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December, 2007 Archive

Vintage Seattle Year In Review 2007

December 31st, 2007 by Cliffe | Sorted Miscellaneous | 9 Comments » border

Vintage Seattle is a nostalgic look back at our city’s past, so why not get nostalgic about this past year of blogging? Though, to be fair, the site has only been open for 8 months let’s just go ahead and say year. Call it “revisionist history.” We’ve been through a lot this year, haven’t we? Portland flamefests, hovercrafts, illegally sneaking into abandoned sites, preservation defeat, (some) preservation triumphs — it’s been fun. When all was said and done, 136 posts were made, 340 comments posted, 29 gigabytes of vintage imagery transferred, and 158,000 hits came through. I should thank my girlfriend Anna for having patience while I spend way too much time and money on this blog. Also should thank all you loyal Vintage Seattle readers for sticking with me. I hope you’ll join me in 2008 for more of the good stuff. Here’s a chronological survey of our doings this year, with commentary. This time click on the images to be whisked to the thread and *then* hit the high-res imagery.


The blog officially opens on May 3rd, 2007 with a warm welcome. One day later the first feature is posted — this Reframe of Seattle Fire Station No. 7 on Capitol Hill. A few haters come to the party as well as a few well wishers.	May 5th sees the first of many vintage postcards featured. The shot of the Seattle waterfront would also serve as the blog masthead. I first learned how hard it would be to decipher some cards. My brother “Briggs” checks into the comments with a cryptic in-joke.

Next up was the Denny Regrade, where Maarten chimed in with some comments. A few blogs started linking to VS. Author cries tears of joy.	The first historic building profiled was South Lake Union’s Troy Laundry Building. At the time, I lived just across the street from it and saw it on dog walks nearly every day. Crickets can be heard in the comments section.

I move to the Central Area and find this incredible old home completely abandoned and decrepit. It turns out the property is significant and Sabey builds a parking garage around it as the owner asks $1 million +.	Going into the second month I visit the old Sand Point Naval Air Station Commissary Store at Warren G. Magnuson Park while researching abandoned structures for my day job. The day content becomes night content as I post for the blog. Ryan comments that his grandfather had worked there during WWII.

We examine a 1902 advertisement for West Seattle real estate. Many WS folks check into the thread to chip in with identifying some of the buildings pictured.	VS readers are encouraged to name the ‘64 Emmy winners. Todd destroys the competition and wins lavish praise.

The King, Elvis Presley, makes an appearance on the blog as we look at some World’s Fair stationary. The readership is all shook up. Author polishes his skills on yet more bad jokes.	It’s hot, it’s July. Washington Hall is profiled and is in jeopardy of becoming part of the massive condo project called “Seattle.” A nice fellow from the Sons Of Haiti walks me through the building, including the basement where we wade through a few inches of water to get to the old boiler room. I love it.

Vintage Seattle readers gobble up this vintage postcard from ‘62 with an image of the world’s largest cake from the World’s Fair. Later, the record is beaten by Las Vegas. Seattle locals drown their sorrows by eating large amounts of cake.	After snooping around some government archives, I stumble upon this interesting floating stadium design that was proposed in 1963. Metroblogging Seattle calls it “another candidate for a world-class implosion.” Well put.

August rolls around and it’s even hotter. While updating the blog I develop an ice-cream eating habit. On August 7th, I post the first part of my trip to the Rainier Cold Storage complex.	And of course I then post the second set of images from the interior of the building. This was an amazing experience as this is a one of a kind structure. Soon to be exploited, of course.

In late August, Live Historic is kind enough to show me around their newest condo conversion called Queen’s Court. The building is simple and quaint and the workmanship impressive. Ben Rankin struck me as a developer who respects the building.	All hell breaks loose as I post a link to John Chilson’s Stumptown Confidential Blog. Jeffrey Kopp weights in on the comments slamming Chilson. Stumpheads then rally to defend him and the blog with Jeffrey being called a “world class twit.” The comments officially spiral into a flame-fest. One poster threatens to kick another’s “snack cake eating a$$.” Another reader simply ends the madness with a well placed “Shipoopi!”

September hits and Live Historic invites me back to tour The Pittsburgh Condos. The building is beautiful, as is the restoration. I noted that this is a place I would have looked at if I were in need of a studio.	I find a random relic from the ‘62 World’s Fair in the form of a press release touting the hovercraft showing there. The one hovercraft fan reading this post decides not to comment. Crickets once again invade the comment section.

Later that month I duck out of work to go check out the vintage Marina-style Bellevue Safeway that’s about to meet the wrecking ball. The post generates interest from eastside bloggers and catches the attention of Kemper Freeman Jr. who decides not to build a massive faceless condo on the site. Just kidding about one of those.	October begins with a visit to the awesome Rolland Denny Mansion. The exterior of the house is impressive though I was disappointed as much of the house was off limits. Not wanting to get booted by the barbershop quartet playing, I decide not to enter the roped off areas.

I shout out to prolific VS commenter Didi and her cool Chi-town blog Bright Lights Dim Beauty. That’s a city I’ve always wanted to live in and Didi shows me why.	In mid-October horizons are expanded as I reach out to vintage Seattle sports fans. The first card is of one Dan Doornink brought about by special request from Jonathan Shipley. He gleefully internet-shouts “I HEART DOORNINK!”

By the end of the month I visit the Wonder Bread Bakery site in the Central Area as it is literally being torn down. Nice timing, but I had just missed the Bridge Motel and won’t ever forgive myself.	November started out strong as we had a look at this MacDougall & Southwick ad from 1900. Shipley longed for a pair of chinchilla reefers.

Next up was a visit to the ultra-impressive First Hill Painted Lady for sale by Seattle high-end real estate powerhouse Wendy Lister. She sends her assistant who I mistakenly refer to as Wendy.	Who could resist a little 520 Bridge bashing? I certainly couldn’t — and a number of VS readers couldn’t either. Some interesting highway related discussion ensues.

Later in the month Larry Wilcynski of ek Real Estate introduces me to the Robinson house and the history behind it. Old photographs of the home and previous owners are posted.	The next day, pictures are posted of the house as it currently stands. Owner Anne Fisher was very kind to show me through the house and tell me some great stories of days gone by.

Next we took a peak at the ‘79 Mariners Program and Shipley hands out the “completely pointless Mariner Baseball Awards for 1979.”	Seattle Brewing and Malting’s Rainier Beer comes back to haunt the blog with this great ad. A few Sabey people check in by e-mail to discuss said ad.

December starts off strong as Anna and I visit the incredible West Seattle “Herren House.” Kurt Metzger of Windermere takes us on a tour and we are both staggered. Just great.	There are so many photographs to be seen of this property, that I split them into two and post the second installment. The 100 year old toilets captivate me and provide obvious pun material.

The ek Group invites me back, this time to view Trace Lofts. I had read a lot about the project through Matt Goyer’s Blog and was eager to view the property. The building does not disappoint and the sewing machine display doesn’t either.	Rick Engles is selected as Player O The Week. Shipley is not impressed, but I am so I e-mail Engles through his machinery company to tell him he’s been selected. He doesn’t respond.

Past postcards end with yet another historic Seattle building being disrespected by a shark-like developer. The Paper Noose Blog hears us.	The year is rounded out with a first-time feature as former Coliseum theater projectionist Mike Lewis sends in some personal anecdotes. I hope we see more of these personal recollections in 2008.

Past Post: Our Jewell, Mount Rainier 1941

December 30th, 2007 by Cliffe | Sorted Past Post | 1 Comment » border

With the holidays wrapping up, I thought this vintage postcard was fitting. “Jewell” sent Maude Schneider this post-holiday card of Mount Rainier in January 1941 complete with curious spelling and punctuation. Did Jewell and Maude ever have that lunch and/or dance? I wonder. Click on the postcard for larger images.

Jan, 10, 1941 — Aberdeen, Wash.
Dear Maude,
Your beautiful card received today. A nice card thank you, I hope you will ike thisl, It is just as nice as it looks, Yes, Holladays has come & gone, &, sorry of your cold, I am just fine, &, I am glad that you had a good treatment for Xmas, I had fairly well, &, dident expect much, I thank you for the future luch, & same for you, “DEAR” I wish you were I could have a dance with you.
Sincerely,
“JEWELL”

Front: 56 — Lake Washington Boulevard and Mount Rainier, Seattle, Washington. Chas R. Laidlaw — Aerophoto.

Back: Postcard sent January 11, 1941 to Maude Schneider in Mount Joy, PA.

Player O The Week: Larry Milbourne 1980

December 29th, 2007 by Cliffe | Sorted Old Sport | No Comments » border

Player O The Week awards are going to our Mariners’ Larry Milbourne. He was with the M’s from 1977-1980 and again in 1984. When not playing shortstop or second bag for them, he was with New York in ‘81 helping the Yanks win the pennant and with Philly in ‘83 doing the same. Milbourne became just the 18th player in MLB history to smash a homer from both sides of the plate in the same game when he did it with Seattle in 1978. Here’s the Topps card from 1980 so you can scope out that facial hair and vintage pullover. When are the Mariners going to bring these uni’s back? And when are Mariners players going to bring back those sideburns? If you can’t get enough Larry, then you may want to point yourself to this site where you can pick up some Milbourne merch. Click on the images for more res.

Larry Milbourne, Seattle Mariners, SS-2B, Topps, 1980.

I’m Talkin’ Hallidie Machin’y Co.

December 28th, 2007 by Cliffe | Sorted Vintage Ads | 5 Comments » border

Hear, hear! Attention, all you fans of iron working tools, wood working machin’y, earth moving machin’y, grinding machinery, dynamos, generating sets, heaters, laundry machinery, brick machinery, saw mills, shingle machinery, gasoline engines, all kinds of boilers, all kinds of engines, air compressors, rock drills, centrifugal balls, rock crushers, mine hoists, mine pumps, centrifugal pumps, triplex pumps, quartz mills, blowers, and exhausters — have I got a vintage advertisement for you. It’s a turn-of-the-century ad for Seattle’s Hallidie Machin’y Co for all you engineers, machinery dealers and manufacturers agents. Perhaps one area where “progress” has actually been made… advertising. Click on the thumbnail for a larger image or just write for a catalogue and prices.

Hallidie Machinery Co., Seattle, Wash.

Remembering The Coliseum Theater

December 27th, 2007 by Cliffe | Sorted Historic Buildings | 3 Comments » border

This past summer I posted a profile of the Coliseum Theater (now Banana Republic store) highlighting one of downtown Seattle’s most magnificent buildings. Lucky for all of us one person who caught that entry was Mike Lewis, who was a projectionist at the theater in its later years. Mike was kind enough to send along some thoughts and anecdotes about his time at the Coliseum. Take it away, Mike:

I was hired to be the projectionist, no recollection of when that hire date was. I was the last projectionist at the Coliseum. Mel did run the movie the last night, it seemed so important to him and I could go and have some fun in the lobby. I remember one theater manager (Mark) would let his friends run amuck in the place and his wife would hang on to the curtains and they would raise and lower the curtains. I think the curtains were made of asbestos and they broke after a few ups and downs with people hanging on to them so that was that with the grand raising of the curtains to start a movie.

I think the next manager did get the curtains fixed, but who can remember. This management group also befriended the old bums who hung out in the alley and gave them free popcorn and soda and on cold nights let this one homeless man, who said his name was Strawberry, sleep there. Nice gesture, but not a good way to run a business.

The next manager was Tim and he put a stop to all that kind of stuff, in fact Tim was told by the company that ran the theater that he did such a good job of taking care of the building and fixing things that it was determined to keep the theater open for an extra year.

The basement was always scary to me with all the gigantic machinery and stuff collected over the decades. The two boilers were huge and I bet they are still there, because they were huge and when turned on sounded like jet engines firing up. The basement would sometimes fill up with water and when that happened we would not turn the boilers off because we could not get to the on/off switch without standing in water up to our knees. So you know the next day the building was like a giant sauna and the water was gone and we could turn off the boilers and have heat the rest of the day. I remember going down to turn on the boilers and hearing a noise… like in the movies when searching for its origin. In an area that would be just under the sidewalk on 5th Ave I found a wall that had fallen down over the years and I could see some light coming in from a grate above. I could even see people walking over it. I looked down and saw a naked man about 6′ tall sanding there in a pile of filth. I ran and never returned to the basement alone.

Later that day I was told a man by the name of Stephen King came up to the old ticket box and asked for a tour and was told “no” because no one knew who he was… I could have told him about the naked man living under the sidewalk on 5th Ave!

I was told that Gone With The Wind was the first movie that sodas were sold at. They put the sodas in tubs out front on the street.

One time we had to change the combination on the old gigantic safe in the office and the man who came to do the job became a little emotional after opening the safe door. It turned out his family-owned lock company had changed the lock before, his father, grandfather and great-grandfather had all changed the lock combinations over the years and left their tags on the inside of the door. The inside of the safe door also had a small painting of a farmhouse painted on the door.

Mike Lewis
Projectionist, Coliseum Theatre
Via e-mail 10/28/07

The Coliseum Theater in 1934. Photograph courtesy PEMCO Webster & Stevens Collection / Museum of History and Industry.

For Sale: Vintage Ballard Craftsman

December 26th, 2007 by Cliffe | Sorted Historic Buildings | 1 Comment » border

For sale — or at least it was for sale. Anna and I toured this Ballard Craftsman at 7055 Dibble Ave NW a few weeks back and it has since been pulled off the market (perhaps just for the holidays). Never mind that, though. The house is still worth taking a look at. As you can see, it’s a very classic Craftsman built in 1911 with 1860 square feet (though the actual “livable” space is far less, I really hate when real estate agents fudge this number). It was going for a cool $460,000 before it was pulled, has good potential, but needs some home improvement love. If you’re interested in the house, you can contact the selling agent Glenn Roberts — he’ll likely know the current status. You’ll have to excuse the poor photographs as Anna and I were in a bit of a rush. Click on the images for larger views.


This is a very typical one and a half floor Craftsman design. Right away you notice the low-pitched roof, decorative braces, and porch columns. What isn’t typical is having the garage.	The view from the porch. This Ballard neighborhood is very sought after. You can see some nice Tudor style houses across the street.

The property has a fairly large backyard with a massive maple tree (which probably makes grass growing difficult). Also notice the large rock toward the right of the frame. The foundation of the house was built around the rock, which you can see protruding from the basement floor.	The bathroom is passable but could use more updating, perhaps some subway tiles and a more true-to-era floor tile. The shade of green is not my favorite.

Though the kitchen screams 1960’s, it has charm. This area could also use an update and some sheetrock work. The original fir floors have a lot of wear, but also a lot of character.	The dining and living areas reveal some very elegant boxed beam ceilings. You can also see on the floor where the built-in cabinetry used to stand. Quite a few windows light the house very well.

Merry Christmas From Vintage Seattle

December 24th, 2007 by Cliffe | Sorted Miscellaneous | 2 Comments » border

Well, it’s that time of the year again. I wish you all vats full of eggnog and the smallest amount possible of unwanted gifts being secretly returned. And, of course, I hope you were able to re-gift a few items that have been floating around. Merry Christmas, everyone! And if you don’t celebrate Christmas, Happy Holiday — whatever it may be. To help you get in the Christmas spirit I’m presenting this beautiful 1941 photograph from the Seattle Municipal Archives showing trees lit on Green Lake. We should definitely bring that tradition back. Enjoy.

Christmas Tree Lighting on Green Lake, 1941. Photograph courtesy Seattle Municipal Archives.

Past Post: First Avenue Looking South

December 23rd, 2007 by Cliffe | Sorted Past Post | 1 Comment » border

I know you’re sick of chatting with Aunt Matilda right about now, so I’m glad you’ve logged onto the Org in order to escape to some Seattle nostalgia. Here’s a vintage postcard to keep you satisfied. Since the South Lake Union streetcar just opened up and wasted no time in plowing into an SUV, I thought this early First Ave shot showing the old time streetcars was appropriate. Click on the thumbnails for more resolution.

Front: First Avenue looking South, Seattle, Wash.

Back: No. 5109 Publ. by Portland Post Card Co. Portland, Ore. and Seattle, Wash, (Made in Germany.)

Your History: Very Vintage Vegas, Baby

December 22nd, 2007 by Cliffe | Sorted Links To The Past | 3 Comments » border

Let’s take this slow holiday weekend to explore outside of Seattle, shall we? Uncle Jack Levine is running the Very Vintage Vegas Blog and doing a kick arse job of it with Las Vegas being an even younger city than Seattle. As he writes on his site, the 1950’s are considered “old” in Las Vegas. Jack is a realtor who has helped people find vintage (and other) housing in Vegas for the past 17 years. There’s also a great feature on the blog highlighting the worst MLS listing photographs and is it hilarious. Didi also posted regarding this dolphin shower curtain shot that had me in stiches. Just awesome. Give Jack’s Blog a click. And just to illustrate how young Vegas is, take a look at this city panorama from 1910. In 1911, the city had just 800 residents. That’s some serious growth in a relatively short amount of time.

Panoramic photograph of Las Vegas, Nevada. Circa 1910. Image courtesy Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

For Sale: Bungalow Court Condo

December 21st, 2007 by Cliffe | Sorted Historic Buildings | 4 Comments » border

This is another condo for sale that’s literally close to home for me — just down the street. This is a special one, though. It’s a condo for sale located in the Central Area’s Bungalow Court on 16th Ave. The property is located within a cluster of 1917 Craftsman style bungalows. It has been on the market for quite a while, but now the price has been knocked down to $289,930 (approaching reason). It’s so small that the listing doesn’t even bother listing the square footage — classy! But if you’re looking for a studio and appreciate the Craftsman style, this one may be worth a look. Picture time. Click on the images for larger views.


Overhanging ivy greets you as you enter the gate to the Bungalow Court. Walking down in between the condos reveals a great view of downtown Seattle skyscrapers.	A view of the condo unit for sale. Homeowner’s dues are paid in order to keep all of the units looking well-kept and in the Craftsman style.

Looking back toward the front gate.	Stepping inside the condo you’ll find this classy neutral wall color and exposed rafters.

Alternate angle of the living room area of the condo. The ladder gives access to the upper loft.	The kitchen is somewhat dated but still respectable.

This bedroom gives way to more loft space access. Skylights throughout the condo make for plenty of natural light.	Heading up the ladder leads you to the loft space. This area is not for tall people like myself, in which case storage works.

Like the kitchen, the bathroom is also a little dated and would benefit from some nicer materials.	In the central hallway looking back toward the front of the condo.

Past Post: Alaska Building 1907

December 20th, 2007 by Cliffe | Sorted Past Post | 2 Comments » border

Another historic Seattle building, another controversy. If ever there was a time to *sigh* it’s probably now. The company that bought the Alaska Building from the city has now sold it to the infamous Henry Liebman, who now plans to turn the building into a Marriott Hotel and raise the height of the building from 150 to 180 feet. City officials are upset because the original buyer, Kent Angier, had said he would turn the building into market-rate housing. Seller’s remorse from the city — sounds like Queen Anne High School all over again. The Alaska Building was Seattle’s tallest structure when it was built in 1904 and remained so until 1911. Take in this vintage 1907 postcard from before the corporate investment hell era. Go ahead, click on them.

Vintage Listing

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Front: 821 — Alaska Building, Seattle, Washington. Edward H. Mitchell, Publisher, San Francisco.

Back: Postcard sent March, 1907 to Mr. Frank Foss in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Profile: B.F. Day School

December 19th, 2007 by Cliffe | Sorted Historic Buildings | 4 Comments » border

From one sacred institution to another. Yesterday we had a look at some early 1900’s churches from around the city and today I want to have a look at one of Seattle’s oldest schools, B.F. Day School. Located just off Highway 99 in Fremont, B.F. Day is Seattle’s oldest continually operating elementary school. Queen Anne High may get all of the architectural attention, but this building is all 1800’s utility. The site was a gift to the Seattle School Board from Francis and Benjamin Franklin Day valued at the time at $10,000. After opening in 1892, the school gained additions in 1901 and 1916. Since its $5 million renovation in 1991, the school continues to serve children in the Fremont area. Do we have any Vintage Seattle readers who attended B.F. Day? In any case, let’s have a look at the photos of this long-standing structure. Click on the images for high-res copies.


A circular planting bed anchored by a flagpole greets visitors to B.F. Day Elementary School in Fremont. The large floor-to-ceiling windows also draw the eye.	A view of the east and north faces of the building. The stone trim and sills contrast the red brick very well.

The front door of the building with brick archway.	Another look at those massive windows. Natural light was a necessity in 1892 when the school was built.

A closer look at the windows and brick wall.	One concrete entryway is painted with this colorful mural.

The south face of the building with stairs.	A view of the back side of the building.

Closing in on the back side of the building with concrete stairs.	A small play area around the back of the building. Just beyond are a collection of basketball courts.

Omg Seattle Church Buildings 1901

December 18th, 2007 by Cliffe | Sorted Historic Buildings | 1 Comment » border

Omg, these Seattle Church Buildings are a gift from the heavens, K THX BAI LOL! No, but seriously, Seattle has some very significant historic places of worship. Over the years, churches have been at the forefront of the Pacific Northwest preservation movement. Just the other day, news broke that 82 year old University Baptist Church is going to be sold as the congregation dwindles (though it is not clear what will become of the building itself). The image I want to share comes from a 1901 edition of Washington Illustrated and features a number of Seattle area churches along with their then-pastors. The shot in the bottom left is of First Hill’s Trinity Parish. The building was damaged in the 2001 earthquake and was just recently restored at a price of $7 million. On the bottom right is Methodist Episcopal Church, the precursor to First Methodist Church on 5th and Marion (which was recently saved). Click on the image for a higher-res view.

Seattle Pastors And Churches. Washington Illustrated, 1901.

Reframe: 50 Years Of Boren And Marion

December 17th, 2007 by Cliffe | Sorted Reframe | 1 Comment » border

I’ve always been interested in how a particular landscape changes over time. Since we haven’t done a Reframe comparison in quite a while, let’s bust it back out. This Reframe takes a look at the intersection of Boren and Marion looking West. The first shot is from 1955 and the second is present day, with this area being just one block away from the First Hill Painted Lady. Give the images a click for closer inspection.

December 6, 1955: The City of Seattle responds to some fallen trees from a windstorm on Boren and Marion. You can see the St. James Cathedral towers in the background. Photograph courtesy Seattle Municipal Archives.

November 3, 2007: The same frame at present day. The empty parking lot has been replaced with a rather ugly building and the trees replaced with younger models. New skyscrapers also fill the skyline.

Past Post: A Highway Cuts Through It

December 16th, 2007 by Cliffe | Sorted Past Post | No Comments » border

I’ve always been amazed at how effective I-5 and Aurora are at cutting the city up. When I first moved to Seattle, I was very quickly initiated when trying to get from South Lake Union to Queen Anne. Not knowing about Denny/Broad, I kept asking “How in the world do I get over there?!” And if you’ve spent any amount of time in the Eastlake area, you know that the noise of I-5 alone is enough to say “keep away.” Well here’s a krinkle-cut vintage postcard showing the highway slicing our city up. You can see the Safeco Plaza building in the distance, so I’d put this card sometime in the late 1970’s. Also of note is that you can see the Robinson House — it’s the one with the green roof and two chimneys at the bottom of the frame. Give the images a click.

Front: Seattle, Washington.

Back: Seattle, Washington. A view looking north shows the U.S. Interstate 5 Freeway Bridge crossing the Lake Washington Ship Canal, a waterway leading into Puget Sound. A portion of the University of Washington can be seen on the right. B4519-Color Photo: Max R. Jensen.