Archive for May, 2009
From The Monorail Terminal, With Love
May 29th, 2009 by Cliffe | Sorted Photo Exposure |
6 Comments »
We’ve seen a few similar angles in the past (one here and a rendering here), but never from the Monorail terminal itself. The photo must be post-1952, when Frederick & Nelson added a number of stories. Any other clues from the photo that would enable us to pin it down ? When did Weisfield’s go awa y? The cars? Click for higher resolution.
Firebird III, Yesterday Today
May 27th, 2009 by Cliffe | Sorted Vintage Ads |
No Comments »
From the archives, a time when General Motors was looking to the future rather than just trying to survive… Below find the venerable Firebird III concept car. It was shown in the Coliseum Century 21 exhibit during Seattle’s world fair. Features included anti-lock brakes, cruise control, air conditioning, air drag brakes, a joystick control, the list goes on. There’s much more on this bad boy right here. Click for higher res.
Past Post: Madison Park 1909
May 26th, 2009 by Cliffe | Sorted Past Post |
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Memorial Day ’09
May 25th, 2009 by Cliffe | Sorted Photo Exposure |
9 Comments »
On the holiday formerly known as Decoration Day, we remember men and women who have died in military service. The U.S.A. chant is optional. Click on the photo of Roosevelt’ s Great White Fleet for higher re s.
| Photograph of Roosevelt’s Great White Fleet anchored in Elliot Bay at night, May 1908. Spotlights are beaming off the fleet’s ships. Photo courtesy Washington State Digital Archives. |
Rail v. Car 1928
May 22nd, 2009 by Cliffe | Sorted Photo Exposure |
5 Comments »
Mundane accident, bitingly symbolic, somewhere in betwee n? I got a real kick out of this 1928 photo. Will rail triumph once again later in 2009 when you need a ride to the airport ? It’s scheduled to open then. Click on the photo for the super high res.
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| Photo shows a car parked or stopped just under an interurban train car. It may have been a collision. The train has a sign at front reading “SEATTLE EVERETT” and along the sides, “SEATTLE EVERETT Mt. VERNON BELLINGHAM.” Ca. 1928. Photo courtesy Washington State Digital Archives. |
Past Post: Seattle’s Commission Row
May 21st, 2009 by Cliffe | Sorted Past Post |
1 Comment »
Just a simple postcard today showing “commission row.” To read the story of the revolt against commission houses and early days of Pike Place Market, hit this HistoryLink article. Click on the thumbnail for higher resolution.
| Commission Row, Seattle, Washington. Published by The Valentine & Sons’ Pub. Co., Ltd., New York, Boston, and Atlanta. Printed in Great Britain. |
A.Y.P.E’s Foreign And Mines Buildings
May 20th, 2009 by Cliffe | Sorted Historic Buildings |
7 Comments »
Don Duncan had a nice recap of the nearly century old Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, written in scrapbook form for his late grandmother who had seen it herself. We’re getting close now to that anniversary. Here are a couple photos of the Foreign Building and Mines Building. Click for high res.
In Da Hyatt House
May 19th, 2009 by Cliffe | Sorted Photo Exposure |
5 Comments »
Check out the 1960′s era promotional photo of Sea-Tac Airport’ s Seattle Hyatt Hou se. I first posted about it in January of 2008. According to this 2006 PI article, it was a hideaway for Ray Charles and Bill Cosby and was the setting for the 1965 film “The Slender Thread.” Anyone reading this have any memories from this hotel ? Click for higher res.
First & Columbia 1870
May 18th, 2009 by Cliffe | Sorted Photo Exposure |
1 Comment »
Thanks to Jerry Cox we went back to the relatively recent past on Friday. Today we step back to the early days of our city. This photo shows First & Columbia in 1870. I’m assuming this is looking north due to the hill in the background (pre-regrade). The streets are dirt and a few trees remain. Modern day view is here. Click for the super hi-res version.
| Shows 1st Ave. from Columbia Street, Seattle, 1870. Photo courtesy Washington State Digital Archives. |
Seattle By Air 1979
May 15th, 2009 by Cliffe | Sorted Photo Exposure |
14 Comments »
Vintage Seattle reader Jerry Cox was kind enough to send in a batch of super hi-res photos he took of Seattle and surroundings by plane in April 1979. He was just about to embark on a two year Church sevice project and these have been in storage since then. I’ve left the photos hi-res, with each weighing in around a meg. Big thanks to Jerry for writing in and sharing with all of us. Take it away.
Hotel Penbrook & Apartments
May 14th, 2009 by Cliffe | Sorted Past Post |
10 Comments »
This building, better known as the Leamington Hotel and Apartments, is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. Who can explain the wildly different appearance of the building halves in this postcard/this photo and the look of it now? Specifically, the corner of the building goes from 4 windows to 3. Perhaps an artist’s rendering before it was completed ?
Forgotten Capitol Hill Mansion Pt. 2
May 12th, 2009 by Cliffe | Sorted Historic Buildings |
23 Comments »
Today we are marching on with Part 2 of our Forgotten Capitol Hill Mansion feature. If you missed yesterday’s Part 1, click here. The owner estimates that it will take 6 months to make this 1926 North Capitol Hill Mediterranean Revival mansion livable. That would include repairing the roof, removing overgrowth vegetation touching the house, repairing windows and leaks, new boiler, kitchen work, bathroom work and paint. Other changes will come in time, but he stressed to me that every effort will be made to retain the restore the original features. The first owner of the home was said to be a rum-runner during prohibition — though that is just a rumor. Fueling the rumor, though, is an 8′ x 10′ room in the basement of the home — to get access you have to step through a vault door hidden in a linen closet. As for how this incredible place lay dormant for so long, the owner relayed this information:
[See also: Forgotten Capitol Hill Mansion Pt. 1]
All we really know is that it was purchased in 1991 by a Malaysian family ostensibly for use as an official Malaysian building (like a consulate or something). Details are sketchy. The family did not move in and the house was held and maintained during that period. Even though the house was maintained, several issues arose which got worse over time, leading to the current condition.
If you or anyone you know has additional information pertaining to the history of this mansion, please stop by the comments or e-mail me. We’d love to hear from you. Big thanks once again to the Vintage Seattle reader who is fortunate enough to own this piece of Seattle history and who kindly showed us around. We look forward to heading back once it’s been restored and sharing more photos. But for now, check out the rest of the current batch. Click on the thumbnails for higher res versi ons.
[See also: Forgotten Capitol Hill Mansion Pt. 1]
Forgotten Capitol Hill Mansion Pt. 1
May 11th, 2009 by Cliffe | Sorted Historic Buildings |
13 Comments »
A Vintage Seattle Blog reader sent me a hot tip 2 weeks ago about a historic (and forgotten) 1926 North Capitol Hill Mediterranean Revival mansion he was about to start restoring. The 4 bed, 4 bath, 7000 square foot residence had been abandoned for the past 20 years. I was told that it was amazingly intact, with all fixtures, quite a bit of cosmetic damage, and that I had to see it. So that’ s ju st what I did. Came away with so many good photos from this hidden gem that I’ve had to split it into 2 parts. Click back tomorrow for more. It’s hard to believe that this home has been sitting around abandoned for so long — right in the middle of Capitol Hill. Huge thanks to the house’s new owner for giving Vintage Seattle a tour and restoring this baby to its former glory. Click here to view Part 2 pho tos.
Washington Athletic Club
May 8th, 2009 by Cliffe | Sorted Photo Exposure |
5 Comments »
Check out the vintage Washington Athletic Club photo. The Club, at 6th Avenue and Union Street, opened in December 1930. A 1950′s era project added four stories and eight more came online in the 1970′s. Can you guess which tower is which ? I thought you could! Forget windows — who needs ‘em. There’s more on the building here from the venerable Department Of Neighborhoods. Click for higher res.
Seattle’s Finest Fashions 1929 (aka Dead Animals)
May 7th, 2009 by Cliffe | Sorted Photo Exposure |
5 Comments »
Aww, how quaint. A Seattle warehouse from 1929 with slaughtered animal pelts stacked to the rafters. Here I was about to make a snarky comment about how surely this enterprise faded away as the great liberal Seattle evolved. Then I found this:
Established during the days of the Alaska Gold Rush, American Legend Auctions (formerly Seattle Fur Exchange) is the oldest and most celebrated fur auction house in the world. Seattle Fur Exchange began operations in 1898 as a store where miners, needing a reliable source of income, would barter wild Alaskan furs for much needed supplies such as food, clothes and tools. Within a few years, the trading business grew into a full-fledged fur pelt auction house.
Today, American Legend is owned entirely by North American mink producers. Although it is rich with tradition and history, American Legend prides itself on being the most aggressive and inventive auction house in the fur industry. Our expertly qualified fur technicians bring more than 200 years of combined experience to the preparation, sorting and grading of furs. Each pelt is carefully sorted by color, texture, nap, and size to very precise specifications for eventual use in the world’s finest fashions. Our goal is to create maximum value for the producer and the ultimate consumer of our product.
So much for liberal, post-modern Seattle.
Today, American Legend is owned entirely by North American mink producers. Although it is rich with tradition and history, American Legend prides itself on being the most aggressive and inventive auction house in the fur industry. Our expertly qualified fur technicians bring more than 200 years of combined experience to the preparation, sorting and grading of furs. Each pelt is carefully sorted by color, texture, nap, and size to very precise specifications for eventual use in the world’s finest fashions. Our goal is to create maximum value for the producer and the ultimate consumer of our product.
