Preview up to 100 items from this collection below. Explore the early history of the Pike Place Market through letters, receipts, plans, rental agreements and other documents related to the market’s business.
Letter from Arthur Goodwin to John J. Rowan regarding the New York Central market, November 28, 1927
Letter from Arthur Goodwin to John J. Rowan thanking him for providing contact information for those in charge of the New York Central market.
Identifier: spl_sh_00123
Date: 1927-11-28
View this itemLetter from Edward S. Curtis to Harriet Leitch, May 8, 1951
Letter from Edward Curtis to Harriet Leitch describing a visit from Lillian Smart of the Seattle Historical Society to his home in Los Angeles. Curtis writes that Smart attempted to rush him out to a recording studio so he could make a recording of Pacific Coast history but he protested, saying he need more time to gather his thoughts. Curtis wonders if he offended Smart by refusing to do the initial recording. He states that he hasn't heard back from the Historical Society after letting them know he completed a script for the recording and was now ready to go to the studio.
Identifier: spl_esc_026
Date: 1951-05-08
View this itemUnknown couple, ca. 1865
Tintype portrait of unidentified couple.
Identifier: spl_lj_018
Date: 1865?
View this itemB.F. Schlesinger letter to Arthur Goodwin regarding an available store location at Pike Place Market, April 21, 1927
B.F. Schlesinger letter to Arthur Goodwin turning down his offer of a location for a B.F. Schlesinger & Sons location on the corner of 1st Avenue and Pike Street. Schlesinger states they currently have no plans to open a store in Seattle.
Identifier: spl_sh_00125
Date: 1927-04-21
View this item"Monterey" gunboat in Port Orchard dry dock, ca. 1896
The Port Orchard Dry Dock mentioned in the caption is likely the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.
Identifier: spl_lj_067
Date: 1896?
View this itemJewish Transcript v. 1, no. 20, Jul. 22, 1924
Identifier: spl_jt_3018328_01_20
Date: 1924-07-22
View this itemMadam Pavlova, ca. 1921
Frank Asakichi Kunishige was born in Japan on June 5, 1878. He came to the United States via San Francisco in 1895. After graduating from the Illinois College of Photography, he opened a small photography studio in San Francisco. Kunishige moved to Seattle in 1917. In the same year, he married Gin Kunishige and began working in the studio of Edward S. Curtis where he became acquainted with Ella McBride who he worked for in later years. Kunishige was well known for his use of Pictorialism, a popular painterly style of photography. He developed his photographs on "textura tissue," a paper of his own creation, which allowed him to produce almost dreamlike prints. His work was featured nationally and internationally in exhibitions and publications such as Photo-Era and Seattle's Town Crier. In 1924, Kunishige became one of the founding members of the Seattle Camera Club, a group of local photographers including Kyo Koike, Yukio Morinaga, Iwao Matsushita and Fred Y. Ogasawara who gathered to share techniques and ideas, as well as their deep love of the medium. Although the group was initially solely Japanese, they soon welcomed more members including Ella McBride, their first female member. When World War II struck and the country's Japanese internment policy was put in place, Kunishige and his wife were forced to leave Seattle for Idaho where they were interned at the Minidoka camp. After their release, Kunishige spent two years working at a photography studio in Twin Falls, Idaho but eventually returned to Seattle due to his poor health. Frank Kunishige passed away on April 9, 1960.
Identifier: spl_art_367924_21
Date: 1921
View this itemLetter from Charles H. Heighton to John Clifford regarding notices of cancellation of contract with S.K. Sherwood and L.L. Hester of the Bonnie Brae Ballroom, November 8, 1927
Letter to Charles H. Heighton to John Clifford, providing him with a notice of cancellation for the proprietors of the Bonnie Brae ballroom, S.K. Sherwood and L.L. Lester. Attached is a copy with the notice which notifies Sherwood and Lester that they are in default on their rent and their personal property will be confiscated if they do not pay the overdue amount with interest. Also attached are a Notice to Pay Rent or Surrender Premises and promisory notes signed by S.K. Sherwood and L.L. Hester to John Clifford.
Identifier: spl_sh_00128
Date: 1927-11-08
View this itemOrion and Narcissa Denny home, ca. 1890
Orion was the son of Arthur and Mary Denny and first white male born in Seattle. He served as president of the Denny Clay Company. In the 1890 City Directory, Orion Denny is listed at 1108 Seneca on the NW corner of Boren and Seneca. When his wife, Narcissa, died in 1900 her obituary mentioned that the couple at lived at the 1108 Seneca address for several years. In 1905, Denny constructed a larger mansion designed by Bebb & Mendel on the same street corner (which then went by the address 1204 Boren). It's possible that the home shown here is the home where Denny lived from approximately 1890-1905 before the newer mansion was constructed. The Bebb and Mendel mansion was torn down in 1972.
Identifier: spl_lj_055
Date: 1890?
View this itemLetter from Frank Stier Goodwin to Arthur Goodwin regarding feedback for his article on foreign markets, September 22, 1927
Letter from Frank Stier Goodwin thanking Arthur Goodwin for his feedback on his article on foreign markets, 'Through the Levant with a Market-Basket.'
Identifier: spl_sh_00091
Date: 1927-09-22
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