Preview up to 100 items from this collection below. Seattle’s massive effort to regrade and flatten much of the city’s hilly landscape is documented in this 1905-1908 photo album. Explore our map to see the modern-day photo locations.
View south from 3rd Ave. and Battery St., ca. 1906
The Moore Theatre, located on 2nd Avenue and Virginia St., and the New Washington Hotel are visible in the distance.
Identifier: spl_dr_016
Date: 1906
View this itemView of regrade north from Madison St., ca. 1906
View north to regrade steam shovel at work on Spring St. between 2nd and 3rd Avenues. Piper and Taft Sporting Goods and Hotel George appear in the background.
Identifier: spl_dr_024
Date: 1906
View this itemCharles Odegaard Interview, 1984
Dr. Charles Odegaard (1911-1999) served as the president of the University of Washington from 1958 to 1973. Odegaard was born in Chicago Heights, Illinois. He attended Dartmouth College as an undergraduate and Harvard as a graduate student. After obtaining his PhD from Harvard, Odegaard worked as a history professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Odegaard served in the Navy during World War II. from scholar, educator and University president about his life and work. In 1953 he became dean of the University of Michigan’s College of Arts and Sciences. During his time as president at the University of Washington, the school saw unprecedented growth, going from 16,000 to 34,000 students and adding 35 new buildings to the campus.
Identifier: spl_ds_codegaard_01
Date: 1984
View this itemTrain transporting regrade dirt on Westlake Ave., ca. 1906
Train on raised railroad on Westlake Ave. near Stewart St. It is likely the the train pictured is the Mount Moses, Denny Hill, Central and Westlake Valley Airline. The towers of St. James Cathedral can be seen in the distance on the left.
Identifier: spl_dr_031
Date: 1906
View this itemView of regrade north from Madison St. and 3rd Ave., ca. 1906
Piper and Taft Sporting Goods appears on the left. In the distances is wreckage of what may be the old Washington Hotel. Although the regrade started in 1903, James Moore, the owner of the Washington Hotel, refused to clear the property until 1906 when regrading of Second and Third Avenues were well underway.
Identifier: spl_dr_018
Date: 1906
View this itemView of regrade north from Madison St., ca. 1906
View north to regrade steam shovel at work on Spring St. between 2nd and 3rd Avenues. Piper and Taft Sporting Goods and Hotel George appear in the background.
Identifier: spl_dr_026
Date: 1906
View this itemRegrade spectators, ca. 1906
Men watching regrade work from unidentified location.
Identifier: spl_dr_019
Date: 1906
View this itemRegrade railway and steam shovel, ca. 1906
Possible location is near the site of the Washington Hotel. Although the regrade started in 1903, James Moore, the owner of the hotel, refused to clear the property until 1906 when regrading of Second and Third Avenues were well underway.
Identifier: spl_dr_012
Date: 1906
View this itemView of regrading from 2nd Ave. and Lenora St., ca. 1905
The Washington Hotel is pictured at the top of Denny Hill. Although the regrade started in 1903, James Moore, the owner of the hotel, refused to clear the property until 1906 when regrading of Second and Third Avenues were well underway.
Identifier: spl_dr_011
Date: 1905
View this itemMen guiding water jets for regrade work, ca. 1906
Workers guiding hydraulic jets and regrade runoff at unidentified location.
Identifier: spl_dr_010
Date: 1906
View this item