WAUYWCAPHColl377.xmlGuide to the Y.W.C.A. Seattle-King County Photograph Collection approximately 1905-1970Y.W.C.A. Seattle-King County Photograph CollectionSpecial Collections, University of Washington Libraries©2009 (Last modified: 2/16/2024)
Seattle, WA 98195
Finding aid written in English.Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard).University of Washington Libraries, Special CollectionsPH0377Y.W.C.A. Seattle-King CountyY.W.C.A. Seattle-King County photograph collectionapproximately 1905-197091 photographic prints (1 box)Collection materials are in English.Photographs of the Young Women's Christian Association, Seattle-King County (YWCA) activities, programs, facilities and members from 1905 to 1920s and 1950s to 1970s

The Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) was founded in the 1850s and is active in social justice movements working to provide for and empower women. The YWCA Seattle, King, and Snohomish sector was founded in 1894, led by Rees Daniels. They stand for civil rights, affordable housing and health care, equal pay, and stand against violence. The YWCA hosts events, fundraisers, clubs, and activities to support their mission. The YWCA branch in Seattle is the largest and oldest nonprofit focused on the needs of women in the region.

In the early 1910s, the YWCA launched a fundraising drive to raise money to build a new headquarters at 5th Avenue and Seneca in downtown Seattle. The construction finished in 1914 and remains their headquarters today. In 1919, the Culture Club, a club for African American women established its own branch in Seattle and named it the Phyllis Wheatley Branch. In the 1930s the leader of the branch, Bertha Pitts Campbell, petitioned to have voting rights within the YWCA board, making Seattle the first integrated YWCA board in the country. The YWCA renovated their 5th and Seneca headquarters and constructed a new building for the Phyllis Wheatley Branch between 1951 and 1954. The YWCA had a jubilee year celebration in 1955, which is featured in this collection. With an ever changing society, YWCA championed social justice and equal rights since the 1960s.

This collection contains photographs from the Seattle branch of the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) from the early 1900s to 1920s and 1950s to 1970s. It includes photographs from conferences and clubs in the 1920s, camps at Bainbridge Island and Whitehorse Mountain, the premier of the Sound of Music, exhibits the YWCA created for the Seafirst Bank Lobby for two of their conferences, the rebuilding campaign that occurred in 1955, the annual meeting booklet photographs from 1955, and the Jubilee year celebration. Includes photos of Norma Sims, Mary French Rockefeller, Grace Jones, and Mary Fite, all board members or directors in the YWCA nationally or in the Seattle branch.

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.

Relocated from the YWCA Seattle-King County Records, Accession No. 3919 in the repository, in 1993.

Photographic printsVisual Materials Collections (University of Washington)PhotographsSeattle

 

YWCA buildings, officials and activities1/11Interior of the first floor of the YWCA building on 5th Avenue and Seneca Street, Seattle, WAbetween 1914 and 1950?

An order form from the Seattle Engraving Co. is affixed to the verso

1/12Postcard of downtown, Seattle., showing the YWCA building at 5th Avenue and Seneca Street, Seattle, WA1960Max R. Jensen

Written on verso: YWCA as of 1960

Printed description on verso of postcard: A group of buildings in Seattle, Washington, showing Harborview Hospital to the right and the United States Courthouse in the center.

1/13Dorothy Kiely, YWCA Building DirectorJanuary, 1950 1/14YWCA Hotel front desk with Miss Dorothy Kiely, YWCA Building Director, and Mrs. Frankie Wilder, Desk Clerk, behind the desk, and several women waiting in front of the desk Fall, 1962Forde Photographers 1/15Miss Frances Vogel, Executive Secretary of the Seattle YWCA pours tea at the High Tea given by the YWCA for women in Navy uniforms as part of the celebration of the First Anniversary July 30, 1943?

Note attached to photograph: Miss Frances Vogel, Executive Secretary of the Seattle YWCA pours tea at the High Tea staged by the YWCA as part of the celebration of the First Anniversary.

Written on verso: About July 30, 1943 of Wave Bill

1/16Muriel Harris and woman helping children at the day care1946

Written on verso: [Day Care Services, 1940's], Muriel Harris. Return to the Y.W.C.A. Fifth and Seneca, Seattle, 1, Wn. Pblc. Rel. Dept. , 1946

 1/17Woman surrounded by children1967Linkletter Studio

Written on verso: Jean Owens 1967 catalog

YWCA Girl Reserves, Conferences, and other activities1/28Group of girls gathered for the Girl Reserve Conference May, 1923Linkletter Studio 1/29Group of girls standing in shape of a triangle for Girl Reserve Conference, Seabeck, Washington 1924Linkletter Studio 1/210Group of women standing in front and on the steps of B.P.O. Elks No 1083 for YWCA Business and Industrial Girls 8th Mid-winter Conference in Centralia 1923?Linkletter Studio 1/211Group of women standing on a porch 1923?Linkletter Studio

Written on verso: Florence Maddock

1/212Group of women sitting on the steps of a porch1920?Woodfield Studio & Gift Shop, Astoria, Oregon 1/213Group of girls reading "Mary Cary" by Kate Langley Boshe1920?

Printed on frame of photograph: Girl Reserves '20's

 1/214Girls at an indoor pool 1920? 1/2 15Girls holding YWCA Athletic Club and other banners in front of a porch 1920? Jubilee Year Celebration

The Jubilee Year was celebrated in 1955.

1/316Mary French Rockefeller

Note attached to photo: Release date: A.M., Monday, December 1, 1952, Mrs. Laurance S. Rockefeller, daughter-in-law of John D. Rockefeller, Jr., will lead this country’s 3,000,000 YWCA membership in commemorating the hundredth anniversary of the YWCA in the world in 1955.

1952 Annual Meeting Booklet (Jubilee)

Photographs used as part of a montage for the booklet

1/317Billboard advertising the YWCA’s jubilee year celebration1955Forde Photographers

Note attached to photograph: Eleven billboards, 200 car cards, Newspaper, radio and television publicity all helped to alert Seattle of the World Y.W.C.A.’s 100’s birthday in 1955

1/318Marian Anderson shaking hands with YWCA/YMCA leadership1955Forde Photographers

Note attached to photograph: Bringing Marian Anderson to Seattle for our centennial concert will be long remembered by the Seattle YWCA. The long hours of planning netted $4,265 for the Centennial Endowment Fund

1/319Aley Matthew being interviewed on a YWCA television 1955 program 1955Forde Photographers

Note attached to photograph: Aley Matthew’s friendship and her research to provide a better YWCA in India brought World Fellowship close to home. Her interview added to a series of YWCA television programs throughout the year.

1/320Group of women singing on a staircase1955Forde Photographers

Note attached to photograph: A new activity for the resident girls was this choir which entertained at the Christmas tea. During 1954 there were 411 different young women as permanent residents and 9,574 used the transient facilities.

1/321Rededication ceremony for YWCA headquarters1955Forde Photographers

Note attached to photograph: Capacity crowds filled the remodeled rooms of our Fifth and Seneca Building, rededicated in April. The building was in holiday dress from swimming pool to residence.

1/322Alice in Waterlandcast members next to poster1955Forde Photographers

Note attached to photograph: Teen Club’s Alice in Waterland scored in water ballet. The spacious swimming ... an important facility for the 812 … education groups, was shared with a ... of other community agencies.

1/323Two women holding the empty Portrait of Lucinda1955

Note attached to photograph: "Portrait of Lucinda," a Centennial skit, was introduced here at the Fall Setting-up Conference, but earlier in the year, our own centennial chairman played the part of Lucinda at the YWCA Western Regional Conference in Asilomar.

Written on verso: Doris Benckent, 5221 - 45th Ave S.W., Seattle, 6, Wash. Member of West Seattle Branch YWCA, ?550 Fauntleroy Ave., Seattle, 6, Wash. Western Regional Conference, April 1954 Asilomar, Calif. [illeg] "Portrait of Lucinda" [illeg]

1/324Couple dancing in costume on stage1955

Note attached to photograph: Part of "Jubilee Year" Celebration 1955

1/325Women dancing in costume on stage1955

Note attached to photo: Part of "Jubilee Year" Celebration 1955

1/326Women synchronized dancing in swimming pool1955

Note attached to photo: Part of "Jubilee Year" Celebration 1955

YWCA Rebuilding / Expansion Campaign

Photographs are from several locations, including White Plains, York and Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

1/427Billboard of YWCA advertisement Don’t Fail Our Girls Seattle YWCA Give Once in 37 Yearsbetween 1954 and 1955 1/428Several women looking a some papersbetween 1954 and 1955Lorne Burkell, Calgary, Alberta

Written on verso: Rebuilding Campaign, 1954-55. Woman in center front with letter possible Norma Sims, Former Executive Director, 1949-66.

1/429Group of men working on the YMCA Expansion Campaign between 1954 and 1955 1/430Men in front of chalkboard for fundraising eventbetween 1954 and 1955Associated Artists, White Plains, New York1/431Older man handing a check(?) to two younger men, wearing sweaters with a YMCA HI-Y emblembetween 1954 and 1955Bryant Photo Lab, Calgary, Alberta 1/432Group of men sitting at a conference table with a sketch of a building hanging on the wall between 1954 and 1955Loren Burkell, Calgary, Alberta 1/433-34Men and women at a large dinner event between 1954 and 1955Loren Burkell, Calgary, Alberta 1/435a-bYoung man in a uniform handing money and a document to an older manbetween 1954 and 1955Lorne Burkell, Calgary Alberta, Canada 1/436Young man wearing a sweater with a YMCA Calgary emblembetween 1954 and 1955Posettis(?) Studios, Calgary, Alberta, Canada Seattle Premiere of the film Sound of Music

This was probably a fund-raising event for the YWCA.

1/537-39Groups of well-dressed men and women under a Sound of Music film posterMarch 31, 1965Jean Weber, Seattle, Washington 1/540-41Grace Jones, President of the YWCA Board (1965-1967), wearing a white dress with a fur stole standing with a group of peopleMarch 31, 1965Jean Weber, Seattle, Washington 1/542Mary Firth, former YWCA Board member (1953-1956) on the right wearing a white dressMarch 31, 1965Jean Weber, Seattle, Washington 1/543-46Well-dressed men and women exiting a car with men in lederhosen assisting themMarch 31, 1965Jean Weber, Seattle, Washington 1/547-50Well-dressed men and women in front of the theaterMarch 31, 1965Jean Weber, Seattle, WashingtonYWCA Exhibits at Seafirst Bank Lobby, Seattle, WA1/651-57Exhibits created in conjunction with the YWCA Conferences for the International Women's Year and Women in Business.between 1977 and 1978 YWCA Bainbridge Island Camp

The YWCA camp is on Yeomalt Point on Bainbridge Island, Washington

1/758Ferry boat at dock with YWCA sign at the dock's end and people walking on the dock1917?

Written on front of photograph: Y.W.C.A. Dock, Camp Bainbridge.

1/759Group of women gathered on a porch under YWCA sign between 1913 and 1916?

Written on front of photograph: * Hilda A Bergman, YWCA Camp, about 1913-1916. An asterisk appears on the skirt of a woman in the front row. Stamped on verso of photograph: Hilda A. Bergman, 400 Skinner Bldg - Seattle, El. 2120, Pr, 2187

1/760Women standing on the front porch steps on what appears to be a building at Camp Bainbridgebetween 1923 to 1924CoWan Photo, Seattle, 1923

Written on verso; 1924

1/761Well dressed women standing along a porch railing with flower boxes on what appears to be a building at Camp Bainbridge September 1926Linkletter Studio 1/762-64Groups of women on the front porch of a building with a Camp Bainbridge sign1928 1/765Building and tents with forest in the backgroundbetween 1905 and 1930?

Written on verso: YWCA Camp

1/766Tents and buildings on the beach between 1905 and 1930?Alaska Studio, Seattle

Written on verso: YWCA Camp from the Sound

XH367Panorama of tents and buildings on the beach with a sign for Yeomalt Park between 1905 and 1930?Jacobs Photo Shop, Seattle

Written on verso: YWCA Camp.

Whitehorse Mountain Camp

The YWCA owned Whitehorse Mountain Camp was located on Squire Creek in the shadow of Whitehorse Mountain in the Mt. Baker National Forest area, three miles from Darrington, Washington

1/868Possibly a promotion card for the YWCA Whitehorse Mountain camp showing a large field, mountains, a red building and people walking1970? 1/869Campers with their chaperoneJune 23, 1970

Written on verso: YWCA Whitehorse Mountain Camp, May 23, 1970. Nelson Jr. High School, Renton, Y teens. Front row L to R: Cathy DeGrozia, Sharon Slaugh, Lori Vioz, Carol Jensen, Debbie Peck. Back row L to R: Mrs. Alan Ahiens, Teenage Program Director, Linda Logue, Jan[illeg] Hayes, Patty Edmonds, Sue Smith.

1/870Sharon Slaugh, Lori Vioz, Patty Edmonds, Sue Smith, and Debbie Peck sitting in the grass with a large mountain in the background. Campers with their chaperoneJune ,1970 1/871Sharon Slaugh, Sue Smith, and Debbie Peck sitting in a tree June, 19701/872Sharon Slaugh, Lori Vioz, Patty Edmonds, Sue Smith, and Debbie Peck sitting in a tree June, 19701/873Patty Edmonds, Sue Smith, Carol Jensen, and Debbie Peck playing in a field riding piggyback June, 19701/874Patty Edmonds, Sue Smith, Carol Jensen, and Debbie Peck playing in a field and riding piggybackJune, 19701/875Linda Logue, Cathy DeGrozia, Carol Jensen, Patty Edmonds, Sue Smith, Debbie Peck, unidentified girl, and Sharon Slaugh playing in a field June, 19701/876-77Patty Edmonds, Carol Jensen, Cathy DeGrozia, Jan[illeg] Hayes, Sue Smith, Linda Logue, and Lori Vioz dancing in a field June, 19701/878Sharon Slaugh, Lori Vioz, Sue Smith, and Jan[illeg] Hayes running in a field wearing bathing suits June, 19701/879Cathy DeGrozia, Sharon Slaugh, Lori Vioz, Carol Jensen, Debbie Peck, Cathy DeGrozia, Sharon Slaugh, and an unidentified girl standing on a rock island in a riverJune, 19701/880Linda Logue, Lori Vioz, Sharon Slaugh, and Patty Edmonds climbing on fallen treesJune, 19701/881Lori Vioz, Linda Logue, Debbie Peck, and Carol Jensen climbing on fallen treesJune, 19701/882Cathy DeGrozia, Sharon Slaugh, Jan[illeg] Hayes, Linda Logue, and two unidentifiable girls walking in a river June, 19701/883Sue Smith, Carol Jensen, and Lori Vioz jumping from fallen trees into a riverJune, 19701/884Patty Edmonds and Sue Smith walking in a river June, 19701/885Patty Edmonds, Cathy DeGrozia, Jan[illeg] Hayes, Sue Smith, and Linda Logue walking and swimming in a river June, 19701/886Patty Edmonds, Cathy DeGrozia, Jan[illeg] Hayes, Sue Smith, and Linda Logue swimming in a river June, 19701/887Cathy DeGrozia and Patty Edmonds holding on a branch with their legs in a river June, 19701/888Cathy DeGrozia, Patty Edmonds, and Sue Smith playing in a river June, 19701/889Sue Smith and Patty Edmonds playing in a river June, 19701/890Cathy DeGrozia and Debbie Peck hanging laundry June, 19701/891Cathy DeGrozia and Debbie Peck collecting wood June, 1970Seabeck ConferenceM27192Panorama of group at Northwest Y.W.C.A. conference in Seabeck1917Boland, Tacoma

Groups are holding banners reading: Bellingham, Whitman, Everett, Tacoma, Puget Sound, Portland, Greater Fall, Washington, Fahalo, Fellowship, Friends of All, Cosmopolitan, WSC, Missoula, Montana, Weslyan, McMinnville, Oregon, Eugene, Walla Walla, Billings, Idaho, College of Idaho, North Yakima.

Taped to verso: Clipping describing activities of the Cosmopolitan Club.