University of Washington Libraries, Special CollectionsPH1124Photographs of
Seattle City Light projectsapproximately 1919-19630.38 cubic feet (2 boxes
containing 168 photographic prints)Collection materials are in
English.Photographs made
to document the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project, Seattle City Light
buildings, projects and activitiesSeattle'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.
Organized into 5 accessions.
- Accession No. Series 1, Skagit River Hydroelectric Project,
- Accession No. Series 2, Seattle City Light North Substation,
- Accession No. Series 3, Lake Union Steam Plant,
- Accession No. Series 4, Seattle City Light Offices,
- Accession No. Series 5, Inverness Neighborhood Project,
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.
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.
View
selections from the collection in digital format
The collection is open to the public.
Request at
UW
Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication.
Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for
details.
Processed by Elizabeth Russell; processing completed in 2013.
The
Seattle City Light Albums (PH
Coll 45) document construction of the Skagit River Hydroelectric
Project.
--PhotographsSeattle City Light--PhotographsPhotographsVisual Materials Collections (University of Washington)Energy ProductionSeattlePublic UtilitiesPhotographs
Series 1Skagit River Hydroelectric ProjectThe 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.
1/11Site of Gorge Powerhouse before
construction (5001)July 1, 1919Duplicate of item 1-18 in PH Coll 45 Seattle City Light
Albums.
Caption on photo: Gorge - Power House Site. Mile 16. Distance
from Marblemont.
1/12Plank walkway at Devil's Corner in
Skagit Canyon below Gorge Creek (5002)July 1, 1919Duplicate of item 1-39 in PH Coll 45 Seattle City Light
Albums.
1/13Skagit River at bend in river
nick-named "Devil's Corner" (5003)July 1, 19191/14Snowslide Gulch near Gorge Powerhouse
site (5004)July 1, 1919 1/15Boulders in the Skagit River
(5005)July 1, 1919Caption on photo: Giant Stepping Stones.
1/16White water rapids in Skagit River
(5006)July 1, 19191/17White water at proposed Gorge Dam site
(5007)July 1, 19191/18White water rapids and boulders at
proposed Gorge Dam site with man crossing river in hand-operated cable car
(5008)July 1, 1919 1/19Skagit River near Gorge Dam
sitecirca July 19191/110Skagit River at proposed Gorge Dam site
showing wooden structure on bank (5009)July 1, 19191/111Log structure built as Gorge Camp
Headquarters at Newhalem (5010)July 1, 1919 1/212Gorge Creek Canyon seen from the Skagit
River (5013)July 1, 19191/213Steep canyon wall along the Skagit
River (5014)July 1, 19191/214North bank of proposed Gorge Dam site
(5015)circa July 19191/215Camp used during diamond drilling
exploration for Gorge Dam site (5016)circa July 1919 1/216South bank of proposed Gorge Dam site
(5017)July 1, 19191/217Skagit River and wooded bank, probably
near dam site (5018)circa 19191/218Main building on Davis Ranch
(5019)circa 1919The Davis Ranch, a popular roadhouse,was condemned to make way
for the Diablo Dam Hydroelectric Project.
1/219Reflector Bar Ranger Station
(5020)June 30, 19191/220Reflector Bar Gaging Station near
Diablo Power House site (5021June 30, 19191/221Diablo Trail Bridge at site of Diablo
Dam (5022)June 30, 1919 1/322Skagit River with Thunder Creek
Watershed in distance (5023)June 30, 19191/323Diablo Canyon at site of Diablo Dam
(5026)June 30, 1919Duplicate of item 2-1 in PH Coll 45 Seattle City Light
Albums.
1/324Looking down on Skagit River at bend in
river downstream of Ross Dam site (5027)June 28, 19191/325Skagit River at rapids known as Rip
Raps, later the site of Ross Dam (5028)June 28, 1919 1/326Ruby Creek seen from trail above site
of Ross Dam (5029)June 28, 1919 1/327Site of Ross Dam Powerhouse
(5030)June 28, 19191/328Man at gauging station at Ross Dam
Powerhouse site (5031)June 28, 1919 1/329Skagit Canyon downstream from Ross Dam
site (5032)June 28, 19191/330Diamond drill machinery on Skagit River
bank at site of Ross Dam (5033)June 29, 19191/331South bank of Ross Dam site
(5034)June 29, 19191/432Worker next to diamond drill machinery
on river bank at Ross Dam site (5035)June 29, 1919 1/433Detail view of diamond drill machinery
on river bank at Ross Dam site (5036)June 29, 1919 1/434Mountainous terrain above Ross Dam site
(5037)July 28, 19191/435River viewed from hill, probably near
junction of Skagit River and Ruby Creek (5038)circa 19191/436Junction of Ruby Creek with Skagit
River (5039)June 29, 1919Caption on photo: Junction of Ruby Creek with Skagit River,
Mile 28. Ruby Creek Trail Bridge, Shinkle Bridge in Distance.
1/437Ruby Creek Trail Bridge and suspension
bridge at junction of Ruby Creek and Skagit River (5040)June 29, 19191/438Junction of Skagit River and Ruby
Creek, with ranch buildings at right (5041)June 28, 1919McMillan'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.
1/439Site of Ruby Reservoir on Skagit River
near McMillan Ranchcirca 1919 1/440Wooded mountainside of Ruby Creek
watershed (5043)June 29, 19191/441Tent camp and horses near junction of
Skagit River and Ruby CreekJune 29, 19191/542Ross Dam site from a distance
(5045)June 29, 19191/543Upper Skagit Valley near Ross Dam site
(5046)June 29, 19191/544Site of Gorge Powerhouse on Skagit
River (5047)October 21, 19191/545Skagit River and wooded bank near site
of Gorge Powerhouse (5048)October 21, 19191/546Gorge Powerhouse site
(5049)October 21, 19191/547Skagit River near Gorge Powerhouse site
(5050)October 21, 1919Caption on photo: View near Mile 16.
1/548Babcock Creek Falls (5051)October 21, 19191/549Skagit River (5052)October 16, 19191/550-51Skagit River and river bank
(5053-5054)October 16, 19191/652Trees on river bank, possibly during
timber cutting at Gorge Dam site (5056)October 16, 19191/653Skagit River (5057)October 16, 19191/654Skagit River rapids (5058)October 16, 19191/655Wooden suspension bridge across Skagit
River and early construction work on Gorge Dam (5059)October 17, 19191/656Wooden bridges across Skagit River
during early construction work on Gorge Dam (5060)October 17, 1919 1/657Wooden bridge across Skagit River
during early construction work on Gorge Dam (5061)October 17, 19191/658-59Wooden bridge across Skagit River
showing surveying tripods reached by ladder (5062-5063)October 17, 19191/660Wooden bridge across Skagit River
showing surveying tripods with camp in background (5064)October 17, 19191/661River boulders and early construction
activity (5065)October 17, 19191/762Men standing on makeshift wooden briges
at dam site (5066)October 22, 1919 1/763Boulders in the Skagit River
(5067)October 21, 1919Caption on photo: Giant Stepping Stones.
1/764Workers with wooden structures on
Skagit River for preliminary dam construction work (5068)October 19, 1919 1/765Skagit River near Ross Dam site
(5069)October 19, 19191/766Wooden structures on Skagit River at
site of Ross Dam (5070)October 19, 1919 1/767Ladders on bank at Ross Dam site
(5071)October 19, 1919 1/768Steep, rocky bank of Skagit River near
Ross Dam site (5072)October 19, 19191/769Looking downstream from Ross Dam site,
with wooden structures at right (5073)October 19, 1919 1/770-71Looking downstream at Ross Dam
sitecirca 19191/872Bridge on Rocky Creek
(5074)October 23, 19191/873Bridge over creek (5075)October 23, 1919Caption on photo: Diobse.
1/874-76Bridge over Bacon Creek
(5076-5078)October 23, 19191/877Man standing on log bridge across
Goodell Creek (5079)October 23, 19191/878River, probably the Skagit River or
Ruby Creekcirca 19191/879Intersection of Great Northern Railroad
line and Seattle City Light rail line in Rockport (5080)August 13, 1920Rockport 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.
1/880Steam shovel used during construction
of rail line from Rockport to Newhalem (5089)August 11, 1920 1/881Grant Smith Co. steam shovel at rocky
curve overlooking Skagit River (5092)August 11, 1920 2/182Railroad trestle during construction of
line from Rockport to Newhalem (5094)August 11, 1920 2/183Rocky grade along Skagit River
(5098)August 11, 19202/184Workers stretched out on stumps of old
growth trees cut during railroad construction (5099)August 12, 1920 2/185Tractor hauling logs in front of
sawmill, west of Babcock Creek and Gorge Powerhouse site (5100)August 12, 1920 2/186Wooden suspension pedestrian bridge
across Skagit River (5106)August 12, 1920 2/187Sawmill built to provide lumber for the
Gorge Dam project (5108)August 12, 1920 2/188Worker standing at tunnel entrance,
probably the west portal of the tunnel constructed to carry water from the
Gorge Dam reservoir to the powerhouse (5109)August 12, 1920 2/189Man standing in front of turbine loaded
on truckcirca 1920-1924Sign on turbine reads: From the Wellman-Seaver-Morgan Co.,
Cleveland, Ohio, Engineers and Manufacturers.
2/190Young man standing in front of
Generator No. 1 in the Gorge PowerhouseFebruary 14, 1924 2/191Visitors inside tunnel at junction
(5237)August 15, 1924Duplicate 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.
2/292Workmen standing on and around
Westinghouse generator in Gorge Powerhousecirca 1924 2/293Boy standing next to Westinghouse
generator in Gorge Powerhouse (5342)circa 1924Caption on page: Interior of Gorge Power House. Skagit River
Development. Installed capacity - 75,000 H.P.
2/294Gorge Powerhouse and bridge over
Skagit, seen from higher elevation (5347)circa 19242/295Gorge Powerhousecirca 19242/296Gorge Powerhousecirca 19242/297Original wooden Gorge Creek
Dam19252/298Wooden pedestrian bridge over Skagit
River canyoncirca 19272/299Photograph of Hudson and Hammond
Architects drawing of Diablo Powerhousecirca 1928-1931Caption on drawing: City of Seattle - Skagit Power Development
- Diablo Power House. John S. Hudson and H.G. Hammond, Architects, Seattle,
Washington.
2/2100Incline railway at Diablo Dam
construction site (D(28-5-23)1)May 23, 1928Duplicate of item 2-8 in PH Coll 45 Seattle City Light
Albums.
2/2101Construction work at Diablo Dam site
(D(28-8-28)2)August 28, 19282/3102Winston Bros. container car on incline
railway above Diablo Dam construction camp (D(28-8-28)6)August 28, 1928 2/3103Construction work at Diablo Dam site
(D(28-10-3)1)October 3, 19282/3104Construction work at Diablo Dam site
(D(28-10-3)2)October 3, 19282/3105Interior of diversion tunnel for Diablo
Dam (5353)August 28, 19302/3106Eight men posed in front of steel plate
wye for Diablo Dam penstock (8728A)October 20, 1930A 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.
2/3107Walkway under construction on top of
completed Diablo Dam (D(9-16-30)1)September 16, 1930 2/3108Diablo Dam and Diablo Lake, seen from
higher elevation (D(30-11-7)1)November 7, 19302/3109Diablo Dam and Diablo Lake, with
construction activity below dam (D(30-11-7)3)November 7, 1930 2/3110Pipes and water flow connected to
operations at Diablo Dam (D(30-12-8)2)December 8, 19302/3111Man standing in Diablo Dam control room
(D(30-12-8)6)December 8, 19302/4112Water released through Diablo Dam below
control room (D(31-1-24)6)January 24, 19312/4113Mist and spray coming from water over
Diablo Dam spillways (D(31-1-28)1)January 28, 1931 2/4114Spray over Diablo Dam
(D(28-1-31)5)January 28, 1931 2/4115Water coming through spillways at
Diablo Dam (D(31-2-3)3)February 3, 1931 2/4116Water coming through spillways at
Diablo Dam (D(31-2-3)5)February 3, 19312/4117Man and two women standing on walkway
on top of Diablo Dam (D(31-3-6)3)March 6, 1931 2/4118Diablo Dam seen from downstream on the
Skagit River ( D(31-3-8)3)March 8, 1931 2/4119Water flowing through spillways on
Diablo Dam, seen from higher elevationcirca 1930-19312/4120Looking down on Diablo Dam from Thunder
Creek Trail (5450)1931Caption on page: Diablo Dam. Skagit River Development. Height
- 389', length across top - 1200'.
2/5121Large pipes and scaffolding for
construction of Diablo Powerhouse (D(31-4-2)1)April 2, 1931 2/5122Men at work installing large pipe for
construction of Diablo Powerhouse (D(31-4-2)3)April 2, 1931 2/5123Construction work at Diablo Powerhouse
site (D(31-4-2)6)April 2, 1931 2/5124Construction work at Diablo Powerhouse
site (D(31-4-30)5)April 30, 1931 2/5125Construction work at Diablo Powerhouse
site (D(31-4-30)6)April 30, 1931 2/5126Water flowing through spillways of
Diablo Dam (D(31-5-9)1)May 9, 19312/5127Looking across Diablo Dam and Diablo
Lake, with hills in background (D(31-5-9)6)May 9, 19312/5128Men standing on and around large pipe
for Diablo Powerhouse, possibly draft tube (D(31-6-20)1)June 20, 1931 2/5129Looking down on bifurcated penstock at
Diablo Powerhouse construction site (D(31-6-20)3)June 20, 1931 2/6130Workers standing around tube opening
during construction of Diablo Powerhouse (D(31-6-26)1)June 26, 1931 2/6131Men at work on construction of Diablo
Powerhouse (D(31-7-1)2)July 1, 19312/6132Buildings and construction supplies
used for Diablo Powerhouse on bank of Skagit River (D(31-7-1)3)July 1, 1931 2/6133Construction work on Diablo Powerhouse
(D(31-7-1)4)July 1, 19312/6134Construction work on Diablo Powerhouse
(D(31-7-13)1)July 13, 1931 2/6135Scaffolding around penstock pipes on
hillside above Diablo Powerhouse site (D(31-7-16)1)July 16, 1931 2/6136Houses on river bank, across from
roadcirca 1919-1930s2/6137Pedestrian bridge across river
canyoncirca 1919-19392/6138Town of Newhalemcirca 1920s-1930s2/6139Photograph of drawing of Skagit River
Power Project, including all three dams and powerhousescirca 1930Caption includes proposed plan for the project, with projected
dates of completion and projected horse power of power generation.
2/6140Photograph of drawing of Skagit River
Power Projectcirca 1920s-1930s2/6141Aerial view of Ross Dam and Powerhouse
and Ross Lakecirca 19562/6142Aerial view of Ross Dam and Ross
Lakecirca 19562/8Gorge Dam Construction1921-192415 black and white prints taken during the construction of the
Gorge Dam on the Skagit River. Prints include captions.
Series 2Seattle City Light North SubstationReceiving station for Skagit Power Project at N.E. 75th Street
in Seattle.
2/7143North Substation under construction
(5196)March 1, 19242/7144Synchronous condenser in North
Substation with 15,000 KVA capacity (5252)October 22, 1924Duplicate image PH Coll 45.1-4.
2/7145North Substation (5331)circa 1930sDuplicate image PH Coll 45.1-1.
Series 3Lake Union Steam PlantSeattle City Light plant completed in 1917.
2/7146Machinery inside Lake Union Steam Plant
(4523)May 16, 1921Caption: Interior of Lake Union Steam Plant. Seattle. 50,000
H.P.
2/7147Lake Union Steam Plant
(5467)1930 Series 4Seattle City Light Offices2/7148Seattle City Light warehouse and shops
at 4th Avenue and Spokane Street (6082)June 9, 1928 2/7149Seattle City Light Building at 3rd
Avenue and Madison Street, downtown Seattlecirca 1935-1940s 2/7150Electric appliances on display in
Seattle City Light building at 3rd Avenue and Madison Street, downtown
Seattlecirca 1935-1940s 2/7151Seattle City Light Building at 3rd
Avenue and Madison Street, downtown Seattlecirca 1960sThe renovated Seattle City Light Building at 3rd Ave. and
Madison St. was designed by Jone & Bindon and Decker, Christenson &
Kitchin, 1957.
Series 5Inverness Neighborhood Project2/7152Linemen working on power lines on
Inverness streetcirca 1960-1962Written on verso: Inverness before 1963 (before utilities
underground).
2/7153Street in Inverness without overhead
power linescirca 1963Written on verso: Inverness after 1963 (utilities
undergrounded).