Living With Tech: Atari Women & Beyond

The Living With Tech: Atari Women & Beyond event at Living Computers Museum + Labs in May brought to light the stories of women who worked on video games in the 1980s. Combining historical industry research, oral history interviews, and makerspace methodology with University of Washington Human Centered Design & Engineering student work, the program and pop-up exhibit broadened our understanding of who contributed to this vital and creative time for popularizing video games, from the arcades to people’s homes.

Seattle Style: Fashion/Function

Friday night ushered in the members preview for the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) “Seattle Style:Fashion/Function” exhibition - a highly-anticipated event that included remarks from Executive Director Leonard Garfield, Curator Clara Berg, and Eddie Bauer Brand Historian Colin Berg. Utilizing user-centered design principles, the MOHAI team reached out to a wide array of local collaborators to provide context for impressions & expressions of the “Seattle style” - strongly recommended!

The Seattle of Tomorrow, From the Past

Last Wednesday, I ventured to MOHAI for the History Cafe program “The Seattles That Might Have Been.” The evening’s speaker Eric Scigliano (award-winning writer & journalist) opened the program by noting that cities are ultimately collections of ideas. We primarily experience what has come to into being and persists in our local landscape - this is what makes up the “Emerald City” as we know it. Or we remember what has been built and demolished (strong in my memory - Kingdome, Sit N Spin, Cloud Room at Camlin Hotel). Adaptive reuse presents a spectrum of options in between, whether preserving the facade or other methods.

For historical unrealized buildings and construction projects, they comprise a number of many possible outcomes, much like a disco ball with faceted mirrors. According to Mr. Scigliano, it is important to pay attention to Seattle’s ideas of the past because they remain relevant today. They also can provide insight into possible future civic projects, whether for research purposes or to revisit (such as further lidding I-5, first suggested by the architect Paul Thiry in the 1960s).

Eric Scigliano sets the context for this presentation, noting how cities can take on second (or third lives), and Seattle is a great example with multiple boom and bust historical cycles.

Mr. Scigliano outlined an intriguing survey of Seattle’s proposals, many quite serious and developed, others more imaginative and a bit whimsical.

Rare newspaper illustration commenting on the Bogue Plan, which would have been Seattle’s first comprehensive plan that included subways and a civic center in Denny Regrade. Residents of Queen Anne were concerned that the development would isolate and negatively impact them. Image via HistoryLink.

George Hartman believed that every great city should have a river. Hence, a proposal to fill in I-5 with water!

The next day, I headed to the Seattle Public Library’s Seattle Room to learn more about these unrealized plans. The SPL staff helpfully pointed me towards a University of Washington thesis - “A Forgotten Future: One Possible Seattle” by Steven Gano Cecil. Submitted in 1981, the thesis further expands the survey to include additional plans and projects.

Images that illustrate proposed above ground train at Westlake and Fourth Ave. (1918), and section perspective for underground light rail on Third Ave. (1961).

Rendering for proposed Seattle General Hospital in downtown (1932).

Metropolitan Tract Plan was proposed by the Tishman family from New York City, bringing a bit of Gotham to Seattle with a Rockefeller Center-type development (1952).

Urban Stream proposal for a salmon stream to run from Volunteer Park to downtown (1975).

A video recording of the event is available via the Seattle Channel.

MOHAI also offers audio recordings of all History Cafe programs online via Soundcloud - well worth checking out.

Seattle Architecture Foundation Open House

On Wednesday night, I left the Center for Architecture and Design feeling inspired. The Center hosted the Seattle Architecture Foundation Open House. The event brought together the SAF Board, staff, friends, and newbies to the organization (like me) to see the terrific exhibit “Sanctuary: Design for Belonging” as well as celebrate the work of SAF’s volunteers. The SAF has established a tour guide program, and three people were recognized for completing the program.

This year’s group of volunteers receiving the Bill Strong Award for Volunteer Excellence.

Using the event passport provided to me and circulating to the different tables, I was able to meet more of the SAF community and learn more about SAF’s programs, including tours offered throughout the year. I am particularly intrigued by the Ballard tour coming next month. The energy and excitement was palpable, and I look forward to becoming more involved.

Time is ticking for the Sanctuary exhibition (closing Feb. 23) - it is well worth a visit.

The event recognized the work of SAF’s volunteers.

State of Downtown (Snow Globe Edition)

On Friday, I attended the Downtown Seattle Association’s “State of Downtown.” The emerging snowpacolypse did not deter the 1,300 people who attended at the Hyatt Regency. In the afternoon, breakout sessions were held on important topics, including “From Freeway to Future Possibilities: The Opportunity to Lid Interstate 5.”

The session was moderated by Larry Costich (Attorney, Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt) with a panel including:

Liz Dunn (Principal, Dunn + Hobbes, LLC)

Karen Thompson (Director of Planning, Delaware River Waterfront Corporation)

Sam Assefa (Director of Office of Planning & Community Development)

Panel session. Notice the flakes in the window, which did not dampen enthusiasm.

As members of the Lidding I-5 Committee, Liz Dunn and Sam Assefa shared the following insights:

• Local opinion was divided on constructing I-5 from the get-go; First Hill residents led opposition efforts because of fear of isolation from downtown.

• Communities and homes were destroyed, with residents displaced.

• Over time, I-5 created a scar, and lidding I-5 provides an opportunity to heal the wound of urban renewal.

• The committee is moving forward with a feasibility study, now in the RFP phase, focusing on a pilot project to lid I-5 from Madison to Denny, providing a baseline for further activities.

• The study will also help gather important data and compile information to determine fundamentals of the project.

• Lidding I-5 will help provide sorely needed public space, provide environmental benefits, and is economically a better value than buying existing land downtown.

• Lidding I-5 creates an opportunity to increase density in closer proximity to desired amenities, rather than promote growth in areas that are further away, while adding to traffic congestion.

• It is critical to engage WSDOT and other partners to creatively address solutions (freeway is aging quickly and costs are increasing to replace it; what will freeways look like in 20-30 years?)

Freeway Park, July 1976. Image courtesy Seattle Municipal Archives: http://archives.seattle.gov/digital-collections/index.php/Detail/objects/11634

The movement for freeway lids is first attributed to Seattle’s Freeway Park in 1976. Many other cities have completed similar projects, or are in the planning stages. Here is a comprehensive map pinpointing where they are (some places will likely surprise you).

Karen Thompson also spoke about her experience at Penns Landing in Philadelphia. Penns Landing is a historical commemoration waterfront site that is separated from the rest of the city by I-95. The Delaware River Waterfront Corporation, in collaboration with other agencies, are embarking on a master plan to cap 12 acres of the freeway and build additional green spaces with amenities like an skating rink. Similar to the goals for lidding I-5, the Philadelphia project is intended to improve accessibility to the rest of the city and the waterfront.

I am familiar with this transformative project through my work at The Durst Organization. During my visits to Philadelphia, I can see great potential at the site and a city that is rallying around the concept. As Seattle’s I-5 lid feasibility study is completed and further contemplated, perhaps there will be a growth of support as Seattleites realize the benefits.

To garner support, I think it’s also critical to engage the historical imagination. In 1961, Paul Thiry (who was Principal Architect for the 1962 World’s Fair), serving as a member of the City Planning Commission, wanted to lid all of I-5 through downtown Seattle, sensing how the freeway can create isolation. After I-5 was built, Freeway Park and later the Convention Center were built as lids, with a number of proposals in intervening years, not to mention lids on I-90 and 520. I-5 “as is” is certainly not a given.

Protestors march across Spring Street demonstrating opposition to freeway construction, Seattle, June 1961. Image courtesy MOHAI (Image No. 1986.5.4018.1): https://digitalcollections.lib.washington.edu/digital/collection/imlsmohai/id/2047/rec/37

Thank you to everyone at Downtown Seattle Association for putting together a great event.

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.

"A Visual Archive" Exhibit at KEXP

Just in the nick of time, we were able to quickly tour “A Visual Archive” exhibit at the phenomenal community-focused KEXP Gathering Space. The exhibit is sourced from Light in the Attic Records, a label that specializes in music reissues, in many cases of obscure or overlooked music. Curated by photographer and director David Black, the show includes rare photographs of a number of performers, including Patti Smith, Sly Stone, The Shaggs, Betty Davis, Mark Lanegan, and many others.

What struck me most were the images of local artists. Light in the Attic Records previously had released Wheedle’s Groove, which reissued limited-run Seattle funk and soul songs spanning from the 1960s-1970s. The compilation included one of my father’s favorite bands, Cold Bold & Together. One of the claims to fame for this band was that a young Kenny G was in the group (in addition to making and wearing synchronized outfits).

Promotional photo for Cold, Bold & Together.

What the record label has done so well is further contextualize previous eras and movements of music. On a local level, the Wheedle’s Groove compilation helped me understand the 25-30 R&B area clubs regularly featuring these live acts that further cemented Seattle as a music-friendly town. Many of the buildings are gone now, and there is some ephemera around (such as gig posters). By identifying, preserving, reformatting, and reissuing the recordings, the music lives on and provides a window to better understand the arts of the time, beyond Quincy Jones, Jimi Hendrix, and more well-known acts.

The exhibition is next headed to L.A.

Here is an interview with the curator.

View of the gallery of images in the exhibit.

All photographs taken by the author and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

AKCHO Annual Meeting at the Nordic Museum

On Tuesday I attended the Association of King County Historical Organizations (AKCHO) Annual Membership meeting. The event also provided an opportunity to visit Ballard’s recently renovated Nordic Museum, which has been on my checklist for months.

The program included a warm welcome from Eric Nelson, CEO of the Nordic Museum. A quick video depicted some highlights from the museum’s opening in May.

Jennifer Meisner, Historic Preservation Officer with King County, discusses some of the outreach to local communities, including those in unincorporated King County.

Following the business meeting, there was a presentation from Jennifer Meisner, Historic Preservation Officer, King County Historic Preservation Program. An overview was provided for the buildings recognized with certificates of designation in 2018. Among them were the F.W. Woolworth Company building in Renton (down the street from my family’s auction business), and the Boeing Building 105 in Tuwkila, built in 1909 (a bit surprised it did not make the cut yet). Outreach to unincorporated areas of King County was also discussed as an initiative for 2019.

4Culture’s Executive Director Brian J. Carter and Heritage Support Specialist Cheiko Phillips discussed 4Culture’s activities and plans, which included listening sessions with communities all across King County to recognize local cultural resources and promote 4Culture’s services.

Chieko Phillips discusses the services 4Culture provides, along with plans for 2019.

Following that was a panel discussing the theme of inclusion with:

Moderator: Hilary Pittenger, AKCHO Board

Panelists: Chieko Phillips, 4Culture

Nicole Robert, MOHAI

Aletheia Wittman, The Incluseum

Kicking off the panel was a question on the definition of inclusion. The conversation focused on how inclusion involves a series of building relationships. For exhibitions, it is helpful to have inclusive advisory committees that draw from diverse perspectives. One institutional challenge is uncertainty around the results of projects, or how the exhibitions or heritage content will be received. For this, we do not have control. In addition, the panelists discussed how some initiatives do not work as anticipated, and how progress can be made, even in failure.

Panel discussion.

Many other topics were discussed including: 4Culture’s racial bias training for employees; MOHAI’s racial equity plan; how inequity can result from collections policies; and the power of storytelling where the narrator can control personal narratives, without the interviewer, and sometimes in the absence of documentation (photographs or other meaningful objects).

After the panel, lunch was served, with further conversation amongst the attendees. It was a delight to meet some of the AKCHO members, hear about these inspiring exhibitions and projects, and reconnect with colleagues.

All photographs taken by the author and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

A Visit to the MOHAI Archives

As part of my consulting work, I am researching the narrative and visual history of transportation along Third Avenue from Yesler Way to Denny Way. This objective has provided a terrific opportunity to visit some of our vital local archives. On January 18th, I scheduled an appointment at the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) Resource Center.

The exterior of the MOHAI Resource Center, at a former marble showroom.

Located in Georgetown, the Center inhabits a former marble showroom. MOHAI moved the collection to Georgetown as part of the museum’s relocation to South Lake Union.

MOHAI stewards two collections of particular interest for my project:

Collection on the Pacific Outfitting Company, 1907-1991 
Collection Number: 2008.3.18 (accession)
Finding Aid: http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv64495

The Pacific Outfitting Company was founded in 1907 by Alfred Shemanski, who immigrated from Poland to Seattle. The store sold clothing, and had a flagship store at Third Avenue and University Street (where Benaroya Hall is now). The collection includes photographs and brochures of the store, which also depict the transportation modes on the street - horse and carriage, streetcars, and automobiles.

Negatives on the light table with Pacific Outfitting Co. advertisements.

Here is an intriguing (and rare early view) of the store’s interior, ca. 1910:

Image courtesy MOHAI - Image # 2008.3.18.4

In a further transportation connection, a 1949 brochure advertises uniforms for Seattle bus drivers. As noted in the brochure, the Pacific Outfitting Company has been operating since the “Trolley Days.”

Price List brochure dated October 1, 1949 advertising Seattle Transit System uniforms. and equipment

View of the store facing southwest on Third Avenue, ca. 1970s.

The collection also contains the manuscript “Cheerful Credit,” which provides a colorful history of the company compiled from interviews transcribed with the executives. The store eventually closed in 1991.

Seattle Post Office Photographs and Other Material, 1889-1962
Collection Number 1972.5319 (collection)
Finding Aid: http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv68076

Initially in reading the finding aid, I was interested in viewing building photos of the downtown post office, located at Third Avenue and Union Street. What I discovered was much more - photographs of employees, including at parades and other events.

1903 view showing the site of the to-be-constructed Seattle Post Office at Third Avenue and Union Street amidst street regrade activities. The post office had moved multiple times before landing in its current location on Third Avenue.

View of the 37th Biennial Convention of the National Association of Letter Carriers on Parade. The parade occurred on Third Avenue.

These two distinct collections provide another context to understand the transportation history of Third Avenue. Although the subject matter is focused on something else, I enjoyed connecting the dots. A few of the images showing the postal worker parades on Third Avenue even included the Pacific Outfitter Co. store in the background!

I would like to thank Adam Lyon at MOHAI with the Library Services team for all his help to locate these resources and facilitating my visit.

Letting the Light In: Art on the Seattle Waterfront

Image via Friends of Art on Pier 86 website

On the brisk Friday evening of December 21st, we attended the “Let There Be Light” Closing Viewing Party. Hosted by the Friends of Art on Pier 86, the event included a vibrant video art piece heralding Seattle’s history, along with anticipating the future. Created by the artist duo Hexagon Misfit, the piece was projected over 200 feet tall & onto the head house of the Pier 86 Grain Terminal. Incredibly, the terminal still functions and is operated daily by the Port of Seattle.

In speaking with artist Craig Winslow, he explained drawing inspiration from images of Seattle’s past. Photographs depicting the area over time were projected onto the facade.

A collaboration between Craig Winslow and Chris Rojas, the Pier 86 projection mapping explores the past, present, and future of the Seattle waterfront and the Pacific Northwest people.

via Chris Rojas/YouTube

Utilizing visual mapping techniques, aspects of the architecture were also superimposed onto the building. Some of this work reminded me of the Borealis light festival at MOHAI back in October.

The event took place at Expedia’s offices on Elliot Ave, providing great views of the video art, although it was even more compelling viewing from outside. As we all look to a changing downtown Seattle waterfront, one in which artists will have permanent works on display according to the city’s art plan & vision, I look forward to what the Friends group has in store for the future!