Category Archives: Exhibits

Scenes from the late 1980s: Looking back at the construction of the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel

21 Thursday Mar 2019

Posted by in Commemorative observances, Events, Exhibits, Photographs

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On March 23, the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel (DSTT) will convert to Link light rail trains only, and bus service will be moved to surface streets. At the Archives, we’re reminiscing over these photographs of its construction, showing a glimpse of 1980s Seattle and the people who built the tunnel.

The photos below come from Series 1844: Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel project files and Series 1147: Office of Information Resource Management Printing and Graphic Arts photographs. Ask an archivist if you have any questions about any of these photographs or the other transit-related records held at the King County Archives.

Pre-Construction Survey

As construction began, Metro staff took photographs of the interior and exterior of buildings along the tunnel’s route, ostensibly to document the current condition of the structures.

Nordstrom Best, 1536 Westlake Ave (Feb 17, 1987)
Frederick & Nelson, 500 Pine St (Feb 24, 1987)
Frederick & Nelson, 500 Pine St (Feb 24, 1987)
Frederick & Nelson, 500 Pine St (Feb 24, 1987)
Frederick & Nelson, 500 Pine St (Feb 24, 1987)
Frederick & Nelson, 500 Pine St (Feb 24, 1987)
Spin’s Tavern, 521 3rd Ave (Mar 4, 1987)
Spin’s Tavern, 521 3rd Ave (Mar 4, 1987)
Jay Jacobs, 1530 5th Ave (Mar 5, 1987)
Jay Jacobs, 1530 5th Ave (Mar 5, 1987)
Jay Jacobs, 1530 5th Ave (Mar 5, 1987)
Bruno Magli, 511 Pine St (Mar 5, 1987)
Klopfenstein’s, 600 Pine St (Mar 6, 1987)
Century Square, 1529 4th Ave (Apr 7, 1987)
Century Square, 1529 4th Ave (Apr 7, 1987)
B. Dalton (Century Square), 1529 4th Ave (Apr 7, 1987)
Lobby of the Pacific Building, 720 3rd Ave (Sep 14, 1987)
The Goodie Box (Dexter Horton Building), 709 3rd Ave (Sep 14, 1987)
Kay’s Cookie Kitchen, 1111 3rd Ave (Oct 23, 1987)
Kay’s Cookie Kitchen, 1111 3rd Ave (Oct 23, 1987)
Theatre Building, 1515 3rd St (Nov 12, 1987)
Smoke Shop (Sterling Building), 1412 3rd Ave (Dec 10, 1987)

Documenting Construction

During construction, thousands of photographs were taken, in a variety of formats, to document the complex work required to dig the tunnel and prepare it for service. The photographs below are from the project files and were taken by Ray Halvorson, Ed Hunter, Norm Nelson, Vic Oblas, Keith Nordlund, and Merdad Shahverdi.

Convention Place demolition (May 4, 1987) – Ray Halvorson
Convention Place demolition (May 4, 1987) – Ray Halvorson
Tunnel construction (May 4, 1987) – Ray Halvorson
5th Ave/6th Ave Alley Duct Bank (May 6, 1987) – Ray Halvorson
Westlake Center construction (May 13, 1987 – Ray Halvorson
Westlake Center (May 21, 1987) – Ray Halvorson
Tunnel construction (Apr 22, 1987) – Keith Nordlund
Pile drilling by auger (May 13, 1987) – Merdad Shahverdi
Excavation, Pine St (Jun 29, 1987) – Merdad Shahverdi
Tunnel construction (May 5, 1987) – Vic Oblas
Tunnel boring machine near King Street Station (May 10, 1987) – Vic Oblas
MH20 placement (Aug 12, 1987) – Ed Hunter
12′ diameter rebar structure, Convention Place (Jul 28, 1987) – Merdad Shahverdi
Tunnel construction (Jun 2, 1987) – Norm Nelson
Tunnel construction (Jul 6, 1987) – Norm Nelson
Tunnel construction (Jun 26, 1987) – Norm Nelson
Tunnel construction (Jun 26, 1987) – Norm Nelson

Station Construction (1987)

The following photographs were taken by Norm Nelson and Vic Oblas.

Tunnel station construction (Aug 5, 1987) – Vic Oblas
Tunnel station construction (Aug 14, 1987) – Vic Oblas
Tunnel station construction (Sep 23, 1987) – Vic Oblas
Tunnel station construction (Sep 24, 1987) – Norm Nelson
Tunnel station construction (Sep 24, 1987) – Norm Nelson
Tunnel station construction (Sep 24, 1987) – Norm Nelson
Tunnel station construction (Sep 24, 1987) – Norm Nelson
Tunnel station construction (Sep 25, 1987) – Norm Nelson
Tunnel station construction (Sep 25, 1987) – Norm Nelson
Tunnel station construction (Oct 13, 1987) – Vic Oblas
Tunnel station construction (Oct 13, 1987) – Vic Oblas
Tunnel station construction (Nov 4, 1987) – Vic Oblas

Station Construction: International District (1988-1989)

International District Station construction (Sep 26, 1988)
Dan Graczyk, Manager of Transit Operations for Metro Tunnel Project (Sep 28, 1988)
International District Station construction (Oct 4, 1988)
International District Station construction (Oct 4, 1988)
International District Station construction (Oct 4, 1988)
International District Station construction (Oct 4, 1988)
International District Station construction (Oct 6, 1988)
International District Station construction (Jul 13, 1989)
International District Station construction (Jul 11, 1989)
International District Station construction (no date)
International District Station construction (Sep 26, 1988)

Station Construction: Pioneer Square Station (1988-1989)

South Portal BNRR Tunnel: Colbeck flatcar with compressor sandblaster (Jun 1, 1988)
South Portal BNRR Tunnel: Colbeck Sandblast train (Jun 1, 1988)
Pioneer Square Station construction (Dec 1, 1988)
Pioneer Square Station construction (Jun 17, 1988)
Pioneer Square Station construction (Feb 15, 1989)
Pioneer Square Station construction (Dec 9, 1988)
Pioneer Square Station construction (Jun 17, 1988)
Pioneer Square Station construction (Jun 17, 1988)
Pioneer Square Station construction (Jul 18, 1989)
Pioneer Square Station construction (Dec 1, 1988)
Pioneer Square Station construction (Dec 1, 1988)
Pioneer Square Station construction (Jul 18, 1989)
Pioneer Square Station construction (Dec 9, 1988)

Station Construction: Various (1989)

Station construction (Dec 7, 1989)
Station construction (Dec 7, 1989)
Station construction (Dec 14, 1989)
Station construction (Dec 11, 1989)
Station construction (Dec 19, 1989)
Station construction (Dec 11, 1989)
Station construction (Dec 14, 1989)
Station construction (Dec 12, 1989)
Station construction (Dec 14, 1989)

Station Construction: University Street Station (1990)

University Street Station construction (Feb 1, 1990)
University Street Station construction (Mar 15, 1990)
University Street Station construction (Mar 15, 1990)
University Street Station construction (Mar 15, 1990)
University Street Station construction (Jan 12, 1990)
University Street Station construction (Jan 17, 1990)
University Street Station construction (Jan 22, 1990)
University Street Station construction (Mar 19, 1990)
University Street Station construction (Feb 1, 1990)
University Street Station construction (Jan 12, 1990)

The photographs below are from Printing and Graphic Arts. Photographers include Ned Ahrens, Tim Healy, and Barton L. Attebery.

Construction area, 9th Ave and Pine St
Nordstrom
Sinkhole, 6th Ave (Mar 1987)
Sinkhole, 3rd Ave and Spring St (Oct 1987)
Viewing area
Mannequins in a window near the construction (Jul 1987)
Burlington Northern tunnel

Tunnel Construction

Westlake construction
Tunnel boring machine
Tunnel boring machine

Station Construction

International District Station, Union Station, and the Kingdome
Smoothing concrete
Installing tiles at International District Station
Westlake Station
Westlake construction
Pioneer Square Station
Pioneer Square Station
Pioneer Square Station entrance
Pioneer Square Station
Pioneer Square Station
Pioneer Square Station entrance
Bird’s-eye view of Convention Place Station
Convention Place Station
Convention Place Station, in front of the Paramount Theatre
Laying rails at Convention Place Station
Pioneer Square Station tunnel segments
Pioneer Square Station

The people who built the tunnel

Tunnel workers take a break
Installing rail
Relocating utilities
Drilling tests, with Smith Tower in the background
Moving utilities near 3rd Ave
The Bon Marché, 3rd Ave and Pine St
Metro staff on the Monorail tracks
Drilling near Pine St
Employees tour the tunnel
Employees tour the tunnel
Employees tour the tunnel
Employees tour the tunnel
Tunnel breakthrough
Control room for the tunnel

Tunnel Stations

University Street Station entrance (Dec 1991)
University Street Station
Pioneer Square Station
Pioneer Square Station
Panorama of Convention Place Station; Paramount Theatre is on the right
Convention Place Station
Convention Place Station
Pioneer Square Station gates
Pioneer Square Station entrance

DSTT Events

Tunnel run (Sep 1990)
First day of tunnel operations: first bus through (Sep 15, 1990) – Ned Ahrens
First day of tunnel operations: first bus through (Sep 15, 1990) – Ned Ahrens
Tunnel completed festivities (Nov 1988)
A model poses in front of a tunnel opening
Mighty Mole, mascot for the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel, at the tunnel breakthrough
Mighty Mole enjoying breakfast
Mighty Mole and Jack Kent (1987)

As we say bon voyage to the buses leaving the tunnel, contact the Archives for more information about the photographs above, to make an appointment to see more, or to ask an archivist about anything else related to King County history!

Digitization and description of photographs: Amanda Demeter and Danielle Coyle

Text and arrangement: Jill Anderson

Commemorating the Ship Canal Centennial

03 Monday Jul 2017

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The King County’s Archives’ most recent exhibit The Lake Washington Ship Canal and the Mills of Salmon Bay, created in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Lake Washington Ship Canal, is now available (in a slightly expanded form) on our Web site.  The exhibit features drawings and photographs from the King County Archives and the Seattle Municipal Archives which document the saw mills and shingle mills that once were part of a thriving timber manufacturing center along Ballard’s Salmon Bay.

As plans for the ship canal and the Ballard locks evolved over decades and as the project progressed, Ballard became a national leader in shingle manufacturing. Ballard’s growing “Shingletown” also grew to be a significant player in the labor movement of the Puget Sound timber industry. The Lake Washington Ship Canal and the Mills of Salmon Bay follows parallel story lines — the growth of the timber industry in Ballard, labor activity among timber workers, and the construction of the canal.

The placement of the Hiram Chittenden Locks brought objection from mill owners along Salmon Bay, and the records held in King County’s and Seattle’s collections that documented these mills were created to measure the impact of Salmon Bay’s rising water behind the locks. These records provide a prime example of how archival records have value beyond their original purpose. Through these photographs and drawings, we are offered a glimpse at people, technology, buildings, and the natural environment in the early 1900s.

 

 

 

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This joint exhibit of the King County Archives and the Seattle Municipal Archives is part of a regional commemoration of the Lake Washington Ship Canal Centennial. To learn about other exhibits and events relating to the Centennial, visitmakingthecut100.org.

Commemorating the Ship Canal Centennial: the Mills of Salmon Bay

05 Monday Jun 2017

Posted by in Events, Exhibits, Photographs

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Detail of photograph of Sobey Manufacturing Shingle Mill, 1915. Item 51879, Series 2613-07, Engineering Department Photographic Negatives, Seattle Municipal Archives.
Detail from cross-section drawing of the Seattle Cedar Lumber Manufacturing Company mill, 1915. Series 276, Salmon Bay Waterway Condemnation Survey No. 1255, King County Archives.
Plat of Salmon Bay Road, 1880. Road Book Volume 4, Series 30, King County Commissioners’ Road Books, King County Archives.

Announcing the opening of a joint exhibit from the King County Archives and the Seattle Municipal Archives:

The Mills of Salmon Bay and the Lake Washington Ship Canal

Created in commemoration of the Lake Washington Ship Canal Centennial, our new exhibit presents a history of the sawmills and shingle mills in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood that were affected by the canal.

The exhibit is part of Making the Cut, a series of exhibits, projects, and events from local organizations and individuals commemorating the centennial of the canal’s opening.

The Mills of Salmon Bay and the Lake Washington Ship Canal

Exhibit Dates: June through July, 2017

Location: underground pedestrian tunnel between the King County Courthouse and the King County Administration Building

Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Access the tunnel from the lower level of the King County Courthouse (516 3rd Avenue) or the King County Administration Building (500 4th Avenue) in downtown Seattle.

Exhibit background

On July 4, 1917, fifty-thousand people celebrated the opening of Seattle’s Lake Washington Ship Canal with fireworks, a carnival, and a boat parade.

Some forty years had passed between when the Ship Canal was first envisioned by non-native settlers and its completion. One of the last decisions to be made about the canal’s design was the placement of the locks, which would impact the sawmills and shingle mills along Ballard’s Salmon Bay.

The Mills of Salmon Bay and the Lake Washington Ship Canal features maps, technical drawings (steampunk fans take notice!), and photographs that were created by the City of Seattle and King County for the canal project. These records provide a view into the operation of these early 20th Century mills.

The exhibit presents a brief history of the Salmon Bay mills, regional labor issues in the timber industry, and the impact of the canal’s design and construction on Ballard’s Shingletown.

Making the Cut

Visit makingthecut100.org for information about the many exhibits, events, projects, and online resources commemorating the centennial of the Lake Washington Ship Canal’s opening.