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Photographs of Seattle City Light projects, circa 1919-circa 1963
Overview of the Collection
- Title
- Photographs of Seattle City Light projects
- Dates
- circa 1919-circa 1963 (inclusive)19191963
- Quantity
- 153 photographic prints (2 boxes) ; various sizes
- Collection Number
- PH1124
- Summary
- Photographs made to document the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project, Seattle City Light buildings, projects and activities
- 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
- Sponsor
- Funding for the processing of this collection was partially provided through grants awarded by Seattle City Light and IBEW Local 77.
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Seattle's first hydroelectric project was on Cedar River, and the plant first generated power for the City in 1905, under the supervision of the City Water Department. By 1910, however, the City Council declared the need for a department solely focused on electricity, and Seattle City Light was created on April 1, 1910. The department's second superintendent, James Delmage Ross, is known as the "Father of City Light." Ross spearheaded the complex effort to build the three dams on the Skagit River which provide much of Seattle's electricity.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Includes photographs made to document the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project which included the construction of three dams: Gorge, Diablo, and Ross (originally known as Ruby). Also includes photographs of Seattle City Light offices, substations, powerlines, and etc.
Other Descriptive InformationReturn to Top
Many of the photographs with photographer's numbers between 5,000 and 5,999 are probably by James P. Lee, the City of Seattle's photographer for many years.
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 Elizabeth Russell; processing completed in 2013.
Related Materials
The Seattle City Light Albums (PH Coll 45) document construction of the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Skagit River Hydroelectric ProjectReturn to Top
The Skagit Hydroelectric Project was a series of three dams and powerhouse construction projects along the Skagit River in northern Washington State which began in 1918 and continued until the early 1960s. Construction on the three dams began with Gorge Dam and Powerhouse, dedicated in 1924. The second dam built was Diablo Dam, completed in 1930. The furthest upstream dam, originally named Ruby Dam but renamed Ross Dam after the death of James D. Ross, was completed in 1943. These dams currently create electricity and provide water storage for Seattle.
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box/Folder | item | ||
1/1 | 1 | Site of Gorge Powerhouse before construction (5001)
Duplicate of item 1-18 in PH Coll 45 Seattle City Light Albums.
Caption on photo: Gorge - Power House Site. Mile 16. Distance from Marblemont.
|
July 1, 1919 |
1/1 | 2 | Plank walkway at Devil's Corner in Skagit Canyon below Gorge Creek (5002)
Duplicate of item 1-39 in PH Coll 45 Seattle City Light Albums.
|
July 1, 1919 |
1/1 | 3 | Skagit River at bend in river nick-named "Devil's Corner" (5003) |
July 1, 1919 |
1/1 | 4 | July 1, 1919 | |
1/1 | 5 |
Boulders in the Skagit River (5005)
Caption on photo: Giant Stepping Stones.
|
July 1, 1919 |
1/1 | 6 | White water rapids in Skagit River (5006) |
July 1, 1919 |
1/1 | 7 | White water at proposed Gorge Dam site (5007) |
July 1, 1919 |
1/1 | 8 | July 1, 1919 | |
1/1 | 9 | Skagit River near Gorge Dam site |
circa July 1919 |
1/1 | 10 | Skagit River at proposed Gorge Dam site showing wooden structure on bank (5009) |
July 1, 1919 |
1/1 | 11 | July 1, 1919 | |
1/2 | 12 | Gorge Creek Canyon seen from the Skagit River (5013) |
July 1, 1919 |
1/2 | 13 | Steep canyon wall along the Skagit River (5014) |
July 1, 1919 |
1/2 | 14 | North bank of proposed Gorge Dam site (5015) |
circa July 1919 |
1/2 | 15 | circa July 1919 | |
1/2 | 16 | South bank of proposed Gorge Dam site (5017) |
July 1, 1919 |
1/2 | 17 | Skagit River and wooded bank, probably near dam site (5018) |
circa 1919 |
1/2 | 18 |
Main building on Davis Ranch (5019)
The Davis Ranch, a popular roadhouse,was condemned to make way for the Diablo Dam Hydroelectric Project.
|
circa 1919 |
1/2 | 19 | Reflector Bar Ranger Station (5020) |
June 30, 1919 |
1/2 | 20 | Reflector Bar Gaging Station near Diablo Power House site (5021 |
June 30, 1919 |
1/2 | 21 | June 30, 1919 | |
1/3 | 22 | Skagit River with Thunder Creek Watershed in distance (5023) |
June 30, 1919 |
1/3 | 23 | Diablo Canyon at site of Diablo Dam (5026)
Duplicate of item 2-1 in PH Coll 45 Seattle City Light Albums.
|
June 30, 1919 |
1/3 | 24 | Looking down on Skagit River at bend in river downstream of Ross Dam site (5027) |
June 28, 1919 |
1/3 | 25 | June 28, 1919 | |
1/3 | 26 | June 28, 1919 | |
1/3 | 27 | Site of Ross Dam Powerhouse (5030) |
June 28, 1919 |
1/3 | 28 | June 28, 1919 | |
1/3 | 29 | Skagit Canyon downstream from Ross Dam site (5032) |
June 28, 1919 |
1/3 | 30 | Diamond drill machinery on Skagit River bank at site of Ross Dam (5033) |
June 29, 1919 |
1/3 | 31 | South bank of Ross Dam site (5034) |
June 29, 1919 |
1/4 | 32 | June 29, 1919 | |
1/4 | 33 | June 29, 1919 | |
1/4 | 34 | Mountainous terrain above Ross Dam site (5037) |
July 28, 1919 |
1/4 | 35 | River viewed from hill, probably near junction of Skagit River and Ruby Creek (5038) |
circa 1919 |
1/4 | 36 | Junction of Ruby Creek with Skagit River (5039)
Caption on photo: Junction of Ruby Creek with Skagit River, Mile 28. Ruby Creek Trail Bridge, Shinkle Bridge in Distance.
|
June 29, 1919 |
1/4 | 37 | Ruby Creek Trail Bridge and suspension bridge at junction of Ruby Creek and Skagit River (5040) |
June 29, 1919 |
1/4 | 38 | Junction of Skagit River and Ruby Creek, with ranch buildings at right (5041)
McMillan's Roadhouse is at lower right. Two bridges are shown, one a cable suspension bridge across the Skagit River and the other temporary footbridge across Ruby Creek built during the Skagit hydroelectric construction project.
|
June 28, 1919 |
1/4 | 39 | circa 1919 | |
1/4 | 40 | Wooded mountainside of Ruby Creek watershed (5043) |
June 29, 1919 |
1/4 | 41 | Tent camp and horses near junction of Skagit River and Ruby Creek |
June 29, 1919 |
1/5 | 42 | Ross Dam site from a distance (5045) |
June 29, 1919 |
1/5 | 43 | Upper Skagit Valley near Ross Dam site (5046) |
June 29, 1919 |
1/5 | 44 | Site of Gorge Powerhouse on Skagit River (5047) |
October 21, 1919 |
1/5 | 45 | Skagit River and wooded bank near site of Gorge Powerhouse (5048) |
October 21, 1919 |
1/5 | 46 | Gorge Powerhouse site (5049) |
October 21, 1919 |
1/5 | 47 | Skagit River near Gorge Powerhouse site (5050)
Caption on photo: View near Mile 16.
|
October 21, 1919 |
1/5 | 48 | Babcock Creek Falls (5051) |
October 21, 1919 |
1/5 | 49 | Skagit River (5052) |
October 16, 1919 |
1/5 | 50-51 | Skagit River and river bank (5053-5054) |
October 16, 1919 |
1/6 | 52 | Trees on river bank, possibly during timber cutting at Gorge Dam site (5056) |
October 16, 1919 |
1/6 | 53 | Skagit River (5057) |
October 16, 1919 |
1/6 | 54 | Skagit River rapids (5058) |
October 16, 1919 |
1/6 | 55 | Wooden suspension bridge across Skagit River and early construction work on Gorge Dam (5059) |
October 17, 1919 |
1/6 | 56 | October 17, 1919 | |
1/6 | 57 | Wooden bridge across Skagit River during early construction work on Gorge Dam (5061) |
October 17, 1919 |
1/6 | 58-59 | Wooden bridge across Skagit River showing surveying tripods reached by ladder (5062-5063) |
October 17, 1919 |
1/6 | 60 | Wooden bridge across Skagit River showing surveying tripods with camp in background (5064) |
October 17, 1919 |
1/6 | 61 | River boulders and early construction activity (5065) |
October 17, 1919 |
1/7 | 62 | October 22, 1919 | |
1/7 | 63 | Boulders in the Skagit River (5067)
Caption on photo: Giant Stepping Stones.
|
October 21, 1919 |
1/7 | 64 | October 19, 1919 | |
1/7 | 65 | Skagit River near Ross Dam site (5069) |
October 19, 1919 |
1/7 | 66 | October 19, 1919 | |
1/7 | 67 | October 19, 1919 | |
1/7 | 68 | Steep, rocky bank of Skagit River near Ross Dam site (5072) |
October 19, 1919 |
1/7 | 69 | October 19, 1919 | |
1/7 | 70-71 | Looking downstream at Ross Dam site |
circa 1919 |
1/8 | 72 | Bridge on Rocky Creek (5074) |
October 23, 1919 |
1/8 | 73 | Bridge over creek (5075)
Caption on photo: Diobse.
|
October 23, 1919 |
1/8 | 74-76 | Bridge over Bacon Creek (5076-5078) |
October 23, 1919 |
1/8 | 77 | Man standing on log bridge across Goodell Creek (5079) |
October 23, 1919 |
1/8 | 78 | River, probably the Skagit River or Ruby Creek |
circa 1919 |
1/8 | 79 |
Intersection of Great Northern Railroad line and Seattle City Light rail line in Rockport (5080)
Rockport Mercantile at left.
The Great Northern Railroad line only extended as far as Rockport, so in 1919 Seattle City Light commissioned an extension of the line to the east to carry construction supplies to the sites of the Gorge Dam and Powerhouse.
|
August 13, 1920 |
1/8 | 80 | August 11, 1920 | |
1/8 | 81 | August 11, 1920 | |
2/1 | 82 | August 11, 1920 | |
2/1 | 83 | Rocky grade along Skagit River (5098) |
August 11, 1920 |
2/1 | 84 | August 12, 1920 | |
2/1 | 85 | August 12, 1920 | |
2/1 | 86 | August 12, 1920 | |
2/1 | 87 | August 12, 1920 | |
2/1 | 88 | August 12, 1920 | |
2/1 | 89 | Man standing in front of turbine loaded on truck
Sign on turbine reads: From the Wellman-Seaver-Morgan Co., Cleveland, Ohio, Engineers and Manufacturers.
|
circa 1920-1924 |
2/1 | 90 | February 14, 1924 | |
2/1 | 91 | Visitors inside tunnel at junction (5237)
Duplicate of item 1-71 in PH Coll 45 Seattle City Light Albums.
Caption: Interior of two mile tunnel serving Gorge Power House. Tunnel is 20'-6" inside diameter & supplies three 10'-0" diameter penstocks. Capacity 112,500 H.P.
|
August 15, 1924 |
2/2 | 92 | circa 1924 | |
2/2 | 93 | Boy standing next to Westinghouse generator in Gorge Powerhouse (5342)
Caption on page: Interior of Gorge Power House. Skagit River Development. Installed capacity - 75,000 H.P.
|
circa 1924 |
2/2 | 94 | Gorge Powerhouse and bridge over Skagit, seen from higher elevation (5347) |
circa 1924 |
2/2 | 95 | Gorge Powerhouse |
circa 1924 |
2/2 | 96 | Gorge Powerhouse |
circa 1924 |
2/2 | 97 | Original wooden Gorge Creek Dam |
1925 |
2/2 | 98 | Wooden pedestrian bridge over Skagit River canyon |
circa 1927 |
2/2 | 99 | Photograph of Hudson and Hammond Architects drawing of Diablo Powerhouse
Caption on drawing: City of Seattle - Skagit Power Development - Diablo Power House. John S. Hudson and H.G. Hammond, Architects, Seattle, Washington.
|
circa 1928-1931 |
2/2 | 100 | Incline railway at Diablo Dam construction site (D(28-5-23)1)
Duplicate of item 2-8 in PH Coll 45 Seattle City Light Albums.
|
May 23, 1928 |
2/2 | 101 | Construction work at Diablo Dam site (D(28-8-28)2) |
August 28, 1928 |
2/3 | 102 | August 28, 1928 | |
2/3 | 103 | Construction work at Diablo Dam site (D(28-10-3)1) |
October 3, 1928 |
2/3 | 104 | Construction work at Diablo Dam site (D(28-10-3)2) |
October 3, 1928 |
2/3 | 105 | Interior of diversion tunnel for Diablo Dam (5353) |
August 28, 1930 |
2/3 | 106 | Eight men posed in front of steel plate wye for Diablo Dam penstock (8728A)
A penstock is an intake structure that controls water flow. In a hydroelectric dam, water flows from a reservoir through the penstock to the turbines for power generation. The wye is a branching structure that allows water to flow toward more than one turbine.
|
October 20, 1930 |
2/3 | 107 | September 16, 1930 | |
2/3 | 108 | Diablo Dam and Diablo Lake, seen from higher elevation (D(30-11-7)1) |
November 7, 1930 |
2/3 | 109 | November 7, 1930 | |
2/3 | 110 | Pipes and water flow connected to operations at Diablo Dam (D(30-12-8)2) |
December 8, 1930 |
2/3 | 111 | Man standing in Diablo Dam control room (D(30-12-8)6) |
December 8, 1930 |
2/4 | 112 | Water released through Diablo Dam below control room (D(31-1-24)6) |
January 24, 1931 |
2/4 | 113 | January 28, 1931 | |
2/4 | 114 | January 28, 1931 | |
2/4 | 115 | February 3, 1931 | |
2/4 | 116 | Water coming through spillways at Diablo Dam (D(31-2-3)5) |
February 3, 1931 |
2/4 | 117 | March 6, 1931 | |
2/4 | 118 | March 8, 1931 | |
2/4 | 119 | Water flowing through spillways on Diablo Dam, seen from higher elevation |
circa 1930-1931 |
2/4 | 120 | Looking down on Diablo Dam from Thunder Creek Trail (5450)
Caption on page: Diablo Dam. Skagit River Development. Height - 389', length across top - 1200'.
|
1931 |
2/5 | 121 | April 2, 1931 | |
2/5 | 122 | April 2, 1931 | |
2/5 | 123 | April 2, 1931 | |
2/5 | 124 | April 30, 1931 | |
2/5 | 125 | April 30, 1931 | |
2/5 | 126 | Water flowing through spillways of Diablo Dam (D(31-5-9)1) |
May 9, 1931 |
2/5 | 127 | Looking across Diablo Dam and Diablo Lake, with hills in background (D(31-5-9)6) |
May 9, 1931 |
2/5 | 128 | June 20, 1931 | |
2/5 | 129 | June 20, 1931 | |
2/6 | 130 | June 26, 1931 | |
2/6 | 131 | Men at work on construction of Diablo Powerhouse (D(31-7-1)2) |
July 1, 1931 |
2/6 | 132 | July 1, 1931 | |
2/6 | 133 | Construction work on Diablo Powerhouse (D(31-7-1)4) |
July 1, 1931 |
2/6 | 134 | July 13, 1931 | |
2/6 | 135 | July 16, 1931 | |
2/6 | 136 | Houses on river bank, across from road |
circa 1919-1930s |
2/6 | 137 | Pedestrian bridge across river canyon |
circa 1919-1939 |
2/6 | 138 | Town of Newhalem |
circa 1920s-1930s |
2/6 | 139 |
Photograph of drawing of Skagit River Power Project, including all three dams and powerhouses
Caption includes proposed plan for the project, with projected dates of completion and projected horse power of power generation.
|
circa 1930 |
2/6 | 140 | Photograph of drawing of Skagit River Power Project |
circa 1920s-1930s |
2/6 | 141 | Aerial view of Ross Dam and Powerhouse and Ross Lake |
circa 1956 |
2/6 | 142 | Aerial view of Ross Dam and Ross Lake |
circa 1956 |
Seattle City Light North SubstationReturn to Top
Receiving station for Skagit Power Project at N.E. 75th Street in Seattle.
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box/Folder | item | ||
2/7 | 143 | North Substation under construction (5196) |
March 1, 1924 |
2/7 | 144 | Synchronous condenser in North Substation with 15,000 KVA capacity (5252)
Duplicate image PH Coll 45.1-4.
|
October 22, 1924 |
2/7 | 145 |
North Substation (5331)
Duplicate image PH Coll 45.1-1.
|
circa 1930s |
Lake Union Steam PlantReturn to Top
Seattle City Light plant completed in 1917.
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box/Folder | item | ||
2/7 | 146 |
Machinery inside Lake Union Steam Plant (4523)
Caption: Interior of Lake Union Steam Plant. Seattle. 50,000 H.P.
|
May 16, 1921 |
2/7 | 147 | 1930 |
Seattle City Light OfficesReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box/Folder | item | ||
2/7 | 148 | June 9, 1928 | |
2/7 | 149 | circa 1935-1940s | |
2/7 | 150 | circa 1935-1940s | |
2/7 | 151 | Seattle City Light Building at 3rd Avenue and Madison Street, downtown Seattle
The renovated Seattle City Light Building at 3rd Ave. and Madison St. was designed by Jone & Bindon and Decker, Christenson & Kitchin, 1957.
|
circa 1960s |
Inverness Neighborhood ProjectReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box/Folder | item | ||
2/7 | 152 | Linemen working on power lines on Inverness street
Written on verso: Inverness before 1963 (before utilities underground).
|
circa 1960-1962 |
2/7 | 153 | Street in Inverness without overhead power lines
Written on verso: Inverness after 1963 (utilities undergrounded).
|
circa 1963 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Personal Names
- --Photographs
Corporate Names
- Seattle City Light--Photographs
Form or Genre Terms
- Photographs
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)