Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Seattle Historical Society Founders' Day and Other Events Photograph Collection, 1894-1925
Overview of the Collection
- Title
- Seattle Historical Society Founders' Day and Other Events Photograph Collection
- Dates
- 1894-1925 (inclusive)18941925
1911-1925 (bulk)19111925 - Quantity
- 127 photographs, including two albums, (2 boxes)
- Collection Number
- 2008.3.1
- Summary
- Photographs of Seattle Historical Society members at annual Founders' Day celebrations and other events.
- Repository
-
Museum of History & Industry, Sophie Frye Bass Library
P.O. Box 80816
Seattle, WA
98108
Telephone: 2063241126 x102
library@mohai.org - Access Restrictions
-
The collection is open to the public by appointment.
- Languages
- English.
Historical NoteReturn to Top
The beginnings of the Seattle Historical Society date to November 13, 1911--the 60th anniversary of the Denny Party landing at Alki beach--when pioneer builder and contractor Morgan Carkeek and his wife Emily hosted the first “Founders' Day” ball at their First Hill mansion on Boren Street. Guests were requested to arrive in historic costumes related to early Seattle; women arrived in period dresses, in Native American costume, or dressed as historic figures like Princess Angeline. The party became an annual, invitation-only event, to which guests were asked to bring artifacts or documents related to Seattle history. The first two items donated to the Society’s collection were a copy of Arthur Denny’s 1888 memoir Pioneer Days on Puget Sound, and Thomas Prosch’s biography of pioneers Dr. David S. and Catherine T. Maynard. Professor Edmond S. Meany gave the Society use of a room at the University of Washington, and space in a fireproof room for storage. The Seattle Historical Society was incorporated on January 8, 1914, with the original membership limited to white settlers and their descendents. The founding trustees were Judge George Donworth, Judge C. H. Hanford, Judge R. B. Albertson, Lawrence J. Colman, Edmond S. Meany, and Margaret Lenora Denny; the articles of incorporation were signed by Emily Carkeek, Cannie Ford Trimble, Charlotte Haller McKee, Virginia McCarver Prosch, and Flora Thornton Prosser.
Later known as the Historical Society of Seattle and King County, the group worked to open a museum that would tell the history of their city. The Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI) opened in Seattle’s Montlake neighborhood in 1952, its early exhibits displaying the artifacts, documents and photographs collected by the Seattle Historical Society since its inception at that first costume party in 1911.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collections consists of 44 loose photographs and two albums of 13 and 70 photographs. Most of the loose photographs depict women in period costume inside or in front of Morgan J. and Emily Carkeek's residence at the annual Founders' Day celebrations, between 1911 and 1925. Many of the photographs have identifications inscribed on the back or on separate sheets of paper. Women are usually identified by their husband's names, and many names of prominent early Seattleites recur over the years: Morgan J. Carkeek, Thomas Burke, Charles Rollins, A.F. McEwan,William Trimble, Charles and Arthur Denny, Erastus Brainerd, James Howe, E.L Blaine, T.T. Minor, Thomas Prosch, Thornton Prosser, William Biglow, and John Goodfellow, among others.
Both albums also contain photographs of the Founders' Day parties, including many duplicates of the loose photographs. The album apparently assembled by Emily Carkeek also includes many photographs of members of the Seattle Historical Society and other Seattle organizations at Park Board picnics at old Carkeek Park on Pontiac Bay at Lake Washington.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
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.
Alternative Forms Available
View selections from the collection in digital format by clicking on the camera icons in the inventory below.
Preferred Citation
Collection of Seattle Historical Society Founders' Day and other events photographs, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
PhotographsReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Founders' Day costume parties at Carkeek mansion
These photographs depict women in period costume at the annual Seattle Historical Society Founders' Day
celebrations. All of the photographs depict groups of women in costume posed inside or outside the Carkeek mansion,
unless otherwise noted.
Arranged chronologically
|
1911-1925 | |
Box/Folder | ||
1/1 | 2008.3.1.1: Women in costume inside Carkeek mansion 5 copies
Includes identification list
Negative on file
|
1911 November 13 |
1/2 | 1911 November 13 | |
1/2 | 1911 November 13 | |
1/2 | 2008.3.1.4: Seven young women dressed as Native Americans 2 copies
Identifications of verso: Olive Kerry, Hazel Landes, Connie Goodfellow, Guendolen Carkeek, Gladys
Landes, Olive Schran, Hortense Smith
Negative on file
|
1911 November 13 |
1/3 | 1912 | |
1/3 | 2008.3.1.6: Women in costume outside Carkeek mansion 3 copies
Negative on file
|
1912 |
1/3 | 1912 | |
1/3 | 2008.3.1.8: Woman (Mrs. Rollins?) in costume
Curtis, Edward S., 1868-1952 (photographer)
Photograph is signed by Curtis
|
circa 1912 |
1/4 | 1914 | |
1/4 | 2008.3.1.10: Three women in costume
Mrs. Thomas Green, Mrs. Howe and Louise Hanford
|
1914 |
1/4 | 2008.3.1.11: Three women in costume
|
1914 |
1/5 | 2008.3.1.12: Women in costume outside Carkeek mansion 4 copies
Negative on file
|
1916 |
1/5 | 2008.3.1.13: Five women in costume 2 copies
Identifications on verso: Mrs. Banford, Miss Young, Mrs. Emmons, Mrs. Latimer, Mrs. Chilberg
|
1916 |
1/5 | 2008.3.1.14: Three women in costume 2 copies
Identifications on verso: Mrs. W. Smith, Mrs. Thomas Green, Mrs. Waterman
|
1916 |
1/5 | 2008.3.1.15: Two women in costume
Identifications on verso: Mrs. J.C. Haines, Mrs. Biglow
|
1916 |
1/5 | 2008.3.1.16: Two women in costume
|
1916 |
1/5 | 2008.3.1.17: Mrs. Winfield Smith in costume
|
1916 |
1/6 | circa 1917 | |
1/7 | 2008.3.1.19: Women in costume outside Carkeek mansion
Some identifications on verso
|
1919 November 13 |
1/7 | 2008.3.1.20: Three women in costume outside Carkeek mansion
Identified on verso as Mrs. Maurice McMickan, Mrs. N.H. Latimer, and Mrs. William F. [Flora]
Prosser
|
1919 Novmeber 13 |
1/7 | 2008.3.1.21: Two women in costume outside Carkeek mansion
Identified on verso as Mrs. Redick [Charlotte] McKee and Mrs. Theodore Haller
|
1919 November 13 |
1/8 | 2008.3.1.22: Mrs. J.W. Godwin and Mrs. N.H. Latimer |
1924 November 13 |
1/8 | 2008.3.1.23: Flora Prosser
|
1924 November 13 |
1/8 | 2008.3.1.24: Mrs. Charles Denny |
1924 November 13 |
1/8 | 2008.3.1.25: Mrs. Edgar Ames |
1924 November 13 |
1/8 | 2008.3.1.26-.27: Guendolen Carkeek |
1924 November 13 |
1/9 | 2008.3.1.28: Group of women in costume outside Carkeek mansion 2 copies
Negative on file
|
1925 |
1/9 | 1925 | |
1/9 | 2008.3.1.30: Mrs Blaine (?), Mrs. E.A. Strout and Mrs. Harry Whitney
Treat
French, Arthur (photographer)
|
1925 |
1/9 | 2008.3.1.31: Mrs. J.H.L. Murray
French, Arthur (photographer)
|
1925 |
1/9 | 2008.3.1.32: Mrs. Thomas Burke
French, Arthur (photographer)
|
1925 |
1/9 | 2008.3.1.33: Mrs. Theodore N. Haller and Mrs. Carl M. Ballard
French, Arthur (photographer)
|
1925 |
1/9 | 2008.3.1.34: Group of men and women at buffet table at Founders' Day party
Negative on file
|
1939 November 13 |
1/10 | 2008.3.1.35-.36: Group of women in costume outside Carkeek mansion |
undated |
1/10 | 2008.3.1.37: Group of young women in Dutch costumes |
undated |
1/10 | 2008.3.1.38: Collage of women in costume |
undated |
2/1 | Clippings 4 items
Newspaper reproductions of photographs from Founders' Day parties captioned with descriptions and
identifications.
|
1914-1922, undated |
Other events |
||
Box/Folder | ||
1/11 | 2008.3.1.39: Group, mostly women, at garden party
Inscribed on verso: "Mrs. Bausman's garden"
|
circa 1910 |
1/11 | 2008.3.1.40: Group posed outside commercial building |
undated |
1/11 | 2008.3.1.41: Group posed in ornate room
Some identifications on verso: Edmund Bowden, Rolland Denny, J.N. Hardy, Mrs. N.H. Latimer, Albert
Hansen, Edmond S. Meany
|
undated |
1/11 | 2008.3.1.42: Studio portrait of group of young men and women |
undated |
1/11 | 2008.3.1.43: Two women looking at rhododendrons
Handwritten on verso: "Allice Owens 1929--?"
|
undated |
1/12 | 2008.3.1.44: Studio portrait of six women Tintype
Identifications on mount: Rebecca Collins, Edana Collins, Adelaide Nickels, Anne Turner, May Riley,
Emma Collins
|
1904 |
AlbumsReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
1/13 | 2008.3.1.45: Group of young women in costume at Founders' Day Ball, Seattle, November 13, 1911 Three women in costume, 1939 Three women in costume, 1939 13 photographs
Mostly photographs of women in costume at Founders' Day celebrations; also men and women at Founder Day
parties and two images of people at unidentified events. Many of the photographs are duplicates of images in
Photographs series.
|
1911-1916, 1939 |
Box | ||
2 | 2008.3.1.46: Emily Carkeek album of Founders Day party and Carkeek Park picnic
photographs
Carkeek, Emily, d. 1926 (creator)
70 photographs
Photographs of women in costume at annual Founders' Day celebrations at Carkeek mansions, including
duplicates of some of the images in the Photographs series. Also includes photographs of picnics at the "original"
Carkeek Park (1918-1926) on Pontiac Bay at Lake Washington, later the site of the Sand Point Naval Station and now
Magnuson Park.These annual picnic luncheons were given by the Seattle Park Board for donors to the park and their
friends on the anniversary of the donation of the park by Morgan and Emily Carkeek. Guest included delegations from the
Seattle Historical Society, the City Council, the Chamber of Commerce and the Optimist Club.
Dates given are taken from captions and inscriptions on the photographs.
|
1894, 1911-1925 |
Page | ||
1 | Ezra Meeker and Morgan J. Carkeek shaking hands |
undated |
2 | Women in costume outside Carkeek mansion |
undated |
3 | Group at Carkeek Park picnic |
1924 |
4 | Men at picnic table
Inscription on photo: "Optimist Club"
|
1924 August 25 |
5, 6 | Group, including Morgan J. Carkeek, at picnic table |
undated |
7 | undated | |
8 | Mrs. George Riley
Grady (photographer)
|
1921 |
9 | circa 1918 | |
10 | Emily Carkeek
Grady (photographer)
|
1921 |
11 | Emily and Morgan Carkeek |
undated |
12, 13 | 1922 October | |
15 | undated | |
16 | Ezra Meeker and Morgan J. Carkeek |
undated |
17 | 1911 | |
18 | Group, including Morgan and Emily Carkeek, at park picnic
Clipping describing the picnic is attached to the page.
|
1923 October 9 |
19 | undated | |
21 | Women in costume inside Carkeek mansion |
undated |
22-24 | 1924 August 28 | |
25 | Group of Nigerians and one white man at Peace Celebration Day, Owo,
Nigeria |
1919 August |
29 | Mrs. Burke and Mrs. Barkus in costume |
1916 |
31 | Mrs. Donworth, Mrs. Perkins and Mrs. Rollins in costume outside Carkeek
mansion |
1914 |
35 | Mrs. McEwan in costume |
undated |
35 | Mrs. Hawley and Mrs. Thomas Green in costume |
undated |
37 | Women in costume outside Carkeek mansion |
1917 |
39 | Women in costume outside Carkeek mansion
Two loose copies. Includes identifications
|
1916 |
41 | Woman in costume |
undated |
42 | Women in costume outside Carkeek mansion |
1925 |
43 | Mrs. Rolland Denny and Mrs. David Bowen in costume outside Carkeek
mansion |
1924 November 13 |
44 | Mrs. George Donworth and Mrs. Horton [illegible] |
1924 November 13 |
45-48 | Women in costume outside Carkeek mansion |
undated |
49 | Women in costume outside Carkeek mansion |
1919 |
51 | Mrs. McMurken, Mrs. Latimer and Mrs. Prosser in costume on porch of
Carkeek mansion |
1919 |
52 | Mrs. Frank Reading Van Tuyl in costume
Grady (photographer)
|
1921 |
53 | Two women in costume outside Carkeek mansion |
1924 November 13 |
55 | Carkeek mansion from street
Inscribed on photograph: "1st home of the Seattle Historical Society"
|
undated |
56, 57 | Women dressed up as Grandpa and Grandma Smallwood from Charles
Dickens's
Bleak House
Apparently for a "Dickens party" at Carkeek mansion
|
1894 February 3 |
59 | Women in costume inside Carkeek mansion |
1911 |
61 | Seven women dressed as Native Americans outside Carkeek
mansion |
1911 |
63 | Women in costume inside Carkeek mansion |
1911 |
65 | Women in costume outside Carkeek mansion |
1914 |
67 | Women in costume
Negative on file
|
1914 |
68 | 1911 | |
69 | Mrs. Biglow as "Old Settler" and another woman in costume |
1916 |
70 | Three women in costume outside Carkeek mansion |
undated |
71 | Mrs. Thomas Burke in costume |
1914 |
71 | 1914 | |
73 | 1914 | |
75 | Mrs.Bradley, Mrs. Nelson Chilberg and Mrs. W.V. Rinehart in
costume
2 copies
|
1917 November 5 |
77 | Group of women
Includes identifications
|
undated |
78 | Mrs. Waldo Richardson in costume |
undated |
79 | Mrs. Wettengel in costume |
undated |
81 | Five women in costume |
1916 |
83 | Mrs. John Collins, Mrs. Winlock Miller and Mrs. Joseph Blethen in
costume |
1917 |
85 | Mrs. Winfield Smith in costume |
1916 |
87 | Mrs. Biglow as "Old Settler" and another woman in costume |
1916 |
89 | Mrs. George Donworth in costume |
1920 |
91 | Eight Native American chiefs
McKnight Studio , Olympia (photographer)
|
undated |
92 | Women in costume |
1925 |
93 | Mrs. M.H. McKee and Mrs. Theodore Haller in costume |
1919 |
94 | Women in costume inside Carkeek mansion |
1913 |
95 | Women in costume on porch of Carkeek mansion
Includes identifications
|
1919 |
96 | Women in costume outside Carkeek mansion |
1922 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Costume--Washington (State)--Seattle
- Parks and playgrounds
- Parties--Washington (State)--Seattle
- Picnicking--Washington (State)--Seattle
Personal Names
Corporate Names
Geographical Names
Form or Genre Terms
Other Creators
-
Personal Names