Seattle history

  • Black History in Seattle

    ~posted by Abby B. At the library, every month is Black History Month. We get questions and requests for African American history, culture and fiction throughout the year. In honor of the nationally recognized celebration, we’re shining a spotlight on Black History in Seattle. Here are some great resources to explore if you want to… Continue reading

  • 20 Essential Seattle Books, Part 1: History.

    Here at the library, we’re often asked by old timers and newcomers alike, “What are must read books for people living in Seattle?” While others have offered intriguing suggestions, librarians aren’t really big on shoulds and musts, knowing how readers have such diverse tastes, moods and motivations. That said, we thought we’d venture a little list of titles… Continue reading

  • Yuletide Cheer from the Archives

    ~posted by Jade D. In the library’s digital collections, we have a wealth of materials (from photographs and postcards to artwork and newspapers) which give a glimpse into Christmas celebrations of the past. Continue reading

  • A Taste of Turkey from the Seattle Room Menu Collection

    ~posted by Jade D. Looking for inspiration for your Thanksgiving menu? Take a look at our Seattle Room Menu Collection to start gathering ideas for your turkey dinner from some of Seattle’s historic restaurants. Continue reading

  • To the Polls! The Municipal News and Historic Seattle Elections

    ~posted by Jade Just in time for election season, we’ve launched our Municipal News Digital Collection featuring nearly 100 years of issues from 1911 to 2010. Produced by the Municipal League of Seattle, the news provides insight on hot button civic issues of the day such as prohibition, dance halls, desegregation, the Alaskan Way Viaduct and… Continue reading

  • Postmarked with Love

    ~posted by Jade In honor of Valentine’s Day and the spirit of sending messages to loved ones, I’m sharing a couple of fun postcards from our online Historic Seattle Postcard Collection. One of my favorite parts about this collection is finding postcards that include messages between friends and family. These brief notes can reveal some… Continue reading

  • Seattle Rep’s ‘The Vaudevillians’ and Seattle’s vaudevillian history

    By Karen K. In Seattle Repertory Theatre’s production of The Vaudevillians, Seattle natives Jerick Hoffer (Jinkx Monsoon, RuPaul’s Drag Race) and Richard Andriessen (Major Scales) star as “The Vaudevillians,” a fictional 1920s duo who were literally frozen in time while touring in Antarctica. Thawing out nearly a century later, they discover their original music has… Continue reading

  • Crime: If you like J.A. Jance mysteries …

    Most of the J.A. Jance fans I know have a deep affinity for J.P. Beaumont, the Seattle detective who lets us see just enough of his personal life to make him real, then brings us right back to a tight focus on the case. We love his smart, brooding character; we’re crazy for the Seattle setting and we… Continue reading

  • How do I love the Seattle Public Library? Let me count the ways.

    Today’s guest blogger is Diana E. James, author of the newly published Shared Walls: Seattle Apartment Buildings, 1900-1939 (and co-author of one of our library’s own talented teen librarians). How do I love Seattle Public Library? Let me count the ways. Where else would a staff-person patiently sift through a drawer of maps until the perfect one… Continue reading

  • New Seattle History Guide

     Shove over, Sherlock. Seattle history detectives have a powerful new tool to help them deduce the details of Seattle’s past. You should have been so lucky! Due to the efforts of nearby historians, Lorraine McConahy and Helen Divjak, the legendary voice of Paul Dorpat and friends and Greg Lange at the Puget Sound Regional Archives  among others, we’ve had powerful allies for delving into Seattle history.… Continue reading

  • Warship Under Sail – Interview with Lorraine McConaghy

                                                          Some of you may know local historian, Lorraine McConaghy, through MOHAI’s Nearby History workshops. A member of the Pacific Northwest Historian Guild, McConaghy has been writing, talking and teaching  the history of Seattle and its environs for years. With her new book, Warship Under Sail, McConaghy delves into the history of the United States Navy… Continue reading