See letters, photographs and other ephemera from two of Seattle's early families.
Unknown man in Minneapolis, Minnesota, ca. 1880
Photograph taken in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Identifier: spl_lj_035
Date: 1880
Wedding Invitation of Orion O. Denny and Narcissa Latimer, March 31, 1889
Narcissa Latimer married Orion Denny on March 31, 1889. Orion was the son of Arthur and Mary Denny and first white male born in Seattle. He served as president of the Denny Clay Company.
Identifier: spl_lj_071
Date: 1889-03-31
Stetson and Post Mill, ca. 1896
Transcribed from back of photograph: "Stetson + Post's Mill, Seattle."
Identifier: spl_lj_062
Date: 1896
Orion and Narcissa Denny home, ca. 1890
Orion was the son of Arthur and Mary Denny and first white male born in Seattle. He served as president of the Denny Clay Company. In the 1890 City Directory, Orion Denny is listed at 1108 Seneca on the NW corner of Boren and Seneca. When his wife, Narcissa, died in 1900 her obituary mentioned that the couple at lived at the 1108 Seneca address for several years. In 1905, Denny constructed a larger mansion designed by Bebb & Mendel on the same street corner (which then went by the address 1204 Boren). It's possible that the home shown here is the home where Denny lived from approximately 1890-1905 before the newer mansion was constructed. The Bebb and Mendel mansion was torn down in 1972.
Identifier: spl_lj_055
Date: 1890
"Monterey" gunboat in Port Orchard dry dock, ca. 1896
The Port Orchard Dry Dock mentioned in the caption is likely the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.
Identifier: spl_lj_067
Date: 1896
Unknown couple, ca. 1865
Tintype portrait of unidentified couple.
Identifier: spl_lj_018
Date: 1865
Unknown woman in Abington, Illinois, ca. 1880
Photograph taken by C.H. Smith in Abingdon, Illinois.
Identifier: spl_lj_023
Date: 1880
Dr. and Dorothea Bickford, Joe and Ollie, Alice Fowler, Emma Reynolds, Lillian Fowler, Florence Wiltsie and husband, Marilyn Wiltsie, ca. 1930
Dr. Ernest L. Bickford was the brother of Arthur Bickford, husband of Clara Latimer Bickford. Clara Latimer Bickford was the daughter of Alexander and Sarah Latimer and sister of Alice Latimer Fowler and Emma Latimer Reynolds. Lillian Fowler was the daughter of Alice Latimer Fowler and her husband Charles Fowler. Ernest and his wife Dorothea Bickford lived in Seattle for 40 years before his death in 1936. Their home, likely where the photograph was taken, was located on Mercer Island for much of that time. Transcribed from back of photograph: ""Dr. Bickford + Wife Dorothea, Joe + Ollie, Aunt Alice Fowler, Aunt Emma Reynolds, Lillian Fowler, Florence Wiltsie + husband [Lee Wiltsie]. Little girl is Marilyn Wiltsie. Bickford Home.""
Identifier: spl_lj_054
Date: 1935
Waldo Lake Or., Camp Edith, ca. 1900
Identifier: spl_lj_068
Date: 1900
Township Plats of King County, Washington Territory - Page 44, Township 23N, Range 8E
This atlas shows early land ownership for King County, Washington, providing names and property boundaries of original purchasers, grantees, claimants, etc.
Identifier: spl_map_218451_P44_T23N_R8E
Date: 1889