A Visit to the King County Archives
As part of my research on the history of transportation on Third Avenue, I visited the King County Archives in Yesler Terrace last month.
Front entrance to the King County Archives and Records Center.
The King County Archives (KCA) program was established in 1990 and collects King County agency & government records. There’s some overlap with the Puget Sound Regional Branch of the Washington State Archives, which predates KCA. The Puget Sound branch’s holdings include property records, such as the tax photograph collection, a rich resource of historic building photographs along with assessments and other materials. I was able to order scans of my Grandmother’s antique store and other family members’ homes.
Top two images are from the Puget Sound Regional Branch of the Washington State Archives, from the 1930s and 1950s. Image for comparison today is my Grandmother’s store - Silhouette Antiques and Gifts in Ravenna (bottom image).
At KCA, I reviewed some project files related to the Downtown Seattle Transit Project (Ref. ID 1844). The scope of this project included constructing underground bus tunnels and stations in the 1980s. Initially serving buses, the stations now also accommodate light rail. The project files included photographs, reports, schedules, and even some videos.
What struck me was the degree of documentation prior to any construction work. For instance, there are binders filled with interior views depicting showrooms and other commercial businesses. There is documentation of building foundations and architectural details to show the existing conditions, in case any issues with these properties arise during construction.
Bank interior facing onto Third Avenue as the street is prepared for construction (Ref. ID 1844.101) - King County Archives.
Interior of apparel store - (Ref. ID 1844.101) - King County Archives.
In serving this initial purpose, the images now provide vivid portraits of properties that have been significantly altered or demolished. As time capsules, these records can be combined with the WSA Puget Sound branch materials to tell a fuller and more enriching story on Seattle’s built environment. For instance, maybe I can cross reference some KCA photos of street work or repaving in Ravenna showing my Grandmother’s antique store nearby, captured by happenstance but preserved for the future!
To see some terrific Downtown Seattle Transit Project construction shots, check out the King County, WA Flickr album.
A big thank you to the helpful staff at King County Archives for their assistance, including Jill Anderson.