Reginald Heber Thomson photograph album, 1895-1937

Overview of the Collection

Collector
Thomson, Reginald Heber, 1856-1949
Title
Reginald Heber Thomson photograph album
Dates
1895-1937 (inclusive)
Quantity
186 photographic prints
Collection Number
PH0043
Summary
Photographs related to Seattle city engineer, Reginald Heber Thomson.
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

Entire collection can be viewed on the Libraries' Digital Collections website. Permission of Visual Materials Curator is required to view originals. Contact Special Collections for more information.

Additional Reference Guides

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Reginald Heber Thomson (1856-1949), a Seattle civil engineer, official, and consultant, is credited with establishing much of the municipal infrastructure of the fledgling city of Seattle. Thomson was Seattle city engineer from 1892 through 1911 and again in 1930 and 1931. He chaired the Seattle Public Works Board 1896-1911, established the Port of Seattle in 1911, served as superintendent of Stathcona Park, Vancouver Island, from 1912 to 1915, and was a member of the Seattle City Council from 1916 to 1922. Thomson consulted on major water and hydroelectric projects in Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, and Alaska. Among the many projects he is known for are several major regrades of Seattle's business district and waterfront, the establishment of Seattle's first hydroelectic plants, and establishment of the Cedar River water supply and the West Point sewage treatment plant.

Early in his career, Thomson entered into a partnership with F. H. Whitworth, the city and county surveyor. One of Thomson’s early tasks as assistant surveyor involved the initial work of dredging a canal between Lake Washington and Lake Union where, decades later, he would be instrumental in constructing the Lake Washington Ship Canal connecting both lakes to Puget Sound. In 1884, Thomson became the city surveyor. In this role he built Seattle’s first sewers and the Grant Street bridge across the tideflats. He resigned in 1886 to work for the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern railroad. As locating engineer, he plotted the path of the railbed from the northern end of Lake Washington all the way eastward through Snoqualmie Pass, to Lake Keechelus. Not stopping there, he moved on to Spokane for a few years where he constructed terminals and built two bridges. Once back in Seattle, he worked as a consulting engineer. Then, in 1892 he became city engineer, a job that he would hold for the next 20 years. He added 4.5 miles of sewer lines throughout the city, much of it through formations that had stymied earlier engineers. He also worked on creating the growing community’s first sidewalks and paved roads, including Lake Washington Boulevard, which he and his assistant, George F. Cotterill (1865-1958), first designed as a cinder path for bicycles.

His first regrade, in 1898, was up 1st Avenue from Pike Street to Denny Way. Five years later, Pike and Pine were regraded from 2nd Avenue to Broadway. For the next eight years, Thomson’s crews pummeled Denny Hill, between 2nd and 5th Avenues, and Pike Street and Denny Way. Thomson also went after the hillock between Main and Judkins Streets and 4th and 12th Avenues. Dearborn Street was regraded, and the 12th Avenue Bridge was built to Beacon hill. He created Westlake Avenue, which provided level access to Lake Union. In all, Seattle regraded 25 miles of streets, which displaced 16 million cubic yards of dirt. This dirt was poured into the tideflats south of the city, the landfill creating a whole new industrial section for the burgeoning metropolis. When James J. Hill (1838-1916), owner of the Great Northern Railroad, established his terminus in Seattle, Thomson convinced him to bypass the waterfront's already crowded Railroad Avenue (now Alaskan Way) and establish King Street Station south of Pioneer Square. Thomson had a tunnel built beneath the city from Virginia to Washington Streets, which was completed in 1906.

Seattle used to get water from a reservoir on Beacon Hill filled with water pumped from Lake Washington, but as the city grew, this system became woefully inadequate. Thomson looked towards the Cedar River Watershed as a source of freshwater for Seattle residents, located 30 miles southeast of Seattle in the foothills of the Cascade mountain range. By 1899, work on the pipeline had begun in earnest. On December 24, 1900, a test was made of the water flow to look for leaks. The system worked well enough that on January 10, 1901, water began flowing into the Volunteer Park reservoir in Seattle. More than a century later, Seattle and King County still use the Cedar River watershed.

Thomson and his crew designed and built the City Light Cedar Falls hydroelectric plant, which went into operation on October 4, 1904. On January 10, 1905, electric current illuminated streetlights in Seattle, and by September 9, City Light began serving private customers, which it does to this day. At the urging of the city council, Thomson was asked to take a well-deserved vacation from all of his good work. He visited Europe, where he “made examination of nearly everything connected with city life, such as water, lights, sewers, conditions accelerating city growth, cities’ fire control, municipal baths, municipal laundries, and so forth.”

From 1905 to 1915 Thomson also became president of the University of Washington’s board of managers. During this time he also examined the flow of commerce along Seattle’s waterways. This interested him so much, that he resigned as city engineer in 1911 to organize the Port of Seattle, established largely through his efforts at lobbying the state legislature. Under Thomson's direction as engineer, the Port Commission made far reaching developmental plans, many of which are still in effect. While on the commission, Thomson pushed for acquisition of Smith Cove and the foot of Bell Street for use by the Port. He advocated deepening and straightening the Duwamish River for use in the industrial area, and also campaigned in Washington D.C., for funds to build the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks.

From 1916 to 1922, he was a member of the Seattle City Council, yet he continued to do engineering work. He was a consultant on the Rogue River Valley Irrigation canal, and built a hydroelectric plant in Eugene, Oregon. He was in charge of water development in Bellingham. He surveyed power-plant sites in Southeastern Alaska. He returned, temporarily, to his job as Seattle city engineer in 1930 to oversee the final work on the Diablo Dam on the Skagit River. After that, he was a consulting engineer for both the Wenatchee Metropolitan Water System and the Inter-County River Improvement Commission for Pierce and King counties. He also consulted on the construction of the Lake Washington Floating Bridge and for the foundations of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. Reginald Thomson died on January 7, 1949, at the age of 92. Immediately prior to his death, he wrote his autobiography, That Man Thomson (published posthumously). [credit: Alan J. Stein, HistoryLink.org]

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Photographs documenting Reginald H. Thomson's engineering mission to Europe in May 1905, including tour of dock facilities, factories, harbors and dams. Also includes photographs documenting the Cedar Falls Dam project in 1903.

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

Acquisition Information

Donor: Mrs. Frank Morrill, 1955.

Processing Note

Processed by Sara Cordes, 2017

Photographs were removed from deteriorating album. The original order was retained. Inscription on front page of album: Reginald H. Thomson Engineer City of Seattle Engineering Mission to Europe May 1905.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Album of Engineering Mission Trip to EuropeReturn to Top

Gileppe and Dolhain, originally part of Germany, are now in Belgium.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder item
1/1 1a
Pile of refuse in warehouse building in Glasgow, Scotland
Written on accompanying material: The various phases of Ruehill Destructor, Glasgow.
1905
1/1 1b
Two men next to refuse pile in Glasgow, Scotland
Written on accompanying material: The various phases of Ruehill Destructor, Glasgow.
1905
1/1 1c
Three men standing in warehouse in Glasgow, Scotland
Written on accompanying material: The various phases of Ruehill Destructor, Glasgow.
1905
1/1 1d
A horse and cart standing between a building and rock pile in Glasgow, Scotland
Written on accompanying material: The various phases of Ruehill Destructor, Glasgow.
1905
1/1 1e
A man with two horses and carts under a skybridge in Glasgow, Scotland
Written on accompanying material: The various phases of Ruehill Destructor, Glasgow.
1905
1/1 1f
Four rail cars filled on the track in Glasgow, Scotland
Written on accompanying material: The various phases of Ruehill Destructor, Glasgow.
1905
1/2 2a 1905
1/2 2b 1905
1/2 2c 1905
1/2 2d 1905
1/2 2e 1905
1/3 3a 1905
1/3 3b 1905
1/3 3c 1905
1/3 3d 1905
1/3 3e 1905
1/4 4a
Interior of Woolwich Factory
Written on verso: Woolwich view of cells and borders.
1905
1/4 4b
Exterior of Woolwich Factory
Written on photo: Woolwich- Plumstead Destruction Bldg May/ 05.
1905
1/5 5a
Sketch of Concrete Cottage
Written on photo: John A. Brodie M. Inst. C.E. City Engineer Liverpool.
1905
1/5 5b
Sketch of Concrete Cottage at Letchworth
Written on photo: John A. Brodie M. Inst. C.E. City Engineer Liverpool.
1905
1/6 6a
Group of women and children standing outside three-story building in Liverpool, England
Written on photo: Liverpool houses built entirely of clinker May 1905. Eldon Street Dwellings May 23 '05. No- 770.
May 23, 1905
1/6 6b 1905
1/7 7a 1905
1/7 7b 1905
1/7 7c 1905
1/7 7d 1905
1/7 7e 1905
1/7 7f 1905
1/8 8a 1905
1/8 8b 1905
1/8 8c 1905
1/9 9a 1905
1/9 9b
Women walking over rails in Dresden, Germany
Written on verso: Rail joint Dresden.
1905
1/9 9c 1905
1/9 9d 1905
1/9 9e 1905
1/10 10a 1905
1/10 10b 1905
1/10 10c 1905
1/10 10d 1905
1/10 10e 1905
1/11 11a 1905
1/11 11b 1905
1/11 11c 1905
1/12 12a
Ramp leading down to docks in Tillbury, England
Written on accompanying material: A walk thro Tillbury Docks.
1905
1/12 12b
Men moving barrels on road with rail lines in Tillbury, England
Written on accompanying material: A walk thro Tillbury Docks.
1905
1/12 12c
Man walking on road with two ships in background in Tillbury, England
Written on accompanying material: A walk thro Tillbury Docks.
1905
1/12 12d-e
Piles of dirt on barges with large ships in background in Tillbury, England
Written on accompanying material: A walk thro Tillbury Docks.
1905
1/12 12f
Ship at docking station in Tillbury, England
Written on accompanying material: A walk thro Tillbury Docks.
1905
1/13 13a 1905
1/13 13b 1905
1/13 13c 1905
1/14 14a 1905
1/14 14b 1905
1/14 14c 1905
1/15 15a 1905
1/15 15b 1905
1/15 15c 1905
1/16 16a
Men standing with dolly at docks in Hamburg, Germany
Written on verso: Hamburg-American Docks.
1905
1/16 16b 1905
1/16 16c
People on barges in canal in Hamburg, Germany
Written on photo: Hamburg St. scene.
1905
1/17 17a-b 1905
1/17 17c 1905
1/17 17d 1905
1/17 17e 1905
1/17 17f 1905
1/18 18a 1905
1/18 18b 1905
1/18 18c
Ship at Dock 3 in Manchester, England
Written on photo: Manchester 3.
1905
1/18 18d
Front of Dock 7 in Manchester, England
Written on photo: Manchester 7 Front.
1905
1/18 18e
Back of Dock 7 in Manchester, England
Written on photo: Manchester No 7. Rear.Written on verso: Manchester Ship Canal Dock No. 7.
1905
1/18 18f
Ships at Barton Locks in Manchester, England
Written on photo: Barton Locks Manchester.Written on verso: Barton Locks Manchester Ship Canal.
1905
1/19 19a 1905
1/19 19b-c 1905
1/19 19d 1905
1/20 20a 1905
1/20 20b-d 1905
1/20 20e 1905
1/20 20f 1905
1/20 20g 1905
1/21 21a-b 1905
1/22 22a 1905
1/22 22b-c
Cows in a field in Dolhain, Germany
Written on verso 22c: On the road to Gilleppe out from Dolhain- 1900.
1900
1/22 22d 1905
1/22 22e
Set of stairs surrounded by brush at Gileppe Dam, Germany
Written on verso: Stairway at Gileppe.
1905
1/22 22f 1905
1/22 22g 1905
1/23 23a 1905
1/23 23b 1905
1/23 23c 1905
1/24 24a 1905
1/25 25a 1905
1/25 25b 1905
1/25 25c,e 1905
1/25 25d 1905
1/26 26a 1905
1/26 26b 1905
1/26 26c 1905
1/26 26d 1905
1/26 26e 1905
1/26 26f 1905
1/27 27a 1905
1/27 27b-c 1905
1/28 28a
Town road with horse carriage in foreground, with train and buildings in background in Rotterdam, Netherlands
L.M. Lammerse, Rotterdam, Netherlands (printer)
Written on photo: 17461. P.Z. - Rotterdam. Beurs & Station Beurs.
1905
1/28 28b
Statue of a fiddler in York Minster, England
Written on verso: Used to be above the South door now in the Crypt. The Fiddler York Minster. May 1905.
May 1905
1/28 28c-d
Reredos altarpiece in York Minster, England
A reredos or raredos is a large altarpiece, a screen, or decoration placed behind the altar in a church. It often includes religious images. A reredos can be made of stone, wood, metal, ivory, or a combination of materials. The images may be painted, carved, gilded, composed of mosaics, and/or embedded with niches for statues. Sometimes a tapestry is used, or other fabric such as silk or velvet.
1905
1/29 29a
View of docked ships with city in background in Montreal, Canada
Written on photo: Ent. Acc. to [illeg.] Canada. Year- 1906. By [illeg.] & Son. At the Dept. of Agriculture. [illeg.] from [illeg.] elevator. Written on verso: Montreal R.H.T.
1906
1/30 30a
Rail lines with cars and horse carriages in Montreal, Canada
Written on photo: 3751- Harbour, Montreal. [illeg.], Montreal.Written on verso: Montreal R.H.T.
1906
1/31 31a 1905
1/31 31b 1905
1/31 31c 1905
folder:oversize
XH1 32a
Panorama of Salina Cruz harbor in Oaxaca, Mexico
Written on photo: Panorama de Salina Cruz. Oax.
between 1900 and 1910?
Box/Folder
1/32 32b 1905
1/32 32c 1905
1/33 33a
York Minster, England
Written on verso: Top of one of the Towers of The West. Front of York Minster taken while scaffolding was up during recent restoration 1905.
1905
1/34 34a
Scale models of finials and pinnacles
Written on verso: 1. Finial of Buttress [illeg.]- West front. 2. Two-foot rule, to show size. 3. Pinnacle over niche-head of flying Buttress. 4. Pinnacle on Buttress- West front. 5. Pinnacle to [illeg.] of Flying Buttress Pinnacles. 6. Finial at Summit of main Pinnacle of Flying Buttresses 1905.Finial, in architecture, the decorative upper termination of a pinnacle, gable end, buttress, canopy, or spire. In the Romanesque and Gothic styles, it usually consists of a vertical, pointed central element surrounded by four outcurving leaves or scrolls. Pinnacle, in architecture, vertical ornament of pyramidal or conical shape, crowning a buttress, spire, or other architectural member. A pinnacle is distinguished from a finial by its greater size and complexity and from a tower or spire by its smaller size and subordinate architectural role. A tower may be decorated with pinnacles, each one capped by a finial.
1905
1/35 35a 1905
1/36 36a
Sculpture of Hell Cauldron
Written on verso: Sculptured representation of Hell Cauldron, recently found near the Dean & Chapter Library 1905.
1905
1/37 37a
Reginald Thomson and twelve other men at Mayor's office, Seattle
Thomson is seated third from left, bottom row.
November 1895
1/38 38a
Men working on Jackson Regrade at Beacon Hill and Washington Street, Seattle, WA
Written on verso: Jackson Regrade Seattle- 1900(?) Called Thomson Folly by Seattle Times.
1900?
1/38 38b-c
Residence at 2004 34th Avenue S., Seattle, WA
Written on verso (both photographs): Thomson Last Home 1636 34 Ave Seattle.
between 1900 and 1910?
1/39 39a between 1900 and 1910?
1/39 39b-c
Gravestone of J.H. Thomson
Written on accompanying material: Reginald H. Thomson 2404 - 42th Ave North Seattle Apt 409. When 90, Thomson lived here with Mariana (Edgewater Park).
October 22, 1924
1/40 40a
Letter to Reginald Thomson concerning tonnage of Hartman coal property
Written on verso: Coal data.
April 8, 1920

PhotographsReturn to Top

Cedar Falls Dam is also called Masonry Dam.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder item
1/41 41 1903
1/41 42 1903
1/41 43 1903
1/41 44 November 13, 1909
1/41 45 November 20, 1909
1/42 46 February, 11, 1910
1/42 47 between 1900 and 1915
1/42 48 between 1900 and 1915
1/42 49 between 1900 and 1915
1/42 50 between 1900 and 1915
1/43 51 between 1900 and 1915
1/43 52 between 1900 and 1915
1/43 53 between 1900 and 1915
1/43 54 between 1900 and 1915
1/43 55 between 1900 and 1915
1/44 56 between 1900 and 1915
1/44 57 between 1900 and 1915
1/44 58 between 1900 and 1915
1/44 59 between 1900 and 1915
1/44 60 between 1900 and 1915
1/44 61 between 1900 and 1915
Camp No.2 Album
Box/Folder item
1/45 62 December 12, 1911
1/45 63 December 12, 1911
1/45 64 December 12, 1911?
1/45 65 December 12, 1911
1/45 66 December 12, 1911
1/45 67 December 12, 1911
1/45 68 December 12, 1911
1/45 69 December 12, 1911
1/46 70 December 12, 1911
1/46 71 December 12, 1911
1/46 72 December 12, 1911
1/46 73 December 12, 1911
1/46 74 December 12, 1911
1/46 75 December 12, 1911?
1/46 76 December 12, 1911
1/46 77 December 12, 1911
1/46 78 December 12, 1911
1/47 79 December 12, 1911?
1/47 80 December 12, 1911?
1/47 81 December 12, 1911?
1/47 82 December 12, 1911?
1/47 83 December 12, 1911?
1/47 84 December 12, 1911?
Victoria, B.C.
Box/Folder item
1/48 85-86 October 15, 1937
1/48 87 October 15, 1937
1/48 88 October 15, 1937
1/48 89 October 15, 1937
1/48 90
Reginald Thomson
Written on verso: Oct 15 1937 Mr. Butcharts pontoon Victoria.
October 15, 1937

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Dams--Washington (State)--Photographs
  • Dams--Washington (State)--Photographs--20th century
  • Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)

Personal Names

  • Thomson, Reginald Heber, 1856-1949--Archives
  • Thomson, Reginald Heber, 1856-1949--Photographs

Corporate Names

  • Seattle (Wash.) City Engineer

Geographical Names

  • Antwerp (Belgium)--Photographs--20th century
  • Belgium--Photographs
  • Cedar Falls Power Plant (Wash.)--Photographs--20th century
  • Dolhain (Belgium)--Photographs--20th century
  • Dresden (Germany)--Photographs
  • Dresden (Germany)--Photographs--20th century
  • England--Photographs
  • France--Photographs
  • Gileppe (Belgium)--Photographs--20th century
  • Glasgow (Scotland)--Photographs
  • Glasgow (Scotland)--Photographs--20th century
  • Gravity dams--Belgium--Photographs--20th century
  • Hamburg (Germany)--Photographs--20th century
  • Lancashire (England)--Photographs--20th century
  • Loiret (France)--Photographs--20th century
  • London (England)--Photographs--20th century
  • Manchester (England)--Photographs--20th century
  • Masonry Dam (Wash.)--Photographs
  • Masonry Dam (Wash.)--Photographs--20th century
  • Nelson (England)--Photographs--20th century
  • Netherlands--Photographs
  • Rotterdam (Netherlands)--Photographs--20th century
  • Tilbury (Thurrock, England)--Photographs--20th century
  • Victoria (B.C.)--Photographs--20th century
  • Woolwich (London, England)--Photographs--20th century