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Ric Weiland Ephemera Collection, circa 1956-2002

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Weiland, Richard W. "Ric"
Title
Ric Weiland Ephemera Collection
Dates
circa 1956-2002 (inclusive)
1975-1990 (bulk)
Quantity
1 box (.21 cubic feet) plus oversize materials
Collection Number
2007.9, 2016.10 (Accession nos.)
Summary
Ephemera and other materials collected by Ric Weiland, mostly related to his involvement with the local gay community; also includes a few items related to his work at Microsoft.
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.
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Biographical Note

Richard "Ric" Weiland (1953-2006) was a software developer, programmer, philanthropist, and active member of the Northwest gay community. Interested in computers from a young age, Weiland built a computer in his basement in eighth grade, and while at Lakeside School formed the Lakeside Programming Group with classmates Bill Gates and Paul Allen. In 1975, Weiland became the first full-time employee hired by Gates and Allen at the newly founded Microsoft company. He retired in 1988 at age 35 and devoted his time to using his wealth to support the LGBTQ+ social justice movement, as well as environmental, health, and education causes. He also worked with large corporations to ban workplace sexual discrimination and traveled across the Northwest to help gay communities in small towns and rural areas. Upon his death, his estate donated $160 million to various charities, including $65 million to the Pride Foundation in Seattle and ten other LGBTQ+ nonprofits, and large sums to Stanford University, and toward environmental protection and scientific research. In many cases, his bequest was the largest donation ever received by these groups.

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Content Description

The bulk of the collection is made up of ephemera related to events in the Seattle gay community, including posters, tickets, programs, mailers, and fliers. Many of the items relate to the three annual events sponsored by the nonprofit Tacky Tourist Clubs of America, founded in Seattle in the early 1980s: The Queen City Cruise, The Prom You Never Went To, and Things That Go Bump in the Night, also known as "The Bump," a Halloween costume party. Other events include theatrical and musical performances, sports events, various parties and celebrations, and a brunch with Mayor Charles Royer, a supporter of the gay community. "The Trail Blazer," a guide to the Pacific Northwest for the gay community, includes maps to destinations in Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver. One studio photo shows Weiland with his partner Mike Schaefer and their dog Kofi; and a holiday card includes a snapshot of Weiland wearing his homemade Pegasus Halloween costume. The collection also includes a few publications and clippings related to the gay community. Weiland's time working for Microsoft is represented by one Microsoft poster and 4 business cards. The collection also includes one video, of a Tacky Tourist Club cruise in 1985.

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Use of the Collection

Alternative Forms Available

View selections from the collection in digital format here.

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.

Preferred Citation

Ric Weiland Ephemera Collection, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

Arranged in two accessions:

  • Accession No. 2007.9, Ric Weiland Ephemera Collection, circa 1956-2002
  • Accession No. 2016.10, Ric Weiland Ephemera Collection, circa 1975-1990

Location of Collection

4a.16 (box), 12b.3.5 (newspapers), VI.a.10 (posters)

Acquisition Information

Donated by Mike Schaefer in 2007 and 2016.

Separated Materials

Two computers, costumes, clothing, and accessories were part of the donations, and are housed separately by MOHAI's Collections department.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • LGBTQ+ people
  • Philanthropists
  • Sexual minority activists

Personal Names

  • Weiland, Richard W. "Ric"--1953-2006--Archives

Corporate Names

  • Microsoft Corporation
  • Tacky Tourist Clubs of America

Geographical Names

  • Seattle (Wash.)

Form or Genre Terms

  • Ephemera

Finding aid prepared by Jody Hendrickson
2025

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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