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Myrtle Edwards papers, 1955-1973

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Edwards, Myrtle
Title
Myrtle Edwards papers
Dates
1955-1973 (inclusive)
Quantity
circa 5.43 cubic ft
Collection Number
1391, 1717, 1766
Summary
Correspondence, scrapbooks, literature from trip to Israel, appointment books, photographs, awards and biographical data of a Jewish American
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

Open to all users

Request at UW

Languages
English
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Biographical Note

Myrtle Edwards was born in 1894, and studied music as a young women. She studied music at the University of Illinois, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree, the American College of Music, and the Illinois College of Music. She became a voice teacher at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago, where she met and married Harlan H. Edwards, a civil engineer and the son of the founding family of the American Conservation of Music, in 1918.

The couple moved to Seattle in the early 1940s after living in Illinois and California and had two children. In Seattle, Myrtle became involved in the Seattle and Washington State League of Women Voters, serving as president of both, and the Seattle Council of Churches, where she was a member of the executive board. She was also active in the Municipal League, the American Association of University Women, Business and Professional Women, the Boy Scouts, and the Camp Fire Girls. She and Harlan were also members of the Audubon Society and the Sierra Club. In 1964, Seattle Beautiful Inc. named her Citizen of the Year, for her tireless work with the organization, which promoted public parks, boulevard plantings, and programs that enhanced neighborhood beautification.

Once their youngest child was in college, Myrtle went back to school at the University of Washington to get her degree in political science, and entered politics. In 1955, she was appointed to the Seattle City Council and elected a year later. She later served as president of the City Council. In each of her elections, a time when the council was elected at large, she received the most votes, furthermore, in 1964, she received more votes than any other council candidate had ever received.

She was very committed to parks and green spaces and worked to make these spaces an integral part of the city. She was also a strong supporter of the arts, and was most proud of the remodeled Opera House and the various theaters on its campus. Myrtle Edwards died unexpectedly due to injuries sustained in a car accident in 1969. To honor her legacy, the former Elliot Bay Park was renamed Myrtle Edwards Park. The park, which had been a dumping ground for construction and industrial projects, was transformed into a waterfront park overlooking Puget Sound in honor of the kinds of project she supported throughout her career.

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Content Description

Consult the scope and content information for each of the accessions listed below.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

Organized into 4 accessions.

  • Accession No. 1391-001, Myrtle Edwards papers, 1955-1969
  • Accession No. 1717-001, Myrtle Edwards papers, 1959-1965
  • Accession No. 1766-001, Myrtle Edwards papers, 1959-1969
  • Accession No. 1766-002, Myrtle Edwards papers, 1973

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Detailed Description of the Collection

 

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Municipal government--Washington (State)
  • Voting--Societies, etc
  • Voting--Washington (State)
  • Women--Political activity--Societies, etc
  • Women--Political activity--Washington (State)
  • Women--Washington (State)--Societies and clubs

Personal Names

  • Edwards, Myrtle--Archives
  • Pelly, Thomas M. (Thomas Minor), 1902-1973

Corporate Names

  • League of Women Voters of Seattle
  • Seattle (Wash.). City Council

Geographical Names

  • Seattle (Wash.)--Politics and government
  • Washington (State)--Politics and government--1951-

Form or Genre Terms

  • Charters
  • Scrapbooks

Occupations

  • City council members--Washington (State)
  • Civic leaders--Washington (State)
  • Women city council members--Washington (State)
  • Women civic leaders--Washington (State)

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Subject Terms

  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)


2014 (Last modified: 4/13/2018)

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