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50 Years of Home Rule Governance: The Archives Celebrates the King County Charter and the First Council

01 Wednesday May 2019

Posted by kcarchivist in Other

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charter, councilmembers, county council, county executive, first council, first executive, golden anniversary, history, home rule, king county history, legislative history, Photographs, proceedings, transcripts, washington state

Fifty years ago today, the first King County Council and County Executive were sworn in under the Home Rule Charter. The current Council is celebrating the golden anniversary at today’s meeting with historic images from the Archives collection. Below: read the Charter and follow along with the first swearing-in ceremony on May 1, 1969, through the transcript and photographs taken on that day.

The Home Rule Charter

“A home rule charter for King County by the Board of King County Freeholders,” 1969, Series 872: Documents Collection, box 30, document 480, King County Archives

Download the 1969 Charter (PDF)Download

May 1, 1969: The Swearing-In Ceremony

Hon. Story Birdseye (center, with hand raised), Presiding Judge of King County Superior Court, swears in John D. Spellman (left) as County Executive, on May 1, 1969 at the King County Courthouse. Also pictured facing the camera, left to right: Ed Munro (Dist. 7), Dave Mooney (Dist. 9), and Bernice Stern (Dist. 5).

Series 400: Department of Transportation Road Services Division Photograph and Moving Image Files, box 52, file 917, King County Archives

Proceedings

Official proceedings of the swearing-in of the first King County Council and County Executive, May 1, 1969. Series 134: County Council Proceedings, box 1, folder 1, King County Archives

Transcript

Transcript of the swearing-in of the first King County Council and County Executive, May 1, 1969. Series 134: County Council Proceedings, box 1, folder 1, King County Archives

Portraits: John D. Spellman

County Executive John D. Spellman, 1978
Series 1591: Clerk of the Council Public Relations Materials, box 11, folder 10, King County Archives

Portraits: First County Council

Chairman John T. O'Brien
Chairman John T. O’Brien
Bernice Stern
Bernice Stern (Dist. 5)
Tracey J. Owen
Tracy J. Owen (Dist. 1)
Tom M. Forsythe
Tom M. Forsythe (Dist. 6)
Ed Munro
Ed Munro (Dist. 7)
Dave Mooney
Dave Mooney (Dist. 9)
Bill Reams
William (Bill) H. Reams (Dist. 3)
Vice-Chairman Robert B. Dunn
Vice-Chairman Robert B. Dunn (Dist. 2)
Ed Heavey
Ed Heavey (Dist. 8)

Official councilmember portraits, 1970. Series 705: County Council Photographs, folder 1, King County Archives

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