Showing posts with label history. Show all posts
Showing posts with label history. Show all posts

Time capsule under the Transamerica Pyramid building in San Francisco

Monday, September 16, 2024

Screenshot from news video

Bettelinn Brown, well-known Briarcrest resident, is thrilled that her brother John Krizek and his wife Kay have been invited to San Francisco as guests of the new owners of the Transamerica Pyramid, who dug up a time capsule John was part of placing there 50 years ago.

John was the PR manager of Transamerica Corp. at the time. The Pyramid was quite a controversial project, he said, with lots of hearings, protests, and news coverage.

John continues,  

The new owners have spent a ton of money renovating the neighborhood (they own more than the Pyramid). They had planned a grand opening on September 12, 2024 before they unearthed the time capsule, and were amazed at its contents.

Because the site is very historic — going back to the Gold Rush days — and a friend at the time was editor for the California Historical Society — we decided to make that time capsule a real serious testimony for future generations. The San Francisco Public Library has sent me a 4-page list of the ingredients of that time capsule, which I provided to them in 1974.

The redwood park is a centerpiece of the new development. I told them when we planted those trees, they were 10-15-ft. tall, and we had to strap them down from being blown over by the wind tunnel effect between buildings. Now they are 100-ft. tall.

The opening of the time capsule was a major event on Thursday, September 12, with John and Kay as featured guests.


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Collections Corner: Blanche Hillmann's Companion

Saturday, September 14, 2024

Blanche Hillman's camelback trunk is now part of the museum's collection
Photo courtesy SHM

At the start of August 2024, the Shoreline Historical Museum received a special donation of an 1896 travel trunk. 

This important companion accompanied Richmond Beach Pioneer, Blanche E. Hillmann on her 1915 journey from Minneapolis, MN to present day Shoreline, WA.

The interior of the trunk was beautifully decorated
Photo courtesy SHM

The trunk was crafted in the German style Camelback form, known for its highly detailed wood carving, art printing and metalworking. The hardy storage unit had a curved top design that prevented other furniture from being stacked on top of it. This kept the contents of the trunk safe and allowed for multiple areas of storage. Perfect for the long journey from Minneapolis to Shoreline!

Blanche Hillmann was an elementary school teacher in Shoreline
Photo courtesy SHM

The trunk would have contained many of Hillmann's personal belongings, including clothes, housewares and teaching supplies as she made her journey across the Northwest to eventually reach Shoreline. 

She would spend her career teaching 2nd grade and German language at Richmond Beach Elementary School, which was open from 1891-1971.

The Shoreline Historical Museum is located at 18501 Linden Ave N, Shoreline WA 98133


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Forgotten Union Veterans of the Civil War are honored in ceremony at Evergreen Washelli

Wednesday, August 28, 2024

Honor Guard by the Sons of the American Revolution
Photo by Doug Cerretti

By Doug Cerretti

I had the distinct privilege to honor 29 veterans who served during time of war and 31 women who supported them at Evergreen-Washelli Funeral Home (11111 Aurora Ave N Seattle, WA 98133) on Wednesday, August 21, 2024. 

While we honor all veterans equally, these veterans are unique. For one, these cremated remains were unclaimed. We do not know the machinations that occurred when these veterans and spouses died but no one, not even family members claimed them.

Cremated remains of 29 Union Veterans of the Civil War and 31 Spouses
Photo by Doug Cerretti

With the support of Dignity Memorial, parent company of Evergreen-Washelli, the Missing in American Project (MIAP) discovered these unclaimed cremains on shelves in the basement of local funeral homes. 

After many research hours, volunteers from MIAP validated the identity of these cremains and that they were veterans. 

As MIAP Vice-President Clyde Taylor said, 
“Veterans signed a blank check to the United States when they enlisted which include payment up to and including their life. In return they are promised a dignified and honorable military burial.

"Through the effort of MIAP and Dignity Memorial, these unclaimed cremains are now claimed fulfilling that obligation. 

"The finding of so many unclaimed cremains is sad but I believe even worse for those who have served our country." 

This happens more often than many of us are aware of; two years ago, Dignity Memorial and MIAP reclaimed 123 veterans as was described in the Shoreline Area News

The other unique thing about these cremains is that they are Union veterans of the Civil War and their cremains have been unclaimed for over 100 years! 

As the colors were carried in for the ceremony by the Washington National Guard, Ashokan Farewell was played. 

Ashokan Farewell was written in 1982 by Jay Ungar and was played several times in Ken Burns’ PBS Civil War miniseries in 1990 and this song will forever be linked to the Civil War. The song tugs your emotions of loss, longing and sorrow as you think of those that fought in the War Between the States. (Listen to it here)

Union Veterans and Spouses whose remains were unclaimed for over 100 years
Each one was honored at the ceremony
Photo by Doug Cerretti

Many Union veterans moved west after the war to start a new life away from the horrors they experienced and many of them traveled to Washington State. 

They included George L. Camp (1835-1918) a soldier of the 92nd Ohio Infantry who survived being shot during the Battle of Missionary Ridge in 1863 and lived in Seattle until 1918, along with his wife, Ernestine. 

William O'Neal (1846 - 1919) a soldier of the 45th Ohio infantry who was a survivor of the horrors of the notorious Andersonville prison camp.

Emeline Mattice (1831 - 1913), is representative of the toll taken by war on families and the home front. Her husband survived the war but he died shortly after. She lost her two brothers in the war, one died of disease in 1862 and another died in battle in Virginia just before Lee's surrender at Appomattox in 1865.

Richard Heisler from Civil War Seattle said that in 1880 there were 75 Union veterans in Seattle and by 1905 there were 2000 in King County and 3000 in Washington State, more per capita than any state in the Union. And here they lived the rest of their lives. 

The last Seattle Union veteran, Hiram Randall Gale, passed away in 1951 at the age of 104.

Remains of Chauncy Roscoe and his wife Bessie
are carried at Tahoma National Cemetery
Photo by Doug Cerretti


On Thursday August 22, 2024, the claimed cremains of these Union veterans and their spouses were transported to Tahoma National Cemetery (18600 SE 240th St Kent, WA 98042) for their final honors and final resting place. 

Their names were spoken as they were carried from the hearse individually or as husband and wife through an honor line of the Sons of the American Revolution. 

 21-Musket Salute by the Historical 4th Infantry Regiment
Photo by Doug Cerretti

The Union veterans were finally honored with a musket volley by the Historical 4th Infantry Regiment, taps by Debbie Dawson, Peninsula Veteran Honor Guard and Flag Folding Ceremony by the Washington Army National Guard. 

As Matt Fox, Dignity Memorial, said, “It is long overdue that these veterans and their spouses are laid to rest and as we speak their names, they live a little longer with stories and memories of families we will never know.”


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From the Museum: The Naming of North City

Monday, July 15, 2024

1940s View from North City SHM-1279

The Naming of North City

The business association, started by Tracy Owen and Russ Wacker et al, held a contest in about 1946 or ’47 to name the business district and surrounding community. People submitted names and the person who won was a waitress at the Dog House. 

The grand prize was a radio, and the prize-winning name that she submitted was “North City,” as in a little city north of Seattle. Tracy Owen and Russ Wacker loved this - they realized that they could build a whole theme around this name.

These early organizers gave North City an identity and a flavor. It was little bit bawdy and a lot of fun and hard work - community members had to stick together and fight for what they wanted. 

They got a Seafair parade going, a Seafair Princess, and a huge North City Sourdough Days carnival with a rodeo at the stables where St. Marks is today. They had fireman contests, 4H contests, dog show, and other activities that everyone could enjoy.

--Courtesy the Shoreline Historical Museum


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Walk Back in Time - historical event at Edmonds Pioneer Cemetery July 18, 2024

Sunday, July 14, 2024

In 2012 John Hartquist portrayed Edmonds
founder George Brackett. The program is
different every year.
Republished from My Edmonds News

Members of the public are invited to the Edmonds Memorial Cemetery’s annual Walk Back in Time event, scheduled for 1-2pm Thursday, July 18, 2024 at 820 15th St SW, Edmonds.

This year’s theme focuses on those who physically shaped Edmonds as we know it today through their determination and grit, the City of Edmonds said in news release announcing the event.

Portrayed by members of the cemetery board and local historian and My Edmonds News writer Byron Wilkes, the Walk Back in Time will focus on the following people:

  • George Astell, a logger who was instrumental in helping to establish the Yost Lumber Company, the Spring Water Company and the Yost Auto Garage
  • Charles Breed, an early settler who owned 160 acres surrounding Edmonds
  • Adrienne Caspers, a teacher in the Edmonds School District for more than 40 years — and a member of the family that Caspers Street is named after.
  • Eathel Engel Thayer, the daughter of L.C. Engel, who built the buildings that are now home to the Edmonds Bookshop, Engel’s Pub and the residence adjacent to the Edmonds Opera House
  • Mathew E. & Clara A. Hyner, arguably Edmonds’ original power couple. Mathew Hyner served as the town’s first postmaster and Mathew and Clara were founders of the Congregational Church in Edmonds.
There is no registration or fee for this event. Please bring water and consider a chair if you are unable to stand for long periods of time.

For more information, email cara.brown@edmondswa.gov or visit the cemetery website.


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Lake Forest Park historian finds photo of Seattle's first candy shop

Friday, June 21, 2024

Seattle 1875. Photo from Seattle Now and Then

Longtime "Now and Then" historian Jean Sherrard was delighted to receive a long sought-after photo from Lake Forest Park resident Ron Edge.

The photo shows a vibrant Seattle downtown from 1875, before the Great Seattle Fire.

"TO PARAPHRASE A classic advertising slogan, when Ron Edge speaks, local historians listen.

"A collector of historical photographs and ephemera, Edge is referenced in reverential tones usually reserved for celebrities or minor deities. Longtime “Now & Then” readers might have encountered his contributions without knowing it.

"Which is why, when the Lake Forest Park resident told me that he’d found visual proof of something I’d been seeking, the hairs on my neck stood up."

The photo showed Seattle's first candy shop.



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Art by Whitney Potter: Juneteenth

Wednesday, June 19, 2024

 
In 2022 Gov. Jay Inslee officially declared Juneteenth a Washington state holiday.


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St. Dunstan's 75th Anniversary Evensong June 20, 2024

Friday, June 14, 2024

Florence Henry Memorial Chapel
The Highlands
ST. DUNSTAN’S 75TH ANNIVERSARY EVENSONG
Thursday, June 20, 7:00 PM

Florence Henry Memorial Chapel, The Highlands

In 1949 the congregation now known as St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church first gathered for worship in the Florence Henry Memorial Chapel in The Highlands. 

To honor our founding and celebrate our history, we are holding a service of Evensong Thursday evening, June 20, 2024 at the Henry Chapel. 

This is a sung service of Evening Prayer with chanted liturgy and hymns. 

Lynne Markova, a seminarian currently serving at St. Dunstan’s, will lead worship and Deacon Alan Christensen will give a homily. 

Susanna Valleau, Music Director at St. Dunstan’s, will accompany us on the chapel organ along with members of the St. Dunstan’s Choir. Come join us for an evening of worship and celebration in a beautiful and historic setting.

Directions: Come to the guard station at 3rd Ave NW and NW 145th St and tell the guard you are attending the service at the chapel. Follow the signs to the chapel.


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Keep Bothell Odd - open house May 21, 2024

Saturday, May 11, 2024

Bothell, WA: On Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at 7:30pm, the public is invited to Bothell Lodge #124 of the International Order of Odd Fellows, 10116 NE 185th St, for an open house. 

Historian Richard Heisler will share the story of the Civil War roots of Bothell's namesake family and their journey westward, from Pennsylvania to western Washington. 

Richard will also explain how thousands of Civil War veterans made the Seattle area their home in the decades following the conflict. From the battlefields of Virginia to the banks of the Sammamish River, Civil War history is not as far away as we might think. 

Richard Heisler is the founder of Civil War Seattle and Seattle History Tours. He has presented for many regional and national organizations museums, including the Bothell Historical Society, Pacific Northwest Historians Guild, and Puget Sound Civil War Roundtable. 

He is a contributing writer for Emerging Civil War and a resident of the Seattle area for over 30 years. Historical artifacts, a tour of the hall, musical entertainment by The Swinging Patriarchs, and light refreshments will be available.

Odd Fellows have been the social heart of communities across America for over 200 years. Bothell Lodge #124, chartered in 1892, played a significant role in the history of Bothell, and today is the longest continuously operating organization in Bothell. 

Its founding members include John Bothell and James Brackett (of Brackett’s Landing). Clover Leaf Rebekah Lodge #54 was chartered in 1893 so that the wives and daughters of Odd Fellows, and others in the community, could become a part of the Odd Fellows organization. 

Early Rebekahs also played an active role in the growing Bothell community, with one of the founders, Alice Bothell, having previously organized Bothell’s first Sunday School in her home in 1885. 

The Odd Fellows took over management of the Bothell Pioneer Cemetery in 1902 and in 1908 a fire burned down the original lodge hall, destroying both lodge and city records. A report of the lodge’s possible demise was published in the Northshore Citizen on 4/4/1990, but to paraphrase Mark Twain, the report of its death was greatly exaggerated. 

The (secret) grip of Odd Fellowship remains unbroken in Bothell, and the lodge is looking forward to sharing its history and its future with members of our community. 

For more information contact Penny Curtis, theoddquilter@gmail.com


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Lake Forest Park library program on the History of Miyawaki Forest May 18, 2024

Friday, May 10, 2024

Join the Miyawaki Forest Friends to learn about the history of Miyawaki Forests, their benefits and how the project at the Shoreline Historical Museum has developed. 

Learn how you can join!

History of Miyawaki Forest
Lake forest Park Library 
Saturday May 18, 2024, 2pm

The library entrance is from the lobby on the lower level Town Center, intersection Bothell and Ballinger Way, Lake Forest Park WA 98155.


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Spirit Whales and Sloth Tales: Fossils of Washington State

Thursday, May 9, 2024

Spirit Whales and Sloth Tales: Fossils of Washington State
Friday, May 17, 11am-12pm
Location: 

No matter where you wander in Washington, you are never very far from the past and the evidence of the plants and animals that came before. Join co-author David B. Williams as he discusses this amazing array of past life, featured in a new book, Spirit Whales and Sloth Tales: Fossils in Washington State.

David B. Williams is an author, naturalist and tour guide whose award-winning books include, Homewaters: A Human and Natural History of Puget Sound, Too High and Too Steep: Reshaping Seattle’s Topography and Seattle Walks: Discovering History and Nature in the City.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Shoreline Library and the Shoreline - Lake Forest Park Senior Activity Center.

Registration required


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Our Area’s First Language

Thursday, May 2, 2024

Patti Kashiwa led a team of volunteers to make plant signs in Lushootseed and English at the Shoreline Historical Museum. Photo by Sally Yamasaki

By Sally Yamasaki 

At the Shoreline Historical Museum, local ceramist, Patti Kashiwa, led a crew of volunteers to create twenty-five clay native plant signs in Lushootseed and English. The process took three days with many hands working together. 

“It was a lot of fun to work with clay and learn about Lushootseed, and the results turned out really well,” according to a volunteer.
Volunteer team making clay native plant signs in Lushootseed and English
Photo by Sally Yamasaki

This Saturday, May 4, 2024 from 10:00am – 12:00pm the Shoreline Historical Museum will host a program to learn about the Language of the Forest by Professor Dana Campbell, as well as place the hand-made Lushootseed and English clay signs with their corresponding native plants. 

There will also be a fun clay activity where all ages can create a forest guardian to take home or leave in the forest. 

So, what is (txʷəlšucid, dxʷləšucid) Lushootseed?  If we want to learn the first language of this area, Lushootseed is the language we would study. 

Map from: “The Lushootseed Language, Examining Linguistics in the Native Pacific Northwest”

According to Tami Hahn, assistant teaching professor at the University of Washington, Southern Lushootseed is the first language spoken in the Duwamish Territory (which includes Seattle, Suquamish, Snoqualmie, Squaxin, Puyallup, Muckleshoot, and Nisqually. 


“Lushootseed” are two words that translate to mean, “Saltwater” and “Language.” 

There are two dialects of Lushootseed - northern and southern, according to the Lushootseed blog: Lushootseed Language, Examining Linguistics in the native Pacific Northwest 

Lushootseed was the main language first spoken in our area for many years. However, with the Treaty of Point Elliot in 1855, the language began to decrease. 

 “The decline was largely brought about when thousands of young Native Americans were forced to attend boarding schools in the 1880’s through the 1920’s. In a concerted effort of forced assimilation, these boarding schools punished the use of Lushootseed, and as a result the language experienced a severe decrease in speakers.” (What is Lushootseed)

Last December, the Shoreline Historical Museum planted a Miyawaki Urban Forest. The methodology of the Miyawaki is to use native plants. On planting day of the forest, over 300 community members came to help. 

Join the Shoreline Historical Museum on Saturday, May 4th
to label the native plants in Lushootseed and English.

With Spring here, and the Miyawaki forest plants beginning to bud out, the Shoreline Historical Museum saw a need to label the plants and it made sense to make sure to use the original names these plants were given from the Southern Lushootseed speakers of the time. 


Web References 


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Echo Lake History Walk & Talk Saturday and Sunday

Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Echo Lake Park and Interurban Trail

The neighborhood walks have become so popular that the Echo Lake History Walk is scheduled on both Saturday April 20, 2024 AND Sunday April 21, 2024.

Saturday is at 10am and Sunday is at 1pm. They will be the same route and presentation.

Explore neighborhoods, parks and trails on some of the best walking routes in our City. Designed for adults ages 50+ but open to all ages and abilities, each walk is led by a Volunteer Walk Leader and all walks are free. No need to sign up, just show up at the meetup location and we'll take care of the rest! Friendly dogs on a leash are welcome to join.

A full list of walks here

Echo Lake History Walk & Talk

Learn some Shoreline history as we walk completely around Echo Lake. There will be longer stops than usual to hear about history and look at old photographs and maps. 

Afterwards there will be an optional extension to walk on the old Trunk Road route for those who want a longer walk. We may walk all the way to the Crista to see the old 1914 Tudor-style administration building.

Come 15 minutes early if you would like to tour the Native Plant Garden. It was planted by fourth grade students in 2009 - 2011 and is maintained by student volunteers.

  • Walk is approximately: 1.5 miles/1.5 hour. Optional extensions are 1.5 miles or 2.5 miles more.
  • Walk Rating: Easy (History Walk) Moderate (Extended Walk)
  • Meet at: Echo Lake Elementary School, 19345 Wallingford Ave N
  • Park on 195th Street, near the Echo Lake School Native Plant Garden.
  • Walk Leader: Donna

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KEEP BOTHELL ODD - Open house April 16, 2024

Friday, April 5, 2024

Bothell, WA: On Tuesday, April 16, 2024, at 7:30pm, Bothell Lodge #124 of the International Order of Odd Fellows will host an open house, the second in a series of three. 

This evening’s presentation will be “The Odd (Fellows) History of Burying Bothell’s Pioneers”. 

The presentation in May will be on Bothell’s Civil War history given by Richard Heisler. Learn about Odd Fellowship, its mission to bury the dead, and the Bothell Pioneer Cemetery. Historical artifacts, a tour of the hall, musical entertainment, and light refreshments available.

Odd Fellows have been the social heart of communities across America for over 200 years. Bothell Lodge #124, chartered in 1892, played a significant role in the history of Bothell, and today is the longest continuously operating organization in Bothell. 

The first public cemetery in Bothell was created in 1889 on land donated by George Wilson so two children, whose family was visiting, could be buried. Since then, George Wilson himself and many other early Bothell settlers have been buried there. 

Bothell Odd Fellows, along with the Macabees, took ownership of the cemetery in 1909 and ran it until the 1990s when membership in the organizations dwindled and the city took ownership. Odd Fellowship remains unbroken in Bothell and the lodge is looking forward to sharing its history and its future with members of our community. 



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Keep Bothell ODD

Wednesday, March 6, 2024


Bothell, WA: On Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at 7:30pm, Bothell Lodge #124 of the International Order of Odd Fellows, will host an open house, the first in a series of three. 

This evening’s presentation will be “Mr Bothell, secret handshakes, and the heart of the community”. 

Presentations in April and May will be on Bothell’s Civil War history and on the Bothell Pioneer Cemetery. Learn about Bothell history and its relationship with Odd Fellows and other social and fraternal organizations. Historical artifacts, a tour of the hall, musical entertainment by The Swingin’ Patriarchs, and light refreshments will be available.

Odd Fellows have been the social heart of communities across America for over 200 years. Bothell Lodge #124, chartered in 1892, played a significant role in the history of Bothell, and today is the longest continuously operating organization in Bothell. 

Its founding members include John Moore, Frank Frost, B. L. Anderson, John Bothell, Charles W. Lantham, and James Brackett (of Brackett’s Landing). 

Cloverleaf Rebekah Lodge #54 was chartered in 1893 so that the wives and daughters of Odd Fellows, and any other interested women in the community, could become a part of the Odd Fellows organization. 

Early Rebekahs also played an active role in the growing Bothell community, with one of the founders, Alice Bothell, having previously organized Bothell’s first Sunday School in her home in 1885. 

Since the founding of these two lodges by Bothell pioneers, there have been many contributions and a few challenges. 

The Odd Fellows took over management of the Bothell Pioneer Cemetery in 1902 on land donated by George Wilson, In 1908 a fire in Bothell burned down the original Odd Fellows lodge hall along with several other buildings, destroying both lodge and city records. 

The current hall, 10116 NE 185th Street, was built in 1911 and is currently owned and operated by the Cloverleaf Rebekah Lodge #55. 

A report of the lodge’s possible demise was published in the Northshore Citizen on 4/4/1990, but to paraphrase Mark Twain, the report of its death was greatly exaggerated. 

The (secret) grip of Odd Fellowship remains unbroken in Bothell, and the lodge is looking forward to sharing its history and its future with members of our community. 

For more information contact Penny Curtis, theoddquilter@gmail.com


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From the Archives: 1919 A woman presides over the State House of Representatives

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

105 years ago on March 4, 1919: For the first time in WA history, a woman presided over the State House of Representatives.

Rep. Frances M. Haskell was called to the chair by Speaker Fred Adams and guided lawmakers through debate on reclassification of counties



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Free in-person library program on Racial Restrictive Covenants at Shoreline Library Saturday March 9, 2024

Friends of the Shoreline Library in partnership with the Shoreline Historical Museum present a free, in-person presentation on Racial Restrictive Covenants.

Shoreline Library, 345 NE 175th St, Shoreline WA 98155, Saturday, March 9, 2024 from 2-3:30pm

For adults. Registration not required.

Racial covenants are clauses that were inserted into property deeds to prevent people who were not White from buying or occupying land. 

Learn the history of racial restrictive covenants in King County and how they continue to impact communities today. Discover how you can become part of the ongoing research.


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Op-Ed: 1933 Frances Perkins is the first woman to hold a Cabinet post as Labor Secretary

Monday, March 4, 2024

By Alan Charnley

Today, we commemorate a pivotal moment in history. 

On this day in 1933, Frances Perkins shattered barriers and blazed trails by becoming the first woman to hold a Cabinet post as the Labor Secretary. 

This milestone not only marked a significant step forward for gender equality but also placed her as the first woman in the succession order for the Presidency, symbolizing the endless possibilities when we break down societal barriers.

As we celebrate this remarkable achievement, let us also reflect on its enduring significance. 

Frances Perkins' legacy serves as a beacon of inspiration, reminding us of the importance of empowering our daughters to dream big and reach for the stars. 

We must cultivate a culture where women are encouraged to pursue leadership roles across diverse fields, whether it be in science, literature, business, governance, or any other realm of human endeavor.

In honoring Frances Perkins, we reaffirm our commitment to fostering a future where gender equality is not just a dream but a reality. 

Let us continue to champion and support the aspirations of our daughters, nurturing them to become the next generation of leaders who will shape a brighter and more inclusive world for all.


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Public hearing for Fircrest nursing facility “Grudgingly Accepted” by some

Sunday, March 3, 2024

The Fircrest plan calls for a new nursing facility to replace the badly outdated buildings like this one.
 Photo by Oliver Moffat

By Oliver Moffat

A stroll along the meandering pathways of the forested 65 acre Fircrest campus provides a quiet and peaceful break from the busy car traffic of 15th Ave NE.

Despite the peaceful setting, the future of the Fircrest campus has long been the focus of controversy with some advocates calling for the facility be closed while others seek upgrades.

The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) has applied for a permit to proceed with the Fircrest School Master Development Plan - a twenty year plan for the campus. A public hearing on the plan will be held on Wednesday night March 6, 2024 at Shoreline city hall.

The plan calls for the demolition of aging buildings that have fallen into disrepair. In their place, new residential cottages, and a commissary.

The southeastern quadrant where the dog park is today will be redeveloped into commercial spaces. In the center of the campus, the historic chapel will be preserved and the plan calls for retention of as many significant trees as possible. A new public, forested trail will connect the chapel to Hamlin Park to the north.

A rendering from the Fircrest plan shows the proposed nursing facility that has drawn criticism 

A controversial 120-bed nursing facility is also planned that would replace the dangerously aging “Y buildings”.

Originally a Naval Hospital during World War II, the site was used as a tuberculosis sanatorium before Fircrest opened in 1958. By the middle of the 1960s Fircrest was home to over a thousand residents with mental and physical impairments. 

Since then, the population has declined to about two hundred residents thanks to advances in rights for people with disabilities that moved people out of isolated institutions and helped parents support family members at home.

Some of those residents now live in the Fircrest nursing facility in the northwest quadrant of the campus in six Y-shaped buildings dating from the 1960s. These structures do not meet current seismic codes according to the plan and virtually everything needs to be replaced including heating, plumbing and electric.

Current view of Fircrest from Google Earth shows the Y shaped buildings.

After decades of conflict between advocates, families and caregivers, the State Legislature tasked a workgroup to broker consensus between stakeholders and make a specific set of recommendations.

According to the workgroup report, most adults with developmental disabilities live at home with their aging parents acting as caregivers. As their parents age and are no longer able to care for them, they need long-term supportive care.

After listening to over 135 people including residents, parents, and caregivers, the workgroup made a series of twenty recommendations five years ago.

One of those recommendations was for the state to build a new 120-bed nursing facility replacement on the Fircrest campus.

To many disability rights advocates, Fircrest is a relic of a bygone age when people with disabilities were segregated from the community. Advocates including The Arc of Washington and Disability Rights Washington have called for shutting down the facility arguing that residents can receive better care within the community.

An alternative preferred by some advocates was a plan to build multiple 6-bedroom homes across the state that would site residents closer to their communities of origin while allowing them to live in a non-institutional home.

According to a follow up report published by the workgroup early this week, the Fircrest recommendation is still contentious with some while others have “grudgingly accepted” that the facility will be built; like it or not.

DSHS is also seeking a special use permit to build a new 48 bed behavioral health facility on the campus that would provide urgently needed capacity to serve people who have been involuntarily committed to receive mental health treatment in a secure environment for up to six months. The facility will have large spaces for activities, exercise and life skills instruction to help transition patients back into the community.

Some neighborhood residents have expressed concern over the development of the campus, preferring preservation of open space and historic buildings instead of new buildings and commercial space.

In September of 2023, the Naval Hospital Chapel on the campus was listed on the Washington State Registry of Historic Places. (See previous articles about the Chapel and Fircrest)

A locked gate separating Fircrest from Hamlin Park could be removed under the plan.
Photo by Oliver Moffat

According to the proposed plan, the chapel and its surrounding forest will be preserved and a new network of trails will connect the chapel to Hamlin Park to the north. Currently, access to Hamlin Park is blocked by locked gates, preventing Fircrest residents and caregivers from waking north into the 80 acre forested park. The plan also includes badly needed sidewalk and bicycle lane improvements along 15th Ave NE to the west and NE 150th St to the south.

A study in 2023 recorded 2,258 significant trees within the Master Development Plan boundary. It is unclear at this point which trees will be retained: the plan says a minimum of 60% of significant trees will be retained while city staff are recommending that 80% of trees be retained.

A map from the Fircrest plan shows the location of the proposed nursing facility and walking trails connecting the historic chapel to Hamlin Park.

On a typical Saturday afternoon, the noisiest thing on the peaceful campus is the Eastside Off-Leash Dog Area located in the southeast quadrant of the campus. The city currently has a month-to-month lease to use the site which is expected to end when dog parks at Ridgecrest Park and James Keough Park funded by the 2022 Park Bond open. According to the proposed plan, the dog park will be redeveloped into commercial or office space and will include publicly accessible open space.

The Fircrest Master Development Plan does not include the southwest quadrant of the campus where the COVID testing site was located during the height of the pandemic. 

A proposed amendment to the city’s Comprehensive Plan would rezone that parcel which is owned by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). A bill (House Bill 2003) that would provide tax exemptions to incentivize affordable housing on DNR owned lands is on the way to the Governor’s desk after sailing through the House and Senate with broad bipartisan support in this year’s legislative session. State Representative Cindy Ryu has championed a proposal for an affordable housing development on the parcel.


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Two Shoreline streets named for Seattle Mayor who embezzled and skipped town with another man's wife

Saturday, February 24, 2024

Corliss P. Stone, Seattle Mayor, 1873
Courtesy Seattle Municipal Archives (12254)
According to HistoryLink.org, 151 years ago today, the mayor of Seattle, Corliss Stone, left town with another man's wife after embezzling $15,000 from his law firm.

He was a developer who subdivided and platted large areas in Wallingford and Fremont and named two of the streets after himself. 

When the streets extended north into what is now Shoreline, they carried the names with them.



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