How did Seattle become a literary city? The roots to that accomplishment began “in the muck and mire of the frontier city,” says Cascade PBS host of Mossback’s Northwest, Knute Berger (aka Mossback).
Mossback recently aired a fascinating episode on the city’s literary roots, and its connection to Skid Road. It was filmed partly in the Central Library’s Seattle Room, a treasure chest of early Seattle artifacts and historical documents.
A star of the episode is an 1889 book ledger from the Seattle Room that reveals some of our library’s earliest volumes. You’ll also learn about a strange Seattle connection to “Call of the Wild” author Jack London.
If you have an extra seven minutes during the upcoming holiday weekend, it’s worth a watch!
And a quick PSA: The Seattle Room, located on Level 10 of the Central Library, is open to all, and you can even make an appointment if you have a specific topic you want to research or you just want to explore. You’re welcome to visit during open hours: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursday, from 1 and 5 p.m.
Its collections contain over 50,000 items that provide a window into everyday life in Seattle throughout the city’s diverse and complex history.
Go to the Seattle Room webpage to find out more.