Y.W.C.A. Seattle-King County photograph collection

Y.W.C.A. Seattle-King County photograph collection, approximately 1905-1970

Overview of the Collection

Collector: Y.W.C.A. Seattle-King County
Title: Y.W.C.A. Seattle-King County photograph collection
Dates: approximately 1905-1970 (inclusive)
19101970
Quantity: 91 photographic prints (1 box)
Collection Number: PH0377
Summary: Photographs of the Young Women's Christian Association, Seattle-King County (YWCA) activities, programs, facilities and members from 1905 to 1920s and 1950s to 1970s
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.
Additional Reference Guides
Languages: English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

The Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) was founded in the 1850s and is active in social justice movements working to provide for and empower women. The YWCA Seattle, King, and Snohomish sector was founded in 1894, led by Rees Daniels. They stand for civil rights, affordable housing and health care, equal pay, and stand against violence. The YWCA hosts events, fundraisers, clubs, and activities to support their mission. The YWCA branch in Seattle is the largest and oldest nonprofit focused on the needs of women in the region.

In the early 1910s, the YWCA launched a fundraising drive to raise money to build a new headquarters at 5th Avenue and Seneca in downtown Seattle. The construction finished in 1914 and remains their headquarters today. In 1919, the Culture Club, a club for African American women established its own branch in Seattle and named it the Phyllis Wheatley Branch. In the 1930s the leader of the branch, Bertha Pitts Campbell, petitioned to have voting rights within the YWCA board, making Seattle the first integrated YWCA board in the country. The YWCA renovated their 5th and Seneca headquarters and constructed a new building for the Phyllis Wheatley Branch between 1951 and 1954. The YWCA had a jubilee year celebration in 1955, which is featured in this collection. With an ever changing society, YWCA championed social justice and equal rights since the 1960s.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

This collection contains photographs from the Seattle branch of the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) from the early 1900s to 1920s and 1950s to 1970s. It includes photographs from conferences and clubs in the 1920s, camps at Bainbridge Island and Whitehorse Mountain, the premier of the Sound of Music, exhibits the YWCA created for the Seafirst Bank Lobby for two of their conferences, the rebuilding campaign that occurred in 1955, the annual meeting booklet photographs from 1955, and the Jubilee year celebration. Includes photos of Norma Sims, Mary French Rockefeller, Grace Jones, and Mary Fite, all board members or directors in the YWCA nationally or in the Seattle branch.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

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

Relocated from the YWCA Seattle-King County Records, Accession No. 3919 in the repository, in 1993.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

YWCA buildings, officials and activitiesReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box/Folder	item
1/1	1	Interior of the first floor of the YWCA building on 5th Avenue and Seneca Street, Seattle, WA An order form from the Seattle Engraving Co. is affixed to the verso	between 1914 and 1950?
1/1	2	Postcard of downtown, Seattle., showing the YWCA building at 5th Avenue and Seneca Street, Seattle, WA Max R. Jensen (Photographer) Written on verso: YWCA as of 1960Printed description on verso of postcard: A group of buildings in Seattle, Washington, showing Harborview Hospital to the right and the United States Courthouse in the center.	1960
1/1	3	Dorothy Kiely, YWCA Building Director	January, 1950
1/1	4	YWCA Hotel front desk with Miss Dorothy Kiely, YWCA Building Director, and Mrs. Frankie Wilder, Desk Clerk, behind the desk, and several women waiting in front of the desk Forde Photographers (Photographer)	Fall, 1962
1/1	5	Miss Frances Vogel, Executive Secretary of the Seattle YWCA pours tea at the High Tea given by the YWCA for women in Navy uniforms as part of the celebration of the First Anniversary Note attached to photograph: Miss Frances Vogel, Executive Secretary of the Seattle YWCA pours tea at the High Tea staged by the YWCA as part of the celebration of the First Anniversary. Written on verso: About July 30, 1943 of Wave Bill	July 30, 1943?
1/1	6	Muriel Harris and woman helping children at the day care Written on verso: [Day Care Services, 1940's], Muriel Harris. Return to the Y.W.C.A. Fifth and Seneca, Seattle, 1, Wn. Pblc. Rel. Dept. , 1946	1946
1/1	7	Woman surrounded by children Linkletter Studio (Photographer) Written on verso: Jean Owens 1967 catalog	1967

YWCA Girl Reserves, Conferences, and other activitiesReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box/Folder	item
1/2	8	Group of girls gathered for the Girl Reserve Conference Linkletter Studio (Photographer)	May, 1923
1/2	9	Group of girls standing in shape of a triangle for Girl Reserve Conference, Seabeck, Washington 1924 Linkletter Studio (Photographer)
1/2	10	Group of women standing in front and on the steps of B.P.O. Elks No 1083 for YWCA Business and Industrial Girls 8th Mid-winter Conference in Centralia Linkletter Studio (Photographer)	1923?
1/2	11	Group of women standing on a porch Linkletter Studio (Photographer) Written on verso: Florence Maddock	1923?
1/2	12	Group of women sitting on the steps of a porch Woodfield Studio & Gift Shop, Astoria, Oregon (Photographer)	1920?
1/2	13	Group of girls reading "Mary Cary" by Kate Langley Boshe Printed on frame of photograph: Girl Reserves '20's	1920?
1/2	14	Girls at an indoor pool	1920?
1/2	15	Girls holding YWCA Athletic Club and other banners in front of a porch	1920?

Jubilee Year CelebrationReturn to Top

The Jubilee Year was celebrated in 1955.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box/Folder	item
1/3	16	Mary French Rockefeller Note attached to photo: Release date: A.M., Monday, December 1, 1952, Mrs. Laurance S. Rockefeller, daughter-in-law of John D. Rockefeller, Jr., will lead this country’s 3,000,000 YWCA membership in commemorating the hundredth anniversary of the YWCA in the world in 1955.	1952
		Annual Meeting Booklet (Jubilee) Photographs used as part of a montage for the booklet
Box/Folder	item
1/3	17	Billboard advertising the YWCA’s jubilee year celebration Forde Photographers (Photographer) Note attached to photograph: Eleven billboards, 200 car cards, Newspaper, radio and television publicity all helped to alert Seattle of the World Y.W.C.A.’s 100’s birthday in 1955	1955
1/3	18	Marian Anderson shaking hands with YWCA/YMCA leadership Forde Photographers (Photographer) Note attached to photograph: Bringing Marian Anderson to Seattle for our centennial concert will be long remembered by the Seattle YWCA. The long hours of planning netted $4,265 for the Centennial Endowment Fund	1955
1/3	19	Aley Matthew being interviewed on a YWCA television 1955 program Forde Photographers (Photographer) Note attached to photograph: Aley Matthew’s friendship and her research to provide a better YWCA in India brought World Fellowship close to home. Her interview added to a series of YWCA television programs throughout the year.	1955
1/3	20	Group of women singing on a staircase Forde Photographers (Photographer) Note attached to photograph: A new activity for the resident girls was this choir which entertained at the Christmas tea. During 1954 there were 411 different young women as permanent residents and 9,574 used the transient facilities.	1955
1/3	21	Rededication ceremony for YWCA headquarters Forde Photographers (Photographer) Note attached to photograph: Capacity crowds filled the remodeled rooms of our Fifth and Seneca Building, rededicated in April. The building was in holiday dress from swimming pool to residence.	1955
1/3	22	Alice in Waterlandcast members next to poster Forde Photographers (Photographer) Note attached to photograph: Teen Club’s Alice in Waterland scored in water ballet. The spacious swimming ... an important facility for the 812 … education groups, was shared with a ... of other community agencies.	1955
1/3	23	Two women holding the empty Portrait of Lucinda Note attached to photograph: "Portrait of Lucinda," a Centennial skit, was introduced here at the Fall Setting-up Conference, but earlier in the year, our own centennial chairman played the part of Lucinda at the YWCA Western Regional Conference in Asilomar.Written on verso: Doris Benckent, 5221 - 45th Ave S.W., Seattle, 6, Wash. Member of West Seattle Branch YWCA, ?550 Fauntleroy Ave., Seattle, 6, Wash. Western Regional Conference, April 1954 Asilomar, Calif. [illeg] "Portrait of Lucinda" [illeg]	1955
Box/Folder	item
1/3	24	Couple dancing in costume on stage Note attached to photograph: Part of "Jubilee Year" Celebration 1955	1955
1/3	25	Women dancing in costume on stage Note attached to photo: Part of "Jubilee Year" Celebration 1955	1955
1/3	26	Women synchronized dancing in swimming pool Note attached to photo: Part of "Jubilee Year" Celebration 1955	1955

YWCA Rebuilding / Expansion CampaignReturn to Top

Photographs are from several locations, including White Plains, York and Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box/Folder	item
1/4	27	Billboard of YWCA advertisement Don’t Fail Our Girls Seattle YWCA Give Once in 37 Years	between 1954 and 1955
1/4	28	Several women looking a some papers Lorne Burkell, Calgary, Alberta (Photographer) Written on verso: Rebuilding Campaign, 1954-55. Woman in center front with letter possible Norma Sims, Former Executive Director, 1949-66.	between 1954 and 1955
1/4	29	Group of men working on the YMCA Expansion Campaign	between 1954 and 1955
1/4	30	Men in front of chalkboard for fundraising event Associated Artists, White Plains, New York (Photographer)	between 1954 and 1955
1/4	31	Older man handing a check(?) to two younger men, wearing sweaters with a YMCA HI-Y emblem Bryant Photo Lab, Calgary, Alberta (Photographer)	between 1954 and 1955
1/4	32	Group of men sitting at a conference table with a sketch of a building hanging on the wall Loren Burkell, Calgary, Alberta (Photographer)	between 1954 and 1955
1/4	33-34	Men and women at a large dinner event Loren Burkell, Calgary, Alberta (Photographer)	between 1954 and 1955
1/4	35a-b	Young man in a uniform handing money and a document to an older man Lorne Burkell, Calgary Alberta, Canada (Photographer)	between 1954 and 1955
1/4	36	Young man wearing a sweater with a YMCA Calgary emblem Posettis(?) Studios, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (Photographer)	between 1954 and 1955

Seattle Premiere of the film Sound of Music Return to Top

This was probably a fund-raising event for the YWCA.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box/Folder	item
1/5	37-39	Groups of well-dressed men and women under a Sound of Music film poster Jean Weber, Seattle, Washington (Photographer)	March 31, 1965
1/5	40-41	Grace Jones, President of the YWCA Board (1965-1967), wearing a white dress with a fur stole standing with a group of people Jean Weber, Seattle, Washington (Photographer)	March 31, 1965
1/5	42	Mary Firth, former YWCA Board member (1953-1956) on the right wearing a white dress Jean Weber, Seattle, Washington (Photographer)	March 31, 1965
1/5	43-46	Well-dressed men and women exiting a car with men in lederhosen assisting them Jean Weber, Seattle, Washington (Photographer)	March 31, 1965
1/5	47-50	Well-dressed men and women in front of the theater Jean Weber, Seattle, Washington (Photographer)	March 31, 1965

YWCA Exhibits at Seafirst Bank Lobby, Seattle, WAReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box/Folder	item
1/6	51-57	Exhibits created in conjunction with the YWCA Conferences for the International Women's Year and Women in Business.	between 1977 and 1978

YWCA Bainbridge Island CampReturn to Top

The YWCA camp is on Yeomalt Point on Bainbridge Island, Washington

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box/Folder	item
1/7	58	Ferry boat at dock with YWCA sign at the dock's end and people walking on the dock Written on front of photograph: Y.W.C.A. Dock, Camp Bainbridge.	1917?
1/7	59	Group of women gathered on a porch under YWCA sign Written on front of photograph: * Hilda A Bergman, YWCA Camp, about 1913-1916. An asterisk appears on the skirt of a woman in the front row. Stamped on verso of photograph: Hilda A. Bergman, 400 Skinner Bldg - Seattle, El. 2120, Pr, 2187	between 1913 and 1916?
1/7	60	Women standing on the front porch steps on what appears to be a building at Camp Bainbridge CoWan Photo, Seattle, 1923 (Photographer) Written on verso; 1924	between 1923 to 1924
1/7	61	Well dressed women standing along a porch railing with flower boxes on what appears to be a building at Camp Bainbridge Linkletter Studio (Photographer)	September 1926
1/7	62-64	Groups of women on the front porch of a building with a Camp Bainbridge sign	1928
1/7	65	Building and tents with forest in the background Written on verso: YWCA Camp	between 1905 and 1930?
1/7	66	Tents and buildings on the beach Alaska Studio, Seattle (Photographer) Written on verso: YWCA Camp from the Sound	between 1905 and 1930?
box:oversize
XH3	67	Panorama of tents and buildings on the beach with a sign for Yeomalt Park Jacobs Photo Shop, Seattle (Photographer) Written on verso: YWCA Camp.	between 1905 and 1930?

Whitehorse Mountain CampReturn to Top

The YWCA owned Whitehorse Mountain Camp was located on Squire Creek in the shadow of Whitehorse Mountain in the Mt. Baker National Forest area, three miles from Darrington, Washington

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box/Folder	item
1/8	68	Possibly a promotion card for the YWCA Whitehorse Mountain camp showing a large field, mountains, a red building and people walking	1970?
1/8	69	Campers with their chaperone Written on verso: YWCA Whitehorse Mountain Camp, May 23, 1970. Nelson Jr. High School, Renton, Y teens. Front row L to R: Cathy DeGrozia, Sharon Slaugh, Lori Vioz, Carol Jensen, Debbie Peck. Back row L to R: Mrs. Alan Ahiens, Teenage Program Director, Linda Logue, Jan[illeg] Hayes, Patty Edmonds, Sue Smith.	June 23, 1970
1/8	70	Sharon Slaugh, Lori Vioz, Patty Edmonds, Sue Smith, and Debbie Peck sitting in the grass with a large mountain in the background. Campers with their chaperone	June ,1970
1/8	71	Sharon Slaugh, Sue Smith, and Debbie Peck sitting in a tree	June, 1970
1/8	72	Sharon Slaugh, Lori Vioz, Patty Edmonds, Sue Smith, and Debbie Peck sitting in a tree	June, 1970
1/8	73	Patty Edmonds, Sue Smith, Carol Jensen, and Debbie Peck playing in a field riding piggyback	June, 1970
1/8	74	Patty Edmonds, Sue Smith, Carol Jensen, and Debbie Peck playing in a field and riding piggyback	June, 1970
1/8	75	Linda Logue, Cathy DeGrozia, Carol Jensen, Patty Edmonds, Sue Smith, Debbie Peck, unidentified girl, and Sharon Slaugh playing in a field	June, 1970
1/8	76-77	Patty Edmonds, Carol Jensen, Cathy DeGrozia, Jan[illeg] Hayes, Sue Smith, Linda Logue, and Lori Vioz dancing in a field	June, 1970
1/8	78	Sharon Slaugh, Lori Vioz, Sue Smith, and Jan[illeg] Hayes running in a field wearing bathing suits	June, 1970
1/8	79	Cathy DeGrozia, Sharon Slaugh, Lori Vioz, Carol Jensen, Debbie Peck, Cathy DeGrozia, Sharon Slaugh, and an unidentified girl standing on a rock island in a river	June, 1970
1/8	80	Linda Logue, Lori Vioz, Sharon Slaugh, and Patty Edmonds climbing on fallen trees	June, 1970
1/8	81	Lori Vioz, Linda Logue, Debbie Peck, and Carol Jensen climbing on fallen trees	June, 1970
1/8	82	Cathy DeGrozia, Sharon Slaugh, Jan[illeg] Hayes, Linda Logue, and two unidentifiable girls walking in a river	June, 1970
1/8	83	Sue Smith, Carol Jensen, and Lori Vioz jumping from fallen trees into a river	June, 1970
1/8	84	Patty Edmonds and Sue Smith walking in a river	June, 1970
1/8	85	Patty Edmonds, Cathy DeGrozia, Jan[illeg] Hayes, Sue Smith, and Linda Logue walking and swimming in a river	June, 1970
1/8	86	Patty Edmonds, Cathy DeGrozia, Jan[illeg] Hayes, Sue Smith, and Linda Logue swimming in a river	June, 1970
1/8	87	Cathy DeGrozia and Patty Edmonds holding on a branch with their legs in a river	June, 1970
1/8	88	Cathy DeGrozia, Patty Edmonds, and Sue Smith playing in a river	June, 1970
1/8	89	Sue Smith and Patty Edmonds playing in a river	June, 1970
1/8	90	Cathy DeGrozia and Debbie Peck hanging laundry	June, 1970
1/8	91	Cathy DeGrozia and Debbie Peck collecting wood	June, 1970

Seabeck ConferenceReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
mapcase	item
M271	92	Panorama of group at Northwest Y.W.C.A. conference in Seabeck Boland, Tacoma (photographer) Groups are holding banners reading: Bellingham, Whitman, Everett, Tacoma, Puget Sound, Portland, Greater Fall, Washington, Fahalo, Fellowship, Friends of All, Cosmopolitan, WSC, Missoula, Montana, Weslyan, McMinnville, Oregon, Eugene, Walla Walla, Billings, Idaho, College of Idaho, North Yakima. Taped to verso: Clipping describing activities of the Cosmopolitan Club.	1917

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)

Archives West Finding Aid

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