VintageSeattle.org

With the weather finally getting warmer it’s time to start coming out of our shells and enjoying the surrounding area. Swimming on Lake Washington anyone? Well, maybe not just yet. Here are two vintage photographs of the resplendent views we take in on a regular basis. Click on them for more resolution.

Lake Washington Boulevard and Mt. Rainier - Seattle, Wn.

Olympic Mts. and Puget Sound as seen from Seattle.

Check out this 1952 ad for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer from The Argus. The short of it is that here in the Puget Sound area we’re rich and have electricity. Surely that deserves a pat on the back. Click on the thumbnail for the higher-res version.

Only morning newspaper in one of America’s Most Prosperous areas! The State of Washington is one of the most prosperous in the Union… with a per capita income of $1,642, compared with the national average of $1,436. In the western half of this rich, able-to-buy market, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer is the only morning newspaper, with a heavy circulation concentrating in Seattle and the Puget Sound Area. This area, combining 12 counties, has 60% of the state’s retail sales, 65 % of the state’s effective buying income and 98% of its homes are wired for electricity. For advertising results, remember that “people who buy read the P.-I.!”

Every day during my commute over the West Seattle Bridge I see that neon Luna Park sign down below. Today I’m sharing a couple Luna Park litho’s sent in by Deran Ludd. His own blog should be live soon now — got an update on when Deran? Give them a click.

1200 The Giant Whirl Luna Park Seattle.

Entrance Luna Park, Seattle, Wash.

Luna Park Cafe and Natatorium Seattle, U.S.A.

Luna Park, Seattle, Wash.

1199 Shoot the Chutes Luna Park Seattle.

Fetching Vintage Seattle Player O The Week honors this week is Seattle born Tom House. He pitched for our M’s in ‘77 and ‘78, which were also his last two seasons in the majors. What’s so special about House, you ask? Well, he has admitted to using steroids in the 1970’s, has a PhD in Psychology, and was born in Seattle. Isn’t that enough to nab Player O The Week? Sure it is. Click on Tom.

Tom House, Seattle Mariners, Pitcher, Topps, 1979.

I’m running off to the airport in a few short hours (yay for 4 hours of sleep!) so I’m very quickly posting this slightly random image that I can only tie in by linking here. Nothing more to say on this one! Actually, I think we should have Shipley come up with a few “alternate captions” to keep us entertained. Take it away, JS.

The armadillo or ant eater hard as bone from Ye Olde Curiosity Shop on Colman Dock Seattle.

We’re coming up on the 100th anniversary of 1909’s Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. For more on the upcoming Centennial, check out this Seattle Times article which even has a picture of Alan Stein (who once showed up in our comments). Sounds like an opportune time to admire some of those buildings erected for the Expo. Here’s one card’s text and thumbnails to click on.

Front: Fine Arts Bldg., Alaska, Yukon, Pacific Exposition, 1909, (Official Post Card) Seattle, Washington. Copyright 1908, by A. Y. P. Expo. Co.

Back: Portland Post Card Co., Pub., Portland and Seattle. No. X 125.

Front: Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition 1909, Seattle, Washington. Manufacture Building.

Back: Published by The American Post Card Company, Seattle Wash. (Printed in Germany). Postcard sent October 24, 1909 to Moscow, Idaho.

I do love those late 1800’s-era brick buildings down in Pioneer Square. The J&M Hotel Building, located at 1st Ave and S Washington St., was built right after the fire in 1889 for around 20 grand, with the third floor being added on in the early 1900’s. Like most buildings that went up during this time period, it features brick walls and an inner timber structure. No way was this one going to burn down and thank goodness for that. It has been a continuously operating bar and card room since the early 1900’s. Thank goodness for that too. Click on the thumbnails for a closer look. So what’s your favorite Pioneer Square building?

The facade of the building along 1st Ave.	The side of the building at S Washington St.
J&M Hotel sign.	Street sign with building in the background.
Close-up of window detail.	J&M Cafe stained glass.
Pioneer Squre street lamps illuminate the scene.	Close-up of supporting column.
Showing the front streetscape.	Detail along the S Washington St side.
Sidewalk along S Washington St.	When the f-stop value is far too low.
Column detail with years of wear.	Front on view of the building facade.

Julie from Mid Beacon Hill recently posted a few snapshots of the new building Sabey will be putting up to replace the Stock House. What do you think? Personally, I like it. Seems like a nice meeting of the old and new. Speaking of Sabey, VP Jim Harmon provided me with some further information on the history of the 1522 E Jefferson property that I’d documented here and here last week. More on that later. For now, let’s pop open a cold one and take in another vintage Rainier Beer ad and some shots of the plant from back in the day.

Rainier Beer. An American Product For Lovers Of Quality. Seattle Brewing & Malting Co. Seattle, Wash.

A few snapshots of the bottling department of the Seattle Brewing & Malting Co., brewers and bottlers of the celebrated Rainier Beer. Washington Illustrated.