Category Archives: History

47 Historical Images From Past Olympics That Are Genuinely Wild To See Now

by Angelica Martinez in Buzzfeed (thanks to Bob P.) 1. The 100 meters sprint at “the first Olympic Games of the Modern Era” which took place in Athens, Greece in 1896: 2. And the crowd at that same 1896 Olympics: 3. The American … Continue reading

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Remembering Charley Royer, Seattle’s only three-term mayor

Helping the city reinvent itself after the Boeing bust, Royer pushed for a Westlake Park makeover, the Convention Center and low-income housing. by Knute Berger in Crosscut Charles “Charley” Royer during his first year as Seattle Mayor in 1978. Royer died … Continue reading

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Honored By the Post Office, Alex Trebek Gets His Own Jeopardy Themed Stamps.

Ryan Chilton Jul 26, 2024 Thanks to Pam P. In a fitting tribute to a television icon, the U.S. Postal Service has honored Alex Trebek with a special sheet of commemorative stamps that beautifully capture his legacy. Trebek, who was … Continue reading

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Democracy–all at once

by Heather Cox Richardson

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Heather Cox Richardson on PBS

Thanks to Mary Jane F. Click here for a great sense of hope and aid in keeping ourselves centered during all the craziness around us.

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From the floor at Pike Place Market

From the Japanese Heian Period: 794-1185 CE (thanks to Mike C.)

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The second of July 1776

by Heather Cox Richardson

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Treaty Justice by Charles Wilkinson

Thanks to Ed M. From Post Alley by David Brewster Fifty years ago, federal Judge George Boldt issued his landmark decision on tribal fishing rights. An admirable new book, Treaty Justice, by law professor and tribal advocate Charles Wilkinson, has just … Continue reading

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Juneteenth

On “Freedom’s Eve,” or the eve of January 1, 1863, the first Watch Night services took place. On that night, enslaved and free African Americans gathered in churches and private homes all across the country awaiting news that the Emancipation … Continue reading

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23 Things That Happened In 2001 That Were Completely Overshadowed By 9/11

Thanks to Bob P. 1. “American Airlines Flight 587. It was an Airbus A300 that crashed in Queens, NY, two months after 9/11. It was the second-deadliest aviation accident in US history, and not well remembered.” 2. “Air Transat Flight 236. The … Continue reading

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Father’s Day Essay by Heather Cox Richardson

Thanks to Pam P.

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Heather Cox Richardson Interviews President Joe Biden

Last week, after President Joe Biden went to Valley Forge and then spoke in Pennsylvania, I got a chance to sit down with him to ask a few questions.  What I wanted to hear from him illustrates the difference between … Continue reading

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Everything You Learned About Thanksgiving Is Wrong

By Maya Salam in the NYT — (Thanks to Mary Jane F.) Not to rain on your Thanksgiving Day parade, but the story of the first Thanksgiving, as most Americans have been taught it — the Pilgrims and Native Americans gathering … Continue reading

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Mossback’s Northwest: The day Germany bombed Seattle

Determined to keep America out of WWI, German saboteurs blew up a ship in Elliott Bay. by Knute Berger from Crosscut Years before the United States entered World War I, the war came to the U.S. As conflict exploded in Europe, … Continue reading

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The weird history of Halloween and All Saints Day

From the History Channel: “Halloween is an annual holiday celebrated each year on October 31, and Halloween 2023 occurs on Tuesday, October 31. It originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes … Continue reading

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The Seattle architect behind the PacSci arches and the Twin Towers

Minoru Yamasaki was commissioned to create the World Trade Center after gaining notoriety for his design of the 1962 World’s Fair pavilion. Article from Crosscut by Knute Berger Seattle-trained architect Minoru Yamasaki (second from left) and his engineering team Sixty … Continue reading

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Aloha Hawaiian Cultural Festival – Sunday

Thanks to Ann M. Live Aloha Hawaiian Cultural Festival will take place on Sunday, September 10: 11am-7pm at the Armory Food & Event Hall, Mural Amphitheatre, and Fisher Rooftop. The festival is part of the Seattle Center Festál series. It is free and open to the … Continue reading

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Heather Cox Richardson with Marcus Harrison Green

Thanks to Mary M. In-person tickets for the event with Letters from an American author Heather Cox Richardson are sold-out, but we’ve just released virtual tickets for the event! GET VIRTUAL TICKETS Friday, October 6, 2023, 7:30PM This event is in-person and … Continue reading

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The 1864 Battle of Mobile Bay – Damn the Torpedoes

by Historian Heather Cox Richardson

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You are a 1% ers

Thanks to Bill K. 1% ers  99 % of those born between 1930 and 1946 (worldwide) are now dead. If you were born in this time span, you are one of the rare surviving 1% ers of this special group. … Continue reading

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This July Fourth, reflect on immigrants’ contributions and urge reform

Thanks to Marilyn W. By Tahmina Watson – Special to The Seattle Times As a naturalized U.S. citizen and an immigration lawyer, I’m struck by the throughline of immigrant entrepreneurship throughout America’s history. This Independence Day, I hope we take a … Continue reading

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The July 2nd Resolution for Independence

by historian Heather Cox Richardson

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Juneteenth

by Heather Cox Richardson Tomorrow is the federal holiday honoring Juneteenth, the celebration of the announcement in Texas on June 19th, 1865, that enslaved Americans were free.  On April 9, 1865, General Robert E. Lee surrendered his Army of Northern … Continue reading

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Memorial Day – a bit of history

The Civil War, which ended in the spring of 1865, claimed more lives than any conflict in U.S. history and required the establishment of the country’s first national cemeteries. By the late 1860s, Americans in various towns and cities had begun … Continue reading

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The Panama Hotel opens in Seattle’s Japantown in the summer of 1910.

Thanks to Bob P who wrote: “Many years ago, Pam, myself, and two of my relatives from Sweden spent a pleasant time there, with Jan Johnson.  It is an interesting place to visit.” This historic site is memorialized in the … Continue reading

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