Anders Beer Wilse came to the United States in 1884 from Norway. By 1890 he had settled in Seattle and was working for the Great Northern Railroad. He later moved to British Columbia during the financial Panic of 1893, but later returned to Seattle in 1896 to work as a cartographer. By 1897, he opened a photography store in Seattle. Wilse joined in partnership with established photographer Daniel W. Kirk in 1898 and worked for him running the Seattle office and developing and printing the images taken by Kirk who traveled to photograph in logging camps and other places. Frustrated by this division of labor, after six months Wilse bought the business from Kirk. He worked in Seattle as a commerical photographer documenting businesses, buildings and public construction activities, including construction of the City of Seattle water supply line and the bicycle path project between Lake Union and Lake Washington. During the Klondike Gold Rush he documented the steamships departing for the Klondike Gold Rush, dog teams, and merchants selling mining supplies. He documented the Laplanders and the more than 500 reindeer they brought to Seattle in 1898 on their way to Alaska to aid gold miners. About one hundred Norwegian Samis (Laplanders) came to care for the herd while it was housed in Woodland Park. After the Gold Rush era, Wilse also documented construction in Seattle such as the creaton of the Denny-Blaine neighborhood and also the buildings at the University of Washington. He visited Neah Bay in 1900 and photographed the Makah Indians and also photographed other Indians in the region.
Wilse's photographs of the Seattle area were frequently used to promote the region as beautiful and full of growth and opportunity, and to bring in more settlers. In 1900, Wilse listed his business as the Seattle Photographic Company. That year, he returned to Norway with the intention of returning to his company in Seattle, however, his wife decided she did not wish to return to the U.S. According the the Washington census, Wilse was still recorded as being in Seattle until 1904. It is likely that he continued working as a Seattle photographer until around 1902. The Seattle Photographic Company continued under the management of one of Wilse's assistants until it closed intil 1913. Wilse continued his photography career in Norway until his death in 1949.
Photographs depicting steamers headed for the Alaska and the Klondike during the Klondike Gold Rush; Laplanders and reindeer that came to Seattle as part of the U.S. Government Reindeer Expedition to Alaska in 1898; and Native Americans in and around Seattle; and the early construction of the Denny-Blaine neighborhood. Also shows images of various Seattle neighborhoods and parks, the Seattle fishing industry, the University of Washington, and the Lake Washington Bicycle Path. Some photos by Wilse and Kirk.
Entire collection can be viewed on the Libraries’ Digital Collections website. Permission of Visual Materials Curator is required to view originals. Contact Special Collections for more information.
Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.
Processed by: Rebecca Harmsen, 2014, Sara Cordes, 2017.
Some photographs were transferred from the Subject files, 2017.
See the Frank Morrill, Jr. Photograph Collection, PH 10 in the repository, for Wilse photographs of the construction of water pipelines.
Wilse's map of Seattle's bike paths indicates the "divide" where the 10 mile long path to Lake Washington heads east around the north end of Capitol Hill on its way to the lake. George Cotterill was the assistant city engineer who directed the construction of the bike paths. The Queen City Cycle Club also assisted with the construction. It was opened June 19, 1897. The snake-like cinder path ran between downtown Seattle and Leschi Park, winding around the north end of Capitol Hill. After 10 miles, the cyclists would reach Leschi Heights. Interlaken Boulevard was later developed out of the bike path.
Steamships were most likely operating in the Gold Rush era carrying passengers.
USS McCulloch, previously USRC McCulloch and USCGC McCulloch, was a ship that served as a United States Revenue Cutter Service cutter from 1897 to 1915, as a United States Coast Guard Cutter from 1915 to 1917, and as a United States Navy patrol vessel in 1917.
S.S. Bertha was a wooden steamer operated under various owners all along the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Operated by the Alaska Commercial Co. from San Francisco to Alaska (Nome) during summer and San Francisco to Panama during the winter. She wrecked in the Fitzhugh Sound while going from Seattle to Valdez in 1902, but was repaired and returned to service. She was purchased by the Alaska Coast Co. in 1906, and in 1912 Alaska Coast Co. merged with Alaska Pacific Steamship Co. to become Pacific Alaska Navigation Co. by H.F. Alexander. She was sold in 1913 and used for northern Freight service by the W.F. Swan Navigation Co., and then used as a loating hotel for miners at Cook Inlet, Alaska in 1914. She was destroyed by fire at Uyak Bay, Kodiak Island, in 1915 when water entered the forward hold and ignited a cargo of lime.
On November 6, 1899, on the S.S. Queen, the First Washington Volunteer Infantry returns from fighting in the Philippines and disembarks at Seattle's Ocean Dock at the foot of Washington Street. The war was started after Spain ceded its Philippine colony to the U.S. due to their defeat in the Spanish-American War of 1898. On February 4, 1899, fighting began to break out between American forces and Filipino nationalists. The war ended three years later in an American victory.The Spanish American War was fought primarily in Cuba and the Philippines, where revolts were under way against Spanish colonial power. The United States, with its own imperial goals, intervened against Spain. As a result of the war, the country acquired its first overseas territories, including Puerto Rico and the Philippines. Governor John R. Rogers declared a state holiday to celebrate the Washington Volunteers' return. They arrived to dozens of welcoming steamers in Elliott Bay and to a waiting crowd reported to be 200,000. They were met with bells, whistles, sirens, yells, screams, and a thunder of aerial bombs from three revenue cutters that "literally rent the air." Seattle organized two of the 12 state Infantry companies that served in the Philippines. Seattle Companies B and D each had a Captain, Lieutenants (2), Sergeants (4), Corporals (12), a Cook, a Musician, an Artificer, a Wagoner, and Privates (38 or 39).
In 1898, more than 500 reindeer were unloaded at Fremont after a transcontinental railroad journey. The reindeer were joined by around 100 Norwegian Samis (Laplanders) who cared for the herd. The reindeer were going to be used to carry food to the starving gold miners on the Yukon River. However, when the trains left New York, it was reported that, while the miners were not starving, the reindeer would still be delivered. From Fremont on March 7, the reindeer were brought to Woodland Park and fenced in. At the Park, they served as a week-long sensation with around 8,000 people coming to see them. During this period, twelve reindeer died from a combination of park grass and snacks fed to them from the crowds. The officer in charge had destroyed their normal diet of moss that was shipped with them, thinking that the reindeer would be fine with hay and grass instead. On March 15, the herd returned to Fremont to prepare for their trip to Alaska. They reached Alaska on January 27, 1899. Later, most of the herd would be lost due to starvation and exhaustion while traveling around Alaska.
Stamped on verso: Wilse Scenic Fotografer
Stamped on verso: Wilse Scenic Fotografer
Stamped on verso: Wilse Scenic Fotografer
Stamped on verso: Wilse Scenic Fotografer
Written on front "Samuel Johanesen Balto that walked across Greenland with Nansen. Medals in Silver from King of Norway, Sweden. Medals in Silver from King of Denmark. Medals in Gold from Citizens of Norway".
Stamped on verso: Wilse Scenic Fotografer
Stamped on verso: Wilse Scenic Fotografer
Stamped on verso: Wilse Scenic Fotografer
Stamped on verso: Wilse Scenic Fotografer
Stamped on verso: Wilse Scenic Fotografer
Stamped on verso: Wilse Scenic Fotografer
Written on photo: Indians over 100 years old.
Possibly Puget Sound Salish Indians
Possibly Puget Sound Salish Indians
Possibly connected to Memorial Service held on November 12, 1899 at Plymouth Congregational Church.
On October 18, 1899, a 60-foot totem pole from Fort Tongass, Alaska, is unveiled in Seattle's Pioneer Square and "greeted by cheers of a multitude of people." The totem had been stolen from a Tlingit village several weeks before and was presented to the City of Seattle by the Chamber of Commerce "Committee of Fifteen" -- the group of Seattle men (who were prominent citizens) that had taken the totem. A federal grand jury in Alaska indicted eight of Seattle's most prominent citizens for theft of government property. The Tlingit Tribe demanded $20,000 for the stolen totem, but settled for $500, which the Seattle Post-Intelligencer paid. On October 22, 1938, an arsonist seriously damaged the totem. It was removed and in 1940 replaced with a replica carved by the descendants of the carvers of the original totem.
Bell's Hotel (also Hotel Bellevue or Bellevue House) was situated at 2330 First Avenue (intersection of First and Battery Streets). William Nathaniel Bell and his wife, Sarah Ann (peter) Bell, were members of the original pioneer group that landed at Alki in 1851. Bellevue Hotel survived the Great Seattle Fire of 1889 and stood at this location from 1883 until 1937.
Between 1890 and 1906, The Denny Hotel (later the Washington Hotel) was advertised as "The Scenic Hotel of the West," and straddled 3rd Avenue between Stewart and Virginia streets on the south summit of Denny Hill. The Denny Hotel was conceived and begun in 1889 by a group of developers including Seattle founding father Arthur Denny (1822-1899). The financial Panic of 1893 halted the proceedings with interiors incomplete, and the turreted shell hung over Seattle for a decade. James A. Moore (1861-1929) bought it and it flourished as the Washington Hotel for one or two summers before it was destroyed as part of the Denny Hill regrade activities.
A second image of the school building is in the upper left hand corner
Thomas Prosch was a key early journalist, historian, and civic booster in Washington, focusing his energy on recording and preserving the history of the region and on civic improvement.
Written on photo: Official inspection tour of the Seattle City Council.
Written on verso: Electric Pile Driver Designed & build by Superintendent Nicholas Dawson of the Seattle Traction Company in March, 1899.
Charles L. Denny was the son of Seattle pioneer Arthur Denny, and Elbert F. Blaine was an attorney and former Seattle Parks Commissioner. In 1901, Denny and Blaine formed the Denny-Blaine Land Company and began buying property adjacent to and to the east and north of the Madrona trolley line, which had just recently been built. They filed their Denny-Blaine Lake Park subdivision with the city and began seeking lot buyers. In order to access the Madrona neighborhood, the realtors of the time developed a park on Lake Washington and a trolley car line from the north side of the park up through the “deep wild canyon” that was described as “one of the most scenic trolley rides to be had in the city.” The land for the Denny-Blaine Park was later donated to the City of Seattle by Denny and Blaine, who were also responsible for sub-dividing the surrounding neighborhood. The newly created nieghborhood, Denny-Blaine, named after them is located on Lake Washington between Madison Park and Madrona and contains many beautiful parks. Beginning at the lake is Whitman Place, also known as Denny-Blaine Place, a charming beachside turnaround with esplanade and seawall. Directly uphill is Viretta Park, named for Viretta Denny the wife of C.L. Denny. Just above that is tiny Stevens Park, or Triangle, named for Isaac Stevens, Washington Territory's first governor. Other parks include Minerva Fountain and Park (named for Blaine's wife). The sign above the shelter -- believed by some to have been designed by the architect Ellsworth Storey (1879-1960) states: "Denny-Blaine Lake Park." At one time the shelter served as the office of the real estate firm. Finally, a virtually hidden little Children's Park, dedicated by Charles and Viretta Denny in 1901, lies on the lakeshore at the east end of Howell Street.
Originally constructed as a real estate office, this one-story log frame structure was later converted for use as a waiting shelter, first for streetcars and then for buses.