Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
St. Mark's Cathedral construction photographs, 1929-1930
Overview of the Collection
- Title
- St. Mark's Cathedral construction photographs
- Dates
- 1929-1930 (inclusive)19291930
- Quantity
- 75 photographic prints (1 box) ; various sizes
- Collection Number
- PH0042
- Summary
- Photographs of the construction of the St. Mark's Cathedral in Seattle
- 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
-
The collection is open to the public.
- Languages
- English
Historical BackgroundReturn to Top
In order to accommodate the growth of the Seattle congregation in the early 20th century, the Diocese of Olympia made plans for a new cathedral. In 1923, land was purchased on 10th East. The original plans and church model depicted the parishoners' grand concept of an ornate Gothic-style building with a 250-foot tall tower, requiring a decade of construction and over one million dollars. When the depression began in October 1929, financial problems meant that the building plans had to be modified. In the end, San Francisco architects Arthur Brown Jr. and E. Frere Champney designed a simple cube shape which was given the nickname “The Holy Box.”
The Henry & McFee Contracting Company began construction in 1928. In order to build on Seattle’s steep ridges, the structure was stabilized on a sturdy concrete foundation, and the construction then continued in concrete. A ten-foot thick central slab of concrete with supporting pillars of steel and concrete at each corner was surrounded by four-foot thick slabs upon which walls and false buttresses were built with huge windows of frosted glass facing the north and south.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Photographs of the model and construction work on St. Mark's Cathedral in Seattle. Most of the photographs were taken by H.M. Warner
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Alternative Forms Available
View selections from the collection in digital format.
Restrictions on Use
Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Processing Note
Processed by Natasha Crider in 2006 and Marion Brown in 2007; processing completed in 2008.
Photographs 1 through 67 were originally stored in an "album" made by putting a piece of paper around the prints. The paper was deteriorating and has been removed. The prints have been kept in the original order which was backwards chronologically. Photographs 68 through 73 were loose and have been ordered chronologically.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
St. Mark's Cathedral Construction Photograph AlbumReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box/Folder | item | ||
1/1 | 1-2 | July 10,1930 | |
1/1 | 3 | June 26, 1930 | |
1/1 | 4 | June 26, 1930 | |
1/1 | 5-6 | June 12, 1930 | |
1/1 | 7-8 | May 29, 1930 | |
1/1 | 9-11 | May 15, 1930 | |
1/1 | 12 | Construction. Workers on scaffolding |
May 2, 1930 |
1/1 | 13-14 | May 1, 1930 | |
1/2 | 15 | May 1, 1930 | |
1/2 | 16 | Plaque
Inscription reads "Saint Mark's Cathedral. For other
foundation no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.... Cor. III.
April XXVII"
|
April 29, 1930 |
1/2 | 17-18 | Construction |
April 17, 1930 |
1/2 | 19-20 | Construction |
April 3, 1930 |
1/2 | 21-22 | Construction |
March 20, 1930 |
1/2 | 23-24 | March 6, 1930 | |
1/2 | 25-26 | Construction |
February 20, 1930 |
1/2 | 27 | Construction and top view of Tru-Mix Concrete
shed |
February 6, 1930 |
1/2 | 28 | Construction and view of top of Tru-Mix Concrete shed.
Light snow |
January 23, 1930 |
1/2 | 29 | Construction and view of top of Tru-Mix Concrete shed
covered in snow |
January 9, 1930 |
1/2 | 30 | November 29, 1929 | |
1/3 | 31 | December 12,1929 | |
1/3 | 32 | Construction |
December 26, 1929 |
1/3 | 33 | Construction |
December 12, 1929 |
1/3 | 34 | Construction |
December 26, 1929. |
1/3 | 35 | November 14, 1929 | |
1/3 | 36 | Construction of steel frame |
October 31, 1929 |
1/3 | 37 | Construction of steel frame |
September 5, 1929 |
1/3 | 38 | Construction of steel frame, interior |
August 30, 1929 |
1/3 | 39 | Construction of steel frame |
August 22, 1929 |
1/3 | 40 | August 8, 1929 | |
1/3 | 41 | Construction of steel frame |
July 25, 1929 |
1/3 | 42 | Construction of steel frame showing crane |
July 11, 1929 |
1/3 | 43 | Construction of steel frame showing crane |
June 27, 1929 |
1/3 | 44 | Construction of steel frame, showing crane |
June 13, 1929 |
1/3 | 45 | May 30, 1929 | |
1/4 | 46 | Foundation and crane |
May 16, 1929 |
1/4 | 47 | Foundation showing city landscape in
background |
May 2, 1929 |
1/4 | 48-50 | April 18, 1929 | |
1/4 | 51-53 | April 4, 1929 | |
box:oversize | |||
XH1 | 54-55 |
Construction showing St. Nicholas Girls' School next
door
2 part panoramas
|
March 21, 1929 |
Box/Folder | |||
1/4 | 56-58 | Construction on foundation |
March 21, 1929 |
1/4 | 59-60 | March 5, 1929 | |
1/4 | 61 | Construction site |
March 8, 1929 |
1/4 | 62-63 | March 4, 1929 | |
1/4 | 64 | Construction site |
March 5, 1929 |
1/4 | 65-67 | March 4, 1929 |
Additional PhotographsReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box/Folder | item | ||
1/5 | 68 | July 24, 1930 | |
1/5 | 69 | July 24, 1930 | |
1/5 | 70-71 | Construction |
August 7, 1930 |
1/5 | 72 | Construction |
August 21, 1930 |
1/5 | 73 | October 25, 1930 |
Pre-ConstructionReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
box-folder:oversize | item | ||
OS1 | 74 | 1927 | |
Box/Folder | |||
1/6 | 75 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Cathedrals--Washington (State)--Seattle--Design and construction--Photographs
Corporate Names
- St. Mark's Cathedral (Seattle, Wash.)--Photographs
Geographical Names
- Seattle (Wash.)--Buildings, structures, etc.--Photographs
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Warner, H. M (photographer)
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)