WAULakeUnionImprovementPHColl33.xmlGuide to the Lake Union Improvement Company Photograph Album 1891Lake Union Improvement Company Photograph AlbumSpecial Collections, University of Washington Libraries© 2008 (Last modified: 5/19/2023)
Seattle, WA 98195
Finding aid written in English.Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard).University of Washington Libraries, Special CollectionsPH0033Lake Union Improvement Company (Seattle, Wash.)Lake Union Improvement Company photograph album18911 album with 25 photographic prints and other materials (1 box) ; sizes varyCollection materials are inEnglish.Photograph album comprising a historical photographic record of early Seattle and its expansion northwards along the shores of Lake Union

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.

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.

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.

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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.

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Donor: Professor R. Joseph Monsen, 1977.

Processed by Shannon B. Lynch, 2005; Processing completed in 2005.

Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)La Roche, Frank, 1853-1934Griffith, Luther H.--PhotographsLake Union Improvement Company (Seattle, Wash.)L.H. Griffith Realty and Banking CompanyOlympic Mountains (Wash.)--PhotographsRainier, Mount (Wash.)--PhotographsSeattle (Wash.)--PhotographsUnion, Lake (Wash.)--PhotographsBuildings--Washington (State)--Seattle--PhotographsCentral business districts--Washington (State)--Seattle--PhotographsCity planning--Washington (State)--SeattleLakes--Washington (State)--Seattle--PhotographsShips--Washington (State)--Seattle--PhotographsWaterfronts--Washington (State)--Seattle--PhotographsPhotographic printsPhotoengravingsClippingsComposite photographsProspectusesSeattlePhotographs

 

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

11Title page: "Prospectus of the Lake Union Improvement Company"circa 1891 2[Blank page]circa 189133Mt. Rainiercirca 18914-54Seattle waterfrontJune 6, 1891

Panoramic view; Oregon Improvement Co. buildings, steamer Walla Walla, and sternwheeler S.S. T.J. Potterappear in photograph.

66L.H. Griffithcirca 1891 : PhotoengravingE.G. Williams and Bro 77Letter1891

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."

8[Blank page]99aPike Street, looking east from near 3rd Avenuecirca 1891 99bLake Union, looking north from near 5th Avenue and Stewart Streetcirca 1891

Shows Westlake Avenue and the Norwegian-Danish Baptist Church at 6th Avenue and Virginia Street

1010Tracks and streetcar of the Seattle Electric Railway and Power Company, southwest end of Lake Unioncirca 1891 1111Blank certificate share form for the Lake Union Improvement Company1891 1212[Blank page]1313Looking north along the tracks of the Seattle Electric Railway and Power Company, west end of Lake Unioncirca 1891 14-1514Seattle mapcirca 1891Koch, Augustus

Page 14 shows Lake Union and vicinity; page 15 shows waterfront between Jackson Street and Virginia Street

1616View of Leschi Park at the foot of Yesler Way, looking west toward Lake Washington1891 17-1817Newspaper article from the Seattle Press-Timesregarding the proposed Lake Washington ship canalJune 16, 1891 1919Lake Washington shorelinecirca 1891 2020King Street coal wharves of the Oregon Improvement Company1891

Sailing vessels at dock

2121Steamboats at the waterfront, foot of Main Street1891

SteamboatNorth Pacificat Oregon Improvement Company and Union Pacific Dock.

2222First Avenue, looking north from James Street1891

Pioneer Building appears at right. The streets were decorated in honor of President Benjamin Harrison's visit to the city on May 6, 1891.

2323James Street and Yesler Way, looking north from Pioneer Square1891

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.

2424Looking south on First Avenue from near Columbia Street toward Pioneer SquareMay 1891

Streets decorated in honor of presidential visit, May 6, 1891.

2525Downtown Seattle, looking south from the Denny Hotel1891

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.

2626aLooking north toward the Denny Hotel on Third Avenue from near Union Street1891

Burke Block at the northwest corner of Third Avenue and Union Street at left.

2626bSeattle buildings and lake with Olympic Mountains in distancecirca 1891

Puget Sound Dressed Beef and Packing Co., Knapp Burrell and Company buildings appear.

2727aMadison Street Park1891

Bathing pavilions and boathouse.

2727bLake Washington and Madison Street Parkcirca 1891 2828aLake Union from Denny Hill, looking north from Fifth Avenue and Stewart Streetcirca 1891 2828bMen with fir log on railway carscirca 1891

Caption on image: "Fir log for World's Fair Exhibit, 112 ft. long, 51 inches diam'r. Wt. 97,000 lbs."

2929Composite photograph of public schools in Seattlecirca 1891

Schools pictured: Denny, South Seattle, Olympic, T.T. Minor, Central, Mercer, Columbia, Offices of the Board of Education, and Rainier.

3030Power house and car barn of the Seattle Electric Railway and Power Companycirca 1891

Men posed by streetcar barn of Seattle Electric Railway and Power Company at 5th Avenue, northeast corner of Pine Street

3131Bank interiorcirca 18913232Composite photograph of Washington viewscirca 1891

Pictured are the Seattle waterfront, Seattle from the Hotel Denny, the Olympic Mountains, Snoqualmie Falls, and Mt. Rainier.