Suzanne Hittman Collection of the Pike Place Market
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.
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Still Life
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_36
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Letter from Arthur Goodwin to D.Z. Gourman instructing him to stop selling certain products, November 12, 1927
Letter from Arthur Goodwin to D.Z. Gourman letting him know that they have received complaints from other vendors at Pike Place Market over the fact that Gourman is now selling goods such as cranberries and nuts at his stall. Goodwin instructs Gourman to stop selling these items, stating 'As a grocery, you certainly have more lines than any other business in the market and we canot contenance your converting your place into lines that conflict with specializers, who depend entirely on these commodities for their business.'
Identifier: spl_sh_00095
Date: 1927-11-28
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Aerial photograph of Pike Place Market looking north
Aerial photograph of Pike Place Market facing north. The viaduct and waterfront piers can be seen on the left side of the photo.
Identifier: spl_sh_00011
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Market Radio Broadcast transcript
Broadcast transcript for K.Z.C., the Market Radio Broadcasting Station. The transcript includes radio operator instructions and a summary of the information provided in the radio program: 'We will transmit music, talks on topics pertaining to foodstuffs, various methods of their preparation for the table, timely hints for canning and preserving, good values, eating for health, and such subjects. We will also broadcast the latest low retail prices of farm produce, meats, groceries, poultry, butter, eggs, etc.' This particular transcript includes a discussion on 'Candy as Food' advertising the benefits of sweets and advertisements for Pike Place Market businesses and attractions such as the sugar stalls in the new Municipal Market, the Economy Fish Market, and a new branch of the Seattle Public Library within the market.
Identifier: spl_sh_00049
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Construction on Pike Place
Excavating for new bulkhead Pike Place, Aug 23 1939.' Photograph depicts trench built for new bulkhead along with the backs of vendor stalls in the main arcade.
Identifier: spl_sh_00014
Date: 1939-08-23
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Letter from Arthur Goodwin to Clare Boulton regarding expanding her business in the Economy Public Market, June 30, 1927
Letter from Arthur Goodwin to Clare Boulton, a vendor in the Economy Market, discussing the possibility of moving and expanding her business. Enclosed is a list of tenants and vacancies in the lower floor of the Economy Market listing the stall numbers and rental costs for each vendor.
Identifier: spl_sh_00072
Date: 1927-06-30
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"Australian" steamboat at Canyon City in Yukon Territory, ca. 1899
A similar photograph in the University of Washington’s Eric A. Hegg’s photographs identifies the location at Miles Canyon Landing, about 6 miles south of Whitehorse on the Yukon River. This location was used by the Canyon and White Horse Rapids Tramway Company between 1897 and 1900 to portage steamer cargo around Miles Canyon and the Whitehorse Rapids. Location information for Canyon City has been provided based on information from the National Park Service. The "Australian" was constructed by the Canadian Development Company in Bennett, British Columbia in 1899.
Identifier: spl_ap_00151
Date: 1899?
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Pike Place Market from 1st Ave. and Pike St.
Photograph depicting Pike Place Market at the intersection of First Avenue and Pike Street in front of the Public Market Center sign. Signs for Roy's Fruits and Vegetables, Stage 1 Theater and the Leland Hotel can be seen in the background.
Identifier: spl_sh_00015
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Notice to vacate premises issued by Arthur Goodwin, December 10, 1927
Notice to vacate premises issued to Louis J. Becker and signed by Arthur Goodwin. Becker is instructed to leave his space in Room 8 of the Economy Market by December 21, 1927.
Identifier: spl_sh_00076
Date: 1927-12-10
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