and reception area. Most rooms in the home feature picture rail molding.

I recently had the pleasure of touring a home that just went on the market and you may recognize from the Classic Houses of Seattle book. This 1895 Victorian is located in the Eastlake area at 2819 Franklin Ave just blocks from the shores of Lake Union. There is so much to share with this particular property, so I’ve divided the feature up into two parts. Part two is posted right here — featuring the modern day views of the home. Where to begin? Let’s start with the history of the residence. The lot for this home was purchased in 1891 by Bidmead and Annie Wright, who wanted to build a grand mansion. However, after falling into financial difficulties, they sold the property to Charles Owings in 1898. Over the course of the next few years, Mr. Owings finished the house off with a kitchen, second floor bedroom, a back stairway, and partial basement. The home was then sold in 1906 to the Saylor Family who started the Canterbury Candy Co. in the home’s kitchen. In 1923, the property was purchased by Adson and Cora Robinson along with their four children. Mrs. Cora Robinson was an architect who practiced in the Seattle area and even designed the sun porch addition to the home’s kitchen (now part of the kitchen itself). It is also known that the Denny family (who owned a mansion just a block away) helped build the driveway on Hamlin Street. After living there until 1961, the Robinson’s sold the home to Ed Shanley who rented the home out. The property was purchased by a developer in 1977 who wanted to demolish the house and build a six-unit apartment — sad to say that some things never change. Luckily, the property was nominated for historic status by the community and sold for $70,000 to Anne Fisher and Lynn Howell (who run an interior design office in the house). The home was granted historic status by the City of Seattle in 1983. Here we are in 2007 with this historic home up for sale and poised for a new owner. Without a doubt, this home is a true Seattle treasure. I want to thank Anne Fisher for sharing the home’s rich history with me as well as Larry Wilcynski and Edward Krigsman of ek Real Estate Group for making this possible. Let’s have a look at some images of the home and its owners from years past. Again, be sure to check out Part 2 of this feature, where we analyze the home as it currently stands. Click on the thumbnails for higher-res images.

The Robinson home in 1928 with the neighbor’s garage on the left. The metal funnel on the chimney was used to control downdraft.	A view of the neighborhood in 1907. 2819 Franklin is in the middle of the photo with the ornate Denny Mansion just below it. I-5 now stands where the large trees were.
The home once again in 1928. Notice the lack of vegetation. This then-small tree now almost obscures the whole home from the street.	1930’s tax photo of the home. See the full form presented below.
The Robinson Family moved into this house because of its proximity to the University of Washington. Pictured are Dorothy, Cora, and Elizabeth Robinson.	Dorothy skipping rope in 1923. The family moved into the home when she was 8 years old.
Cora Robinson in front of the basement door of the house. This same door is still in use today.	Elizabeth Robinson relaxing in front of the home.
Tax document from 1932. The future life of the structure was listed as just 19 more years.	A rare snowfall blankets the home in 1980. You can see that some architectural elements are missing but were later reconstructed.
Lynn Howell in front of the property in 1990.	Anne Fisher on the front porch of the home, also in 1990. Anne ran her interior design company from the house.

And now for a case study in baseball fashions. One of my favorite blogs, Uni Watch studies the fine art of the uniform very closely. This 1911 image from Seattle’s Lincoln High School can tell us a bit about early baseball wear in the area. First note the stylishly popped light collar along with the sleeve and pant piping setting off the rest of the dark colored uni. The “Skull Style” cap is also in keeping with this scheme. One boy’s collar is darker and lacks flare while the jolly fellow on the left has a slightly different cap style. The matching dark stockings are there but the stirrups seem to be missing. All in all, a classic baseball uniform. Richie Sexson, if you’re reading this, don’t be afraid to show some stocking. Click on the image for a larger view. Oh, and who is that boy in the stands? Team manager perhaps?

Lincoln High School Baseball Team, 1911.

Proving that sometimes less is much more, comes this postally unused hand-tinted vintage postcard. From some time after 1914, this has to be one of the simplest and most strikingly inviting postcards I’ve seen. Too often the tint jobs are erm, heavy-handed (remember this one for example?) but this one is so restrained and hits just the right note. Let’s have a closer look — click on the thumbnail to see what I’m talking about. Did I really just use the phrase “tint job” above? Apologies.

Front: Seattle’s Waterfront.

Back: Pub. by The Puget Sound News Co., Seattle, Wash. 16138.

John Yarno is the Vintage Seattle Player O The Week with this his 1979 Topps card. He played offensive line for our Hawks from 1977 until 1982 after being selected in the 4th round of the 1977 college draft. Here is a photo of him from 2001. I can see all of the Yarno fans coming out of the woodwork right… about… now. Click on the thumbnail for a larger and more glorious version of Yarno. Oh, and you were all watching as the Hawks clobbered the 49ers, right?

John Yarno, Seattle Seahawks, Topps, 1979.

I had a chance to tour this recently remodeled 1901 Victorian not far from my house. It’s located in the Central Area’s Squire Park neighborhood, which I can compliment because I live there, right? The interior is very nicely done while the exterior looks a bit drab (faux stone chimney anyone?). It’s going for $579,000 and in this market I would not be surprised if this dropped further. If you’re interested, check out the listing and speak with Peter Olive. Maybe I’ll be welcoming you to the neighborhood and baking you a pie. Enough about pie, let’s get straight to the images. Click on the thumbnails for a larger view.

Though you can’t see the faux stone chimney I referred to, you can tell that this house has charm. Rose bushes populate the landscaping.	View of the side of the home and driveway. The siding could benefit from a more natural look.
The small back yard features a storage shed, garden area, and patio. Mature ivy growth gives the area a nice rustic feel.	As you enter the home the stainless steel appliances along with some very nice custom-looking cabinetry make for a modern yet classic kitchen.
The front living room has signature Victorian windows along with some very nice crown molding.	Stepping back a few feet renders a view of the dining room with living room in the distance.
Heading upstairs you’ll find this classy bathroom. The wainscoting and shade of green make this bathroom a total winner.	A slightly more suspect shade of peach greets you in the bedrooms. As with most of the home, the remodel detail work is top notch, however.

Hot on the heels of our look at the Pacific Northern Airlines ad from the 1964 Seattle Times, we are going back 12 years. This vintage 1952 advertisement comes from the December Argus featuring Pacific Northern Airlines once again, then in their 21st year of service to Alaska. If you’re into long gone aviation, check out this site for a full airline timetable image gallery through the years. Great stuff (but I request more res). Anyone reading who was around to fly Pacific Northern (pre ‘67)? Well, onto the ad. Investigate fully by clicking on the thumbnail.

For business and pleasure trips to Alaska. Non stop service by 4 engine PNA Flagliner. Pacific Northern Airlines — The Alaska Flag Line. The Argus, 1952.

Voters soundly rejected Proposition 1 at the polls on Tuesday, leaving the fate of the aging 520 Bridge’s replacement up in the air. We all know this bridge too well. I do, for certain. It was the bane of my existence for 3 years travelling to work everyday in downtown Bellevue (now replaced by a new personal bane — the I-90 bridge). Back in 1963 when it opened, it was known as the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge (and The Governor Albert D. Rosellini Bridge since 1988). The structure, which was a toll-bridge up until 1979, was built to carry 65,000 vehicles but today carries over 115,000 vehicles a day. This bottleneck, along with the risk of collapse via earthquake, is leading politicians to move on a replacement. Will it be 40 more years before we can all agree on a new solution? All you fellow Lake Washington commuters, feel free to leave a horror story or two in the comments. Here are two vintage postcard views of the bridge, most likely from the 1960’s. Speaking of downtown Bellevue, check it out — no skyscrapers. Click on the images for a larger view.

Front: Evergreen Point Bridge.

Back: Evergreen Point Bridge, the second Lake Washington Bridge, is the longest floating span in the world (over-all length 5.93 miles, floating section 7,578 ft.). It shortens the distance considerably from Seattle to Bellevue and Kirkland. The road over the bridge also leads to Stevens Pass in the Cascade Mountains, seen against the sky, and points East.

Front: Evergreen Point Bridge — Lake Washington.

Back: Evergreen Point Bridge, the second Lake Washington Bridge, is the longest floating span in the world (over-all length 5.93 miles, floating section 7,578 ft.). It shortens the distance considerably from Seattle to Bellevue and Kirkland. In the forefront: boats entering Lake Washington ship canal. On the right: part of the University of Washington Arboretum.