Washington State Historical Society

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Packed shoulder to shoulder, these summer travelers aboard the SS Betty Earles were bound for the Olympic Peninsula’s mo...
06/16/2026

Packed shoulder to shoulder, these summer travelers aboard the SS Betty Earles were bound for the Olympic Peninsula’s most luxurious escape, Sol Duc Hot Springs.

Getting there was half the adventure. Guests set out on a six-hour boat ride from Seattle to Port Angeles, transferred to a steam-powered car to Lake Crescent, crossed the lake by boat, and finally, a 14-mile trek by car up a winding mountain road.

Their reward? 4-star accommodations, stunning mountain views, and mineral-rich waters believed to have healing properties.

Asahel Curtis was one of the Northwest's most prolific photographers, documenting an unfiltered view of life in our region. Please consider making a gift to help our goal of making the Asahel Curtis Collection of 40,000 images available in its entirety, freely accessible to all, through full digitization. https://bit.ly/CurtisCollection

Image from WSHS collection: The SS Betty Earles. Lake Crescent WA. Photo by Asahel Curtis. Creation date: June 25, 1916. Catalog ID: 1943.42.34922.

This week in Washington (June 18, 1893), Seattle enjoyed a touch of payback against its rival to the south when the Grea...
06/15/2026

This week in Washington (June 18, 1893), Seattle enjoyed a touch of payback against its rival to the south when the Great Northern Railroad launched its inaugural run from Seattle to St. Paul, Minnesota. Seventeen years earlier Seattle had been “heartbreakingly rebuffed” when another railroad, the Northern Pacific, selected Tacoma for its terminus.

Selecting Seattle for the Great Northern terminus cemented railroad magnate James J. Hill’s reputation as the “Empire Builder.” Seattle pioneer and historian, C.T. Conover, claimed the railroad’s arrival “was a shot in the arm without precedent. Seattle went marching on by leaps and bounds."

Great Northern’s presence was part of a railroad explosion. Between 1885 and 1915, the amount of track in Washington increased 800%. Unfortunately, the tangle of railroads that crisscrossed through the Northwest nearly collapsed. Due mostly to railroad overbuilding, the financial panic of 1893 mushroomed into a decade-long recession, crippling the railroad industry.

Owners took most of the heat. Once idolized, the Empire Builder became a focus of derision. Children were seen jumping rope to the rhyme, “Twix Hill and Hell there’s just one letter. Were Hill in Hell we’d feel much better.”

Post written courtesy of David J Jepsen - Historian

Image from WSHS collection. Queen City or Carbonado Band members at the celebration for the completion of the Northern Pacific Railroad. Date Sept. 14 or 15, 1893. Catalog ID s1992.27.43

Musician, athlete, labor advocate, civic leader, and activist Powell S. Barnett was a towering and influential figure wh...
06/12/2026

Musician, athlete, labor advocate, civic leader, and activist Powell S. Barnett was a towering and influential figure whose impact stretched from the coal mines of Roslyn to Seattle’s vibrant Black arts and culture community.

Barnett broke barriers as the first Black member of Seattle’s formerly all-White Musicians Union and helped strengthen countless community organizations throughout the Central District.

Today, his legacy lives on at Powell Barnett Park in the Central District. Over the last fifty years the park has hosted music festivals, community celebrations, civil rights demonstrations, public art projects, and neighborhood revitalization efforts.

Explore our newest Black Washington entry on Powell Barnett Park, created in collaboration with his granddaughter!

Download the FREE Black Washington app to learn more about the people, places, and moments that shaped Black history across our state: blackwashington.app

06/11/2026

Did you know Seattle was home to the first American team to win the Stanley Cup? In 1917, the Seattle Metropolitans made hockey history. See this story and more at the Washington State History Museum https://bit.ly/30yearsandcounting

Celebrate Juneteenth with us at the Washington State History Museum on Thursday, June 18, 2026, from 4:00 - 6:00 PM for ...
06/10/2026

Celebrate Juneteenth with us at the Washington State History Museum on Thursday, June 18, 2026, from 4:00 - 6:00 PM for an evening of free performances, storytelling, music, and community.

We're honored to welcome award-winning storyteller, actress, and keynote speaker Eva Abram of Rainwater Storytelling.

Known for bringing history to life through powerful storytelling and character portrayals, Eva has captivated audiences across the country and internationally. Her performances draw on history, folktales, and lived experiences, inviting audiences to laugh, learn, reflect, and connect. A recipient of the 2022 J.J. Reneaux Emerging Artist Award from the National Storytelling Network, Eva has portrayed trailblazing figures including Shirley Chisholm, Bessie Coleman, and Rosa Parks, illuminating stories that continue to inspire today!

The evening will also feature performances by Jason Turner, Naby Camara, Baba Kauna Mujamal, and Kamau Ron Taplin.

Presented as part of Washington State: America's 250th 'We the People Lecture Series' and the museum's Juneteenth commemoration.

https://bit.ly/juneteenthwshm

This month in Washington (ca June 1890), the 11th Decennial Census confirmed the obvious –population growth had explode...
06/08/2026

This month in Washington (ca June 1890), the 11th Decennial Census confirmed the obvious –population growth had exploded, nearly quadrupling to 349,000. But to borrow from Charles Dickens, "it was the best of times, it was the worst of times."

The people of Washington cheered on November 11, 1889, when it became the forty-second state. But that same year, catastrophic blazes leveled the business districts of Seattle, Ellensburg, and Spokane. By 1890, these cities were aggressively rebuilding with brick, stone, and iron rather than wood, reshaping their downtown architecture.

The fires did not repel newcomers. People kept coming on the new transcontinental railroads, drawn by rich soil, ample rain, and abundant business opportunities. Thomas Prosch, a former Seattle Post-Intelligencer editor, chronicled the flurry of activity.

“(Growth) was manifested in a thousand ways, but particularly with real estate speculation, in the platting of additions to the city, hundreds of new buildings, scores of graded streets, the new railways, banks, hotels, stores, factories, shops and people.”

Unfortunately, good times would not last. The Panic of 1893 led to severe economic depression, triggered by the collapse of railroads overbuilding, and risky financing.

Post written courtesy of David J Jepsen - Historian

Image from WSHS collection: Hilman Jones collection. Scene of a Seattle street showing rebuilding after the 1889 fire. Creation date 1890. Catalog ID 1934.22.6.

Three new stories are now live on the Washington State history app Black Washington!These new entries feature the legacy...
06/05/2026

Three new stories are now live on the Washington State history app Black Washington!

These new entries feature the legacy of John and Mary Conna and the newly dedicated Conna Park in Federal Way and are especially meaningful because they were created in collaboration with Conna family descendants, bringing generations of family research and perspective to the story.

Born into slavery in Texas, John Conna became a Civil War veteran, civic leader, real estate developer, and Washington State's first Black political appointee. He advocated for Black migration to Washington Territory, helped advance civil rights legislation, and played a key role in shaping early Tacoma and South Puget Sound communities.

Mary Conna, raised in Hartford, Connecticut's vibrant abolitionist community, helped build and sustain her family's homestead while navigating the challenges of frontier life. Her resilience, leadership, and commitment to family laid the foundation for generations of Conna descendants.

Dedicated in 2025, Conna Park honors the family's original Federal Way homestead and celebrates the lasting impact of two Black pioneers whose contributions helped shape Washington's history.

Explore these new additions and discover more than 60 stories of Black history from across the state in the award-winning Black Washington app!

Download here: blackwashington.app

Get creative with cardboard, fabric, and paper-mâché at June’s Seymour’s Kids Club! Join us at the Washington State Hist...
06/03/2026

Get creative with cardboard, fabric, and paper-mâché at June’s Seymour’s Kids Club!

Join us at the Washington State History Museum on Saturday, June 6 from 10:30–11:30 AM for "The Art of Puppetry," an interactive family workshop led by String and Shadow Puppet Theater! FREE! (Registration has SOLD OUT but walk-ins are welcome!)

Known for their larger-than-life outdoor puppet shows built from recycled materials, String and Shadow Puppet Theater brings creativity, storytelling, and hands-on fun to this special session designed for kids ages 4–10 and their families.

Seymour’s Kids Club is a series of interactive educational programs that introduce children to the history and culture of Washington State while sparking curiosity and creativity. Seymour’s Kids Club is made possible through the generous support of the Bamford Foundation and the Gottfried and Mary Fuchs Foundation.

More info: https://bit.ly/seymourpuppets

In the late 1700s, New England fishermen and mariners formed volunteer groups to rescue people in distress from shipwrec...
06/02/2026

In the late 1700s, New England fishermen and mariners formed volunteer groups to rescue people in distress from shipwrecks and storms. Braving dangerous waters in small wooden boats, with little more than ropes and life jackets, these volunteers risked their lives in conditions too hazardous for larger ships.

The movement gradually spread across the United States, and in 1871, it became a federal agency known as the U.S. Life-Saving Service. Over the years, the agency has been credited with saving more than 186,000 lives along the American coastline. In 1915, the U.S. Life-Saving Service merged with the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service, creating what is now known as the U.S. Coast Guard.

After becoming a federal agency, the U.S. Life-Saving Service rapidly expanded, establishing stations nationwide. In 1874, a station was authorized at Neah Bay, located within the Makah Reservation, to provide vital support in the treacherous waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. This Asahel Curtis photograph shows three members of the U.S. Life-Saving Service at Neah Bay with a Makah Tribe family.

Asahel Curtis was one of the Northwest's most prolific photographers, documenting an unfiltered view of life in our region. Please consider making a gift to help our goal of making the Asahel Curtis Collection of 40,000 images available in its entirety, freely accessible to all, through full digitization. https://bit.ly/CurtisCollection

Image from WSHS collection: Life Saving Crew. Neah Bay, WA. Photo by Asahel Curtis. Creation date: June 1910. Catalog ID: 1943.42.18238.

On this day in Washington (June 1, 1909), Seattle joined the big leagues of American cities. The Alaska Yukon Pacific Ex...
06/01/2026

On this day in Washington (June 1, 1909), Seattle joined the big leagues of American cities. The Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition – Seattle’s first world’s fair – opened its gates to 30,000 excited fairgoers.

The five-month fair, held at the University of Washington campus, drew exhibitors from around the world. The message was clear - we have arrived. More than 3.7 million visitors paid to see the world’s latest developments in science, technology and art. The Paystreak, a carnival of rides, games and entertainment, added fun to the experience.

Beyond fun and education, was a strategy to promote Seattle as a vital hub to world trade. On the heals of the Alaska and Yukon gold strikes, Seattle positioned itself as the link between the vast riches to the north and the equally vast markets to the east.

Puget Sound’s deep-water ports would ensure permanent leadership in world trade, but AYP created something more tangible -- a world-class UW campus. John Charles Olmsted, who designed many of Seattle’s parks, also created the exposition’s grounds and structures. Two UW buildings, Architecture Hall and Cunningham Hall, are still standing. Drumheller Fountain and Rainier Vista remain the campus’s sparkling jewels.

Post written courtesy of David J Jepsen - Historian

Image from WSHS collection. Black and white photograph, elevated image, looking down at the Paystreak at the Alaska-Pacific-Yukon Exposition, Seattle. Photographic print. Creation date 1909. Catalog ID: 2010.96.1

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