Archives West Finding Aid
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Lake Union Improvement Company photograph album, 1891
Overview of the Collection
- Collector
- Lake Union Improvement Company (Seattle, Wash.)
- Title
- Lake Union Improvement Company photograph album
- Dates
- 1891 (inclusive)18911891
- Quantity
- 1 album with 25 photographic prints and other materials (1 box) ; sizes vary
- Collection Number
- PH0033
- Summary
- Photograph album comprising a historical photographic record of early Seattle and its expansion northwards along the shores of Lake Union
- 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
Selections can be viewed on the Libraries Digital Collections website. Permission of Visual Materials Curator is required to view original photographs. Contact Special Collections for further information.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
The Lake Union Improvement Company was formed by the L.H. Griffith Realty and Banking Company; its purpose was to acquire and develop land between downtown Seattle and Lake Union along what is now known as Westlake Avenue.
Other Descriptive InformationReturn to Top
Frank La Roche (1853-1934) was born in Philadelphia, where he learned the trade of photography. He arrived in Seattle in July 1889 and established a studio that, in addition to portraits, specialized in scenic and industrial views of western Washington state and southeastern Alaska. He photographed scenes in the Yukon during the Klondike gold rush, circa 1897-1899, and made numerous views of Seattle streets and buildings, ships, logging activities, and American Indians. He made many trips to Alaska, and also traveled in California and along the line of the Canadian Pacific Railway, taking scenic views which he produced for sale to travelers. About 1914, he moved his studio to the town of Sedro-Woolley, north of Seattle. Frank La Roche retired about 1928, and died in Sedro-Woolley on April 15, 1934.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection consists of an album which was used as a sales tool to woo potential investors. The album cover reads "The L.H. Griffith Realty & Banking Co., Seattle, Washington" and the title page reads "Prospectus of the Lake Union Improvement Company Under the Management of Mr. L.H. Griffith, Seattle, Washington." The name Luther Henry is inscribed on the inside cover of the album and may indicate that the album belonged to Luther H. Griffith.
The album contains 26 black and white photographs made by Frank La Roche, which depict early Seattle views and buildings, including views of the Elliott Bay waterfront, Lake Union, Lake Washington, downtown Seattle street scenes, and street railway construction of the Seattle Electric Railway and Power Company, in which Griffith also held an interest. A photoengraving of the Lake Union Improvement Company manager L.H. Griffith also appears. In addition to the images, a letter explaining the history of the company, a blank certificate share form, and a Seattle Press-Timesarticle discussing the Lake Washington Ship Canal are included in the album.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Alternative Forms Available
View the digital version of the collection
Restrictions on Use
Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Page | item | ||
| 1 | 1 | Title page: "Prospectus of the Lake Union Improvement Company" | circa 1891 |
| 2 | [Blank page] | circa 1891 | |
| item | |||
| 3 | 3 | Mt. Rainier | circa 1891 |
| 4-5 | 4 |
Seattle
waterfront Panoramic view; Oregon Improvement Co. buildings, steamer
Walla Walla, and sternwheeler S.S.
T.J. Potterappear in photograph.
|
June 6, 1891 |
| 6 | 6 |
L.H.
Griffith : Photoengraving
E.G. Williams and Bro (engravers)
|
circa 1891 |
| 7 | 7 |
Letter Paper insert. Letter provides a short history of the Lake Union
Improvement Company "together with reasons why such an investment will prove
very profitable to all interested."
|
1891 |
| 8 | [Blank page] | ||
| item | |||
| 9 | 9a | Pike Street, looking east from near 3rd Avenue | circa 1891 |
| 9 | 9b |
Lake Union,
looking north from near 5th Avenue and Stewart Street Shows Westlake Avenue and the Norwegian-Danish Baptist Church at
6th Avenue and Virginia Street
|
circa 1891 |
| 10 | 10 | Tracks and streetcar of the Seattle Electric Railway and Power Company, southwest end of Lake Union | circa 1891 |
| 11 | 11 | Blank certificate share form for the Lake Union Improvement Company | 1891 |
| 12 | 12 | [Blank page] | |
| 13 | 13 | Looking north along the tracks of the Seattle Electric Railway and Power Company, west end of Lake Union | circa 1891 |
| 14-15 | 14 |
Seattle
map Koch, Augustus (artist)
Page 14 shows Lake Union and vicinity; page 15 shows waterfront
between Jackson Street and Virginia Street
|
circa 1891 |
| 16 | 16 | View of Leschi Park at the foot of Yesler Way, looking west toward Lake Washington | 1891 |
| 17-18 | 17 | Newspaper article from the Seattle Press-Timesregarding the proposed Lake Washington ship canal | June 16, 1891 |
| 19 | 19 | Lake Washington shoreline | circa 1891 |
| 20 | 20 |
King Street coal
wharves of the Oregon Improvement Company Sailing vessels at dock
|
1891 |
| 21 | 21 |
Steamboats at the
waterfront, foot of Main Street SteamboatNorth Pacificat Oregon
Improvement Company and Union Pacific Dock.
|
1891 |
| 22 | 22 |
First Avenue,
looking north from James Street Pioneer Building appears at right. The streets were decorated in
honor of President Benjamin Harrison's visit to the city on May 6, 1891.
|
1891 |
| 23 | 23 |
James Street and
Yesler Way, looking north from Pioneer Square Welcome arch and decorations in honor of President Benjamin
Harrison's visit to Seattle on May 6, 1891. Shows Collins Building bounded by
Yesler Way, James Street and Second Avenue at center and Pioneer Building to
left.
|
1891 |
| 24 | 24 |
Looking south on
First Avenue from near Columbia Street toward Pioneer Square Streets decorated in honor of presidential visit, May 6, 1891.
|
May 1891 |
| 25 | 25 |
Downtown Seattle,
looking south from the Denny Hotel Denny Hotel was located between Second Avenue and Fourth Avenue,
Stewart Street and Virginia Street; First Methodist Protestant Church (Third
Ave, southeast corner of Pine Street) appears at left.
|
1891 |
| 26 | 26a |
Looking north
toward the Denny Hotel on Third Avenue from near Union Street Burke Block at the northwest corner of Third Avenue and Union
Street at left.
|
1891 |
| 26 | 26b | Seattle buildings
and lake with Olympic Mountains in distance Puget Sound Dressed Beef and Packing Co., Knapp Burrell and
Company buildings appear.
|
circa 1891 |
| 27 | 27a |
Madison Street
Park Bathing pavilions and boathouse.
|
1891 |
| 27 | 27b | Lake Washington and Madison Street Park | circa 1891 |
| 28 | 28a | Lake Union from Denny Hill, looking north from Fifth Avenue and Stewart Street | circa 1891 |
| 28 | 28b |
Men with fir log
on railway cars Caption on image: "Fir log for World's Fair Exhibit, 112 ft. long,
51 inches diam'r. Wt. 97,000 lbs."
|
circa 1891 |
| 29 | 29 |
Composite
photograph of public schools in Seattle Schools pictured: Denny, South Seattle, Olympic, T.T. Minor,
Central, Mercer, Columbia, Offices of the Board of Education, and Rainier.
|
circa 1891 |
| 30 | 30 |
Power house and
car barn of the Seattle Electric Railway and Power Company Men posed by streetcar barn of Seattle Electric Railway and Power
Company at 5th Avenue, northeast corner of Pine Street
|
circa 1891 |
| 31 | 31 | Bank interior | circa 1891 |
| 32 | 32 |
Composite
photograph of Washington views Pictured are the Seattle waterfront, Seattle from the Hotel Denny,
the Olympic Mountains, Snoqualmie Falls, and Mt. Rainier.
|
circa 1891 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Buildings--Washington (State)--Seattle--Photographs
- Central business districts--Washington (State)--Seattle--Photographs
- City planning--Washington (State)--Seattle
- Lakes--Washington (State)--Seattle--Photographs
- Ships--Washington (State)--Seattle--Photographs
- Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)
- Waterfronts--Washington (State)--Seattle--Photographs
Personal Names
- Griffith, Luther H.--Photographs
Corporate Names
- Lake Union Improvement Company (Seattle, Wash.)
Geographical Names
- Olympic Mountains (Wash.)--Photographs
- Rainier, Mount (Wash.)--Photographs
- Seattle (Wash.)--Photographs
- Union, Lake (Wash.)--Photographs
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- La Roche, Frank, 1853-1934 (photographer)
Corporate Names
- L.H. Griffith Realty and Banking Company (creator)
