Seattle City Light Skagit Management Records, 1949-1997

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Seattle City Light
Title
Seattle City Light Skagit Management Records
Dates
1949-1997 (inclusive)
1966-1995 (bulk)
Quantity
2.8 cubic feet, (7 boxes)
Collection Number
1209-01
Summary
Records concerning the management of Seattle City Light facilities on the Skagit River
Repository
Seattle Municipal Archives
Seattle Municipal Archives
Office of the City Clerk
City of Seattle
PO Box 94728
98124-4728
Seattle, WA
Telephone: 2062337807
Fax: 2063869025
archives@seattle.gov
Access Restrictions

Records are open to the public.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for processing this record series was provided through a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

City Light provides electricity and electrical and conservation services to its public and private customers. It is the largest public utility in the Pacific Northwest. Public responsibility for electrical energy dates to 1890 with creation of the Department of Lighting and Water Works. In 1902, Seattle voters passed a bond issue to develop hydroelectric power on the Cedar River under the administration of the Water Department. Electricity from this development began to serve Seattle in 1905. A City Charter amendment in 1910 created the Lighting Department. Under the leadership of Superintendent James D. Ross, the department developed the Skagit River hydroelectric project which began supplying power in 1924. Both public and private power was supplied to Seattle until 1951 when the City purchased the private electrical power supply operations, making the Lighting Department the sole supplier. The Boundary Project in northeastern Washington began operations in 1967 and supplied over half of City Light's power generation. By the early 21st century, approximately ten percent of City Light's income came from the sale of surplus energy to customers in the Northwest and Southwest with the remainder of City Light's financial support coming from customer revenue. The current name of the agency was adopted in 1978 when the Department was reorganized.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Records of Director of Electrical Generation and the Director/ Superintendent of Operations at the Skagit River hydroelectric projects, including correspondence, reports, photographs and maps . Records concern the management of City Light facilities on the Skagit, including Skagit powerhouses, logging, and services for City Light employees and community at Diablo and Newhalem, including housing, water supply, schools, ambulance, fire fighting and swimming pool. Also included are files concerning the North Cascades National Park.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

[Item and date], Seattle City Light Skagit Management Records, Record Series 1209-01. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

1209-01:  City Light Skagit Management Records, 1949-1997Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/1
Ambulance Services
1973-1982
1/2
Bus Sale (Includes Photographs)
1964-1978
1/3
Dam Failure Alarm
1992
1/4
Day Care House No. 12
1985-1992
1/5
Diablo Lake Boats
1989
1/6
Environmental Assessments and Protection
1982-1984
1/7
Fatalities
1983-1985
1/8
Fatality, Aaron Lee, Sep. 29, 1988 (Includes Photographs)
1988-1989
1/9
Fatality, Aaron Lee, Sep. 29, 1988
1988-1989
1/10
Fire and Emergency Services
1968-1980
1/11
Fire Department (Newhalem / Diablo Volunteer)
1991-1996
1/12
Fire Department, Diablo Volunteer
undated
1/13
Fire Department, Newhalem Volunteer
undated
1/14
Firefighters
1968-1981
2/1
Generation Correspondence
1979-1981
2/2
Generation Correspondence
1982
2/3
Generation Correspondence
1986-1987
2/4
Generation Correspondence
1987-1988
2/5
Generation Director's Correspondence
1984-1990
2/6
Generation Director's Correspondence
1990-1991
2/7
Electrical Generation Director's Correspondence
1991-1993
2/8
Electrical Generation Director's Correspondence
1993-1994
2/9
Handicap Project
1978
3/1
High Ross Dam
1970-1971
3/2
High Ross Dam
1971-1984
3/3
Highway 20
1966-1976
3/4
Highway 20
1977-1983
3/5
House Sales
1974-1990
3/6
Housing
1979-1988
3/7
Hozomeen Site Contaminated Soil Clean-Up
1996
3/8
Logging - W.J. Murphy, Hozomeen Camp
1962-1973
3/9
Logging - W.J. Murphy, Hozomeen Camp
1970-1984
3/10
Maps and Newspaper Excerpts
1959-1971
3/11
Map - Newhalem
undated
4/1
North Cascades National Park
1972-1979
4/2
North Cascades National Park
1980
4/3
North Cascades National Park
1981
4/4
North Cascades National Park
1982-1984
4/5
North Cascades National Park
1985-1990
4/6
North Cascades Environmental Education Center
1997
4/7
Operations Plans
1985-1994
4/8
Powerhouse, Diablo
1989-1995
4/9
Powerhouse, Gorge
1980-1989
5/1
Powerhouse, Gorge
1990-1995
5/2
Powerhouse Enhancements, Gorge
1985
5/3
Powerhouse Enhancements, Gorge
1986-1987
5/4
Powerhouse Enhancements, Gorge
1986-1988
5/5
Powerhouse, Ross
1986-1995
5/6
Powerhouses, Milestone Report
1994
5/7
Preschool
1992
5/8
Ross Floating Camp
1963-1984
5/9
Schools
1949-1979
5/10
Schools
1980-1990
5/11
Schools, Concrete School District
1991
5/12
Skagit River Railway (Includes Photograph)
1972-1987
6/1
Skagit River Railway Engine No. 6
1973-1986
6/2
Swimming Pool Design (Includes Photographs)
1961-1978
6/3
Swimming Pool - Upper Skagit Athletic Association
1972-1985
6/4
Swimming Pool - Upper Skagit Athletic Association
1986-1989
6/5
Swimming Pool - Upper Skagit Athletic Association
1961-1974
6/6
Swimming Pool - Upper Skagit Athletic Association
1978-1988
6/7
Timber Clearing
1956-1958
6/8
Trails and Roads
1968-1989
6/9
U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Correspondence
1991-1995
7/1
U.S. Forest Service and Pacific Timber and Salvage Co. (Submerged Timber)
1960-1966
7/2
U.S. National Park Service
1986-1988
7/3
Water Supply - Newhalem
1979-1991
7/4
Water Systems
1984-1989
7/5
Whatcom County
1966-1979
7/6
Whatcom County Agreement
1961-1987
7/7
Whatcom County Services Contract Negotiations
1987
7/8
Correspondence
1983-1984
7/9
Correspondence
1985-1986

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Diablo Powerhouse (Wash.)
  • Fire protection districts--Washington--Whatcom County
  • Gorge Powerhouse (Wash.)
  • Newhalem (Wash.)
  • North Cascades National Park
  • Skagit River (B.C. and Wash.)
  • Skagit River Hydroelectric Project
  • Skagit River Hydroelectric Project
  • Swimming pools--Washington--Whatcom County
  • Water-power--Washington (State)

Corporate Names

  • Seattle City Light
  • Seattle (Wash.). Lighting Dept.

Geographical Names

  • Seattle (Wash.)

Form or Genre Terms

  • Maps
  • Photographic prints