Happy 245th Birthday, America!
Sunday, July 4, 2021
The United States has grown considerably since its origin with the 13 Colonies - in number and certainly in geography.
Happy Birthday, U.S.A.!
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| Veterans and volunteers placed flags at the Naval Chapel on the Fircrest campus. Photo courtesy Shoreline Preservation Society. |
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| Fircrest Chapel supporters gather at Dunn Gardens Photo by Lance Young |
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| Fircrest Chapel signs at the Dunn Gardens gathering place Photo by Lance Young |
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| The beautiful Dunn Gardens was an inspirational setting to talk about saving trees. Photo by Lance Young |
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| Richmond School 1891 |
“Billy Frank Jr.’s legacy should inspire Washingtonians to have open discussions about our place in the world, both what we take from the earth and what we give back. And it reaffirms certain truths as old as the Nisqually Tribe itself: That the environment is not just a resource; it is our home, and we must protect it,” Inslee said.
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| Secretary of State Kim Wyman |
“OMB took a crucial step today in withdrawing approval for the sale of the National Archives in Seattle.
“I applaud the enduring commitment and hard work Washington’s Congressional delegation, tribal communities, historical and cultural groups, and many others have undertaken for over a year to keep our state’s archival treasures accessible and local.
“However, the effort to ensure these records remain local and accessible is not over. I encourage Congress to work with OMB on a permanent solution to keep these records in Washington, as well as with NARA and communities throughout our region on ways we can improve archive storage and preserve our state’s historical records for generations to come. It is imperative these groups are engaged and included in all future discussions.
“Washington State Archives, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State, continues to be a partner with NARA with the common goal to protect and preserve government records. We look forward to furthering our joint collaboration to preserve Pacific Northwest history.”
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| Firland and its campus now belong to CRISTA Photo by Steven H. Robinson |
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| U.S. Senator Patty Murray |
“The generations of history and artifacts stored in the Seattle federal archive facility are critical to telling the story of the Pacific Northwest, especially for our region’s Tribal communities,” Senator Murray said.
“This bill would correct a flawed process and ensure that Tribes are a part of any decision regarding the future of this facility, which houses so many critical pieces of their history."
It is a unique and rarely told story of Ron’s life woven into the history of Seattle’s International District which gives us an intimate experience with a significant part of Seattle history that you won’t see anywhere else.
However, just like tens of millions of other Americans like me, reading for me means reading audibly, due to my learning disability. As a result, the way I access printed literature is through audio books.
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| Soon to be available in audiobook |
To make his book more accessible, Ron’s latest project is creating an audio version of his memoir. A joint project between Chew Communications, partnering with Seattle’s Talking Book and Braille Library, and the International Examiner, they plan to have the audio book available later this year.
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| Fircrest Chapel's wooded setting is part of its landmark status - but DSHS wants to expand a parking lot. Photo courtesy SPS |
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| Dr. Frances Hardy-Smith, Richmond Beach's first resident physician, practicing there from 1930 to 1970. Photo courtesy Shoreline Historical Museum. |
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| The Washington State Library in Tumwater |
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| Washington State Archives new exhibit on Black history in Washington Photo courtesy WA Secretary of State |
Interviewees discussed events as early as the 1880s, regarding homesteaders, farmers, and strikebreakers. Most of the interviewees talked about the years between 1900 and 1945, and early housing, employment, education, recreation, and the changing Black community in greater Seattle.
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| Seattle branch Federal Archives Photo from Secretary of State's newsletter |
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| Lake Forest Park 1916 Shoreline Historical Museum |
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| Atty General Bob Ferguson saved the National Archives from leaving Seattle |
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| Fircrest Chapel Photo by Janet Way |
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| Interior of chapel Photo by Janet Way |
Shoreline Preservation Society Chair, Janet Way said, “We are extremely proud and happy to have this beautiful building and its surrounding forest at Fircrest School protected with this Landmark designation.
"We hope to host a celebration of this Landmarking later this year and invite the community and the Navy to participate.”
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| Fircrest Chapel Photo by Steven H. Robinson |
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