Vintage Seattle

Jensen / Bellevue week here at VS.org with our trip across Lake Washington. Devopment has picked up in this photo as Bellevue Square shopp

ing center expands. Who can pintpoint the year? Click for the high res.

Bellevue, Wash ington, located on the east side of Lake Wash

ington is now the fourth largest city

in the State. This complete, suburban shopping center, seen here, is easily accessible by the residents of Bellevue and the neighboring communities.

Color photo by Max R. Jensen.

Time’s A Changin In Bellevue Pt. 1

March 29th, 2010 by Cliffe | Sorted Past Post |

25 Comments »

We are kicking off Max R.

Jensen / Bellevue week here at VS.org with a trip across Lake Washington to the “enterprising young city” to our east. Pretty interesting photo here, showing downtown Bellevue in the very early days as trees still dominated large parcels of land.

Stayed tuned for next time when Bellevue grows up and out. Click fo the high res version.

Bellevue, Washington. This enterprising young city has beautiful modern homes and large shopping centers and is connected with Seattle via the Lake Washington Floating Bridge. Ektachrome by Max R.

Jensen.

Remember The Heffernan Building

March 24th, 2010 by Cliffe | Sorted Historic Buildings |

15 Comments »

This is the Heffernan Building. From what I can gather it

stood at 6th & Pine, presumably this would be at the site of the current and penis growth

Click on the thumbnail for

the high res version.

Heffernan Building, Seattle, Washington.

Image courtesy Visual Resources Collection, Architecture & Allied Arts Library, University of Oregon Libraries.

Watching The Bears @ Woodland Park

March 22nd, 2010 by Cliffe | Sorted Past Post |

1 Comment »

Spring is here and we had a mostly beautiful weekend — more of that please.

As the weather warms our household is gearing up for a trip to Woodland Park Zoo and Hawaii, not necessarily in that order. In the meantime, check out this old postcard that ended up here in the 1920′ s and now re

sides in my scanner bed.

Click for the high res copy.

Watching The Bears In Woodland Park, Seattle.

102139.

Postcard sent to Portland, Maine in July 192X.

Top-Down Space Needle Schematics

March 18th, 2010 by Cliffe | Sorted Historic Buildings |

14 Comments »

I’ve had a number of people e-mail me recently asking for more architectural Space Needle drawings in addition to the ones posted in May 2008. So, I went straight away to the VS.org archives and started digging. Here are some top-down schematics I found showing the restaurant, plaza, and observation levels from an old 1962 publication.

Click for the high res and show us your 3d model if you build one!

Inside The Seattle Library

March 15th, 2010 by Cliffe | Sorted Photo Exposure |

5 Comments »

I haven’t seen a huge amount of interior library photos so I thought I’ d offer this un

dated shot up.

It shows the 1960-2001 downtown library pictured here. A quick trip to the most current library will show you

there will be no shortage of atrium photos in the future. Vintage Seattle circa 2050 thanks you.

Click for the high res.

Seattle public library interior.

Photo by Dudley, Hardin & Yang; courtesy Washington State Digital Archives.

Jensen’s U. District Air View

March 12th, 2010 by Cliffe | Sorted Past Post |

4 Comments »

Today we have a simple University District “air view” from the legendary Max R.

Jensen. If you don’t know Jensen’s work from the 40′s through the 80′s documenting every facet of Seattle, now is a good time to study up in the archives. Click for the high res.

Air view of the modern busy University District, adjoining the University of Washington Campus at Seattle, Washington.

The Edmond Meany Hotel is in the center of

the picture.

Ektachrome by Max R.

Jensen.

Reframe: 16th Ave. S. and Spokane

March 10th, 2010 by Cliffe | Sorted Reframe |

6 Comments »

This house’s loss in 1955 is our gain.

It looks like it was cited that year for a building violation (lack of siding) so let’s grab the current day street view for a reframe.

These days the Beacon Hill home does have siding and it may even be the same siding that was coming online in 1955. Click on the thumbnail for the high res copy.

Beacon Hill home @ 16th Ave. S. and Spokane Street.

June 15, 1955.

Photograph courtesy Seattle Municipal Archives.

View Current Day

Edward Osborn’s Rowe Apartments

March 8th, 2010 by Cliffe | Sorted Historic Buildings |

3 Comments »

File this under yet another beautiful Edward Osborn watercolor rendering.

The color palette and trademark cloud formations are similar to the Central Auto Stage Terminal rendering posted last month. Though these apartments were never realized, it’s more proof that the 1920′s produced some of the finest architecture in Seattle. Click for the high res copy.

Rowe Apartments, architectural rendering by Edward Osborn.

Pencil and watercolor on board, 1923-1927.

Born and educated in England, Edward Osborn arrived in Seattle about 1910 and worked as a delineator for several well-known architectural firms.

From 1920-1930, he occasionally worked as an independant designer. Osborn was known especially for his watercolor renderings.

While design specifications exist for a few of the apartments Osborn was either commissioned to design or those that he put out for speculative bids, the name Rowe apartments does not appear among them. Image courtesy University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections Division.

Shipping Out w/ Max R. Jensen Pt. 1

March 5th, 2010 by Cliffe | Sorted Photo Exposure |

8 Comments »

First of all, apologies for the lack of updates this w

eek — I haven’t been feeling so good. I’m a bit better now so let’s ship out with Max R. Jensen, shall we? These two shots show the M/S Orpheus and Polar Star, respectively. I’ve been remiss in representing Seattle’s rich maritime history here on the blog. Click for the high res.

M/S “Orpheus” is a first-cl

ass cruise ship owned by Epirotiki Lines and registered in Piraeus, Greece.

This ship is 5078 gross tons; 366 feet long; 51 feet in breath; 16 feet draft and has a speed of 14 knots.

It is named after the famed poet/ singer of Greek mythology.

Color photo by Max R. Jensen.

The “Polar Star,” newest of Alaska Cruise Lines’ fleet, is running from Vancouver, B.C. by way of the inside Passage of Skagway, Alaska. This beautiful ship with luxurious accommodations is 294 feet long and carries 196 passengers.

Color photo by Max R. Jensen.

Hartford Building, Art-Deco Delight

March 2nd, 2010 by Cliffe | Sorted Historic Buildings |

6 Comments »

Building of the Day goes to the Hartford Building at 2nd and James. It was built in 1929 for the First Realty Company and designed by noted Seattle architect John Graham Sr.

very nice writeup on the building here. Check out the 1974 photo below and click for the high res.

Hartford Building, 2nd & James, Seattle, Washington. Photographed May 4, 1974 by Marion Dean Ross (1913-1991), courtesy Visual Resources Collection, Architecture & Allied Arts Library, University of Oregon Libraries.