wasmhi2009_55.xml Guide to the Walter H. Tiedeman Collection of Photographs and Other Material 1896-1927 Tiedeman (Walter H.) Collection of Photographs and Other Material Finding aid prepared by Jody Hendrickson Museum of History & Industry © 2009
5933 6th Avenue South Seattle, WA 98108 Phone: 206-324-1126 URL: http://www.mohai.org
Finding aid encoded by Jody Hendrickson 2009 Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS ( Describing Archives: A Content Standard). Museum of History & Industry, Sophie Frye Bass Library
5933 6th Avenue South Seattle, WA 98108 Phone: 206-324-1126 URL: http://www.mohai.org
2009.55 Tiedeman, Walter H. Walter H. Tiedeman collection of photographs and other material 1896-1927 1914-1924 .42 cubic feet 1 box, including 221 photographs Photographs of public works projects in Seattle, mostly street paving, and personal photographs of Tiedeman, plus some papers and ephemera 3a.4.6 Collection materials are in English. Biographical Note

Walter Tiedeman was the son of German immigrants Theodore and Hannah Tiedeman, who came to the United States in 1855 and eventually settled on North Street and Second Avenue in Ballard around 1891. Tiedeman graduated from the School of Mines at the University of Washington in 1901 with a Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering; that same year he ran on the Democratic ticket for City Treasurer in Ballard. Tiedeman was hired in 1902 as computer for the City of Seattle City Engineer's Department, and promoted in 1904 to 2nd grade draughtsman. In 1905, he was appointed to the position of District Engineer, with a transfer to the position of Principal Assistant City Engineer in 1912.

Tiedeman was married in June 1906 to Anna Gertrude Madison in St. Johns, Oregon. She is listed as Tiedeman's widow beginning with the 1928 city directory.

The collection consists largely of photographs of public works projects taking place in Seattle during the period that Tiedeman worked for the City Engineer's office, largely depicting street paving and regrade activities. Many of the photographs depict paving in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood. Also includes an album of photographs from Tiedeman's days as a University of Washington undergraduate, circa 1898-1901, and a few other photographs of Tiedeman. The collection also includes correspondence related to Tiedeman's hiring for various positions in the City Engineer's office, ephemera from his UW days, an invitation to his wedding, and photocopies of newspaper articles in which he is mentioned.

Most of the photographers were taken by James P. Lee, photographer for the City of Seattle's Engineering Department.

Arranged in 3 series:

Photographs Photograph albums Papers

View selections from the collection in digital format by clicking on the camera icons in the inventory below.

The collection is open to the public by appointment.

The Museum of History & Industry is the owner of the materials in the Sophie Frye Bass Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from MOHAI before any reproduction use. The museum does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.

Walter H. Tiedeman Collection of Photographs and Other Material, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle

Source: Ravenna Rare Books, July 2009

One album was disassembled for preservation purposes; the pages have been foldered individually in their original order.

For the photographs taken by City of Seattle photographer James P. Lee, the photographer's number (written on the front of each photograph) is given in the inventory.

These materials are part of a donation that also included an artifact, a badge marked "City Engineer Ballard." The artifact is cataloged and stored separately by MOHAI’s Collections Department.

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Tiedeman, Walter H..--Photographs Lee, James Patrick Curtis, Asahel, 1874-1941 United States--Washington (State)--Seattle Ballard (Seattle, Wash.) Construction--Washington (State)--Seattle Concrete--Washington (State)--Seattle Grading (Earthwork)--Washington (State)--Seattle Road Construction--Washington (State)--Seattle Pavements--Washington (State)--Seattle Seattle Photographs Public Works Photographs Photograph albums

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

Photographs 1896-1927 Public works projects 1921-1927 Photographs by James Lee

James Patrick Lee worked as a photographer for the Seattle Engineering Department, recording the developments that shaped the city's landscape in the first half of the 20th century.

The photographer's number is given for each photograph.

 Beacon Hill regrade at Dearborn Street 1923-1924 9 photographs Lee, James 1/1 1 Ninth Avenue S. and Dearborn regrade area in snow 1922 November 15 2 photographs in panorama

Lee 4708

 1/1 2 Ninth Avenue S. regrade area, showing bridge at Dearborn Street and 12th Avenue 1923 May 9 2 photographs in panorama

Lee 4804

 1/1 3 View down Dearborn Street towards bridge 1923 May 9 2 photographs in panorama

Lee 4806

 1/1 4 Dearborn Street and bridge at 12th Avenue 1923 June 18

Lee 4810

 1/1 5 Bridge across Dearborn Street at 12th Avenue 1923 June 18

Lee 4811

 1/1 6 Man using power house at regrade site 1923 October 22

Lee 4848

 1/1 7 Dearborn Street showing Richard's Brush Co. and bridge in distance 1923 October 22

Lee 4851

 1/1 8 Man standing near Koehring Company shovel 1923 October 22

Lee 4852

 1/1 9 View of houses and businesses along Dearborn Street 1924 March 6

Lee 4909

 1/1 10 Dearborn Street showing bridge 1924 March 21

Lee 4913

 Seattle streets and neighborhoods 1921-1927 1/2 11-12 Rainier Avenue paving, McClellan Street east of Rainier Avenue, showing sprinklers 1921 September 25 2 photographs

Lee 4560, 4561

 1/3 13 Construction work at Elliott Avenue, south of bay, looking southeast 1922 June 6

Lee 4606

 1/3 14 Construction work at Elliott Avenue, Western Avenue south of junction with Elliott Avenue, looking north 1922 June 6

Lee 4607

 1/3 15 Elliott Avenue, south of Junction with Western Avenue, looking south 1922 June 6

Lee 4608

 1/4 16 Brick paved street near East Olive Place with regrade activity visible 1923 September 14

Lee 4845

 1/5 17 Elliott Avenue 1923 October 22

Lee 4862

Bay View Laundry Co. on right

 1/5 18 View of junction of Western and Elliott Avenues showing new paving on Elliott and streetcar tracks on Western Avenue 1923 October 22

Lee 4863

 1/5 19 View of paving on Elliott Avenue 1923 October 22

Lee 4864

 1/5 20 Cobblestone street with streetcar tracks, probably Western Avenue 1923 October 22

Lee 4865

 1/6 21 Street with streetcar tracks, probably East Madison Street 1924 March 21

Lee 4914

 1/6 22-23 View of East Madison Street showing laying of bridge decking 1924 March 21

Lee 4915-4916

 1/7 24-27 Unidentified Seattle streets 1924 March 21 4 photographs

Lee 4917-4920

These photographs appear to document paved streets and paving operations. Streetcar tracks are visible on some of the streets. Possibly same area depicted in following photograph, NE 40th Street near Ninth Avenue.

 1/7 28 NE 40th Street near Ninth Avenue NE, showing train tracks 1924 March 21

Lee 4921

 1/8 29-31 West Spokane Street bridge 1924

Lee 5402, 5403, 5405

 1/9 32 Eastlake Avenue at Harrison Street looking north, showing streetcar tracks and streetcar in distance 1927 September 15

Lee 5909

 1/9 33 Eastlake Avenue at Lynn Street looking north 1927 September 15

Lee 5910

 Photographs by Asahel Curtis undated

The photographer's number is given for each photograph.

 1/10 34 Newly paved street with sprinklers running undated

Curtis 42305

 1/11 35 Man smoothing wet concrete on newly paved street undated

Curtis 42359

 1/12-13 36-37 Two men smoothing wet concrete on newly paved street undated 2 photographs

Curtis 42360, 42362

 Other photographs 1/14 38 Four men in suits watching man jack hammering on East Marginal Way 1921

Written on verso: Removing land - cement cushion on E. Marg Way - St Dept

 1/14 39-40 Views of raised road and road supports undated 2 photographs

Negatives on file

 Walter Tiedeman and family 1896-1919 1/15 41 Group portrait of Elks members, including Walter Tiedeman 1919 January 30

Caption on photo: Officers of the Washington State Elks Association. Annual Midwinter Meeting. Seattle, Jan. 30, 1919.

 1/16 42 Tiedeman family home in Ballard 1896 November 1 H.(?) W. Stedman , Ballard, Washington

Writing on verso: Teidemann's [sic] at home (Ballard) View North Side - Nov-1-96

 1/17 43 Portrait of Walter Tiedeman circa 1900 Bushnell , Seattle 1/18 44-45 Unidentified family groups 1900-1902 2 photographs

Possibly Tiedeman's family (parents and siblings). One photo shows a group outdoors, the other grouped around a Christmas tree

 Photograph albums 2 albums 46 Album 1 circa 1914-1922 114 photographs on 68 pages 1/19-21 1-6 46.1-46.23 Los Angeles undated 23 photographs

Images of paved streets and a paved (with brick??) bridge, pipe construction, and tunnels, many of which are labeled on verso as depicting areas of Los Angeles.

 1/22 7 46.24 Retaining wall along Eastlake Avenue, showing streetcar tracks 1913 October 24 1/22 7 46.25 Curbstones and retaining wall at Grand Avenue 1913 October 24 1/22 7 46.26 Dirt road and retaining wall along 3rd Avenue West 1913 October 24 1/22 7 46.27 Men working near lumber lined trench undated 1/22 8 46.28-31 Repaving along Second Avenue 1914 August-September 4 photographs

Includes 2 photographs of construction along street and 2 detail views of rail tracks

 1/23 9 46.32-34 Close views of curb defect (?) undated 3 photographs 1/23-25 10-13 46.35-57 Detail and microscopic (?) views of various metals 1913 February 6 1915 January 5 undated

A handwritten inventory to these photographs is included in the album.

 1/25 14 46.58 Ship canal looking east 1914 October 7 James P. Lee

Lee 2589

 1/26 15 46.59 Construction along the north shore of the Lake Washington ship canal 1914 October 7 James P. Lee

Lee 2587

 1/26 16 46.60 Construction near Lake Washington ship canal 1914 October 7 James P. Lee

Lee 2588

 1/27 17 46.61 Streets being prepared for paving, probably in Ballard 1914 October 7 James P. Lee

Lee 2586

 1/27 18 46.62 Dirt road near rail tracks, south on Leary Way from 48th Street 1914 October 7 James P. Lee

Lee 2582

 1/28 19 46.63 Rail tracks looking north on Leary Way from 11th NW 1914 October 7 James P. Lee

Lee 2583

Magnolia Milling Co. and a lumberyard visible along tracks.

 1/28 20 46.64 Leary Way from 11th NW, showing men working on rail tracks 1914 October 7 James P. Lee

Lee 2581

 1/29 21 46.65 Construction, looking east on Leary Way from 17th NW, lumberyard visible to right 1914 October 7 James P. Lee

Lee 2584

 1/29 22 46.66 Street being prepared for paving, Ballard 1914 October 7 James P. Lee

Lee 2585

 1/30 23 46.67 Street paving along 2nd Avenue, Smith Tower in distance circa 1915 1/30-31 24-25 46.68-73 Small stones on ground and in mixer (possibly used as aggregate in concrete) 1916 March 15-16 1/31-32 26-28 46.74-76 Men working on crack in concrete base beneath brick paved road, 12the Avenue and Spring Street 1916 July 12 Frank H. Nowell

Nowell 16661-16663

 1/33-35 29-34 46.77-82 Various paved areas with ruler or other measurement markers undated 1/36 35 46.83 Second Avenue NE showing paved street and curb 1919 January 13 James P. Lee

Lee 4162

 1/36-37 36-37 46.84-85 Section of piling with teredo (worm) holes 1918 April 1 James P. Lee

Lee 4037-4038

 1/37 38 46.86 Broken pieces of pipe on ground undated 1/38 39 46.87 Construction, possibly on embankment of Montlake cut 1914 October 14 James P. Lee

Lee 2601

 1/38 40 46.88 Construction, probably paving, at South Lake Union, looking east on Valley from Boren 1914 October 7 James P. Lee

Showing rail tracks and Ford Motor Company building at Fairview and Valley

Lee 2590

 1/39-40 41-43 46.89-91 Paving operation showing mixer and use of subgrade templates undated 1/40 44 46.92 Elliott Avenue at West Mercer Place looking south, showing wood plank road near railroad tracks 1921 August 3 James P. Lee

Lee 4544

 1/41 45 46.93 Elliott Avenue at West Mercer Place looking south, showing railroad tracks 1921 August 3 James P. Lee

Lee 4545

 1/41 46 46.94 Near Elliott Avenue, looking north (?) 1921 August 3 James P. Lee

Lee 4546

 1/42 47 46.95 Elliott Avenue and Fifteenth Avenue West 1921 August 3 James P. Lee

Lee 4547

 1/42 48 46.96 Fifteenth Avenue NW at Leary Way 1921 August 3 James P. Lee

Lee 4547

 1/43 49 46.97 Streetcar tracks and paving in progress, Fourteenth Avenue NW at Leary Way 1921 August 3 James P. Lee

Lee 4549

 1/43-44 50-52 46.98-100 NE 40th Street near Pasadena Place 1921 May 12 James P. Lee

Lee 4517-4519

Same street shown in 4918-4920

 1/45 53-54 46.101-102 Rainier Avenue paving, McClellan Street east of Rainier Avenue, showing sprinklers 1921 September 26 James P. Lee

Lee 4560-4561

 1/46-48 55-60 46.103-108 Paving on 10th Avenue NE (Roosevelt Way) near NE 61st Street 1921 September 28 James P. Lee

Lee 4562-4567

 1/49-51 61-66 46.110-114 Views of Elliott Avenue from Denny to Garfield 1922 January 4 James P. Lee

Lee 4590-4595

 47 1 Album 2 circa 1899-1901 62 photographs 3.25 x 3.25 inches

Photographs from Tiedeman's student days and graduation at University of Washington, mostly photographs of friends, and also views of campus. Also includes photographs of the battleship Iowa, native hop pickers, the ship Stimson, and views of Seattle.

 Papers

48-50 1/52-54 Employment papers 1902-1923 3 folders

Includes correspondence regarding Tiedeman's eligibility for and appointments as computer (1902) and draughtsman (1904) for the City of Seattle; and District Engineer (October 1908); and Principal Assistant City Engineer (1912).

51 1/55 Real estate 1922-1924 1 folder

Includes a deed and correspondence about sale of Seattle property.

 52-54 1/56-58 Ephemera 1899-1906 4 folders

Includes a 4 page flyer by petitioners to the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity at UW, of which Tiedeman was a member; invitation and dance cards for UW dances; dance cards for other dances; and an invitation to Tiedeman's marriage to Anna Gertrude (1906).

 55 1/59 Photocopies of clippings from scrapbook 1898-1912 1 folder

These clippings were photocopied from a scrapbook created by Tiedeman which is not part of the collection.