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 Description
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 Collection
Restrictions on Access :
The collection is open to the public by appointment.
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 :
Collection of Seattle Historical Society Founders' Day and other
events photographs, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle
Administrative Information
Acquisition Information :
Found in collection.
Detailed Description of the Collection
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in
the collection.
Photographs
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
2008.3.1.2: Women in costume inside Carkeek
mansion
8 copies
Negative on file
1911 November
13
1/2
2008.3.1.3: Mrs. William Biglow dressed up
as Princess Angeline
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
2008.3.1.5: Women in costume outside
Carkeek mansion
3 copies
Includes identification list
1912
1/3
2008.3.1.6: Women in costume outside
Carkeek mansion
3 copies
Negative on file
1912
1/3
2008.3.1.7: Three women in
costume
3 copies
Mrs. William Perkins, Mrs. Donworth and Mrs. Rollins
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
2008.3.1.9: Women in costume outside
Carkeek mansion
4 copies
Negative on file
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
2008.3.1.18: Women in costume outside
Carkeek mansion
3 copies
Some identifications on verso
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
2008.3.1.29: Mrs. Sam Crawford
2 copies
French,
Arthur (photographer)
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
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
Seattle Historical Society
members, including Morgan J. Carkeek, around bell tower in Carkeek
Park
undated
8
Mrs. George Riley
Grady (photographer)
1921
9
Morgan J. Carkeek, in group,
nailing park rules sign to tree
circa 1918
10
Emily Carkeek
Grady (photographer)
1921
11
Emily and Morgan
Carkeek
undated
12, 13
People at picnic luncheon
1922 October
15
Morgan J. Carkeek ringing bell
for lunch
undated
16
Ezra Meeker and Morgan J.
Carkeek
undated
17
Two women in Native American
costume outside Carkeek mansion
1911
18
Group, including Morgan and
Emily Carkeek, at park picnic
Clipping describing the picnic is attached to the page.
1923 October 9
19
Group, including Morgan and
Emily Carkeek, at park picnic
undated
21
Women in costume inside Carkeek
mansion
undated
22-24
Park Board picnic
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
Three women in Native American
costume
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
Mrs. Pierre Terry and Mrs. W.N.
Biglow is costume
1914
73
Six young women dressed as
milkmaids on Carkeek mansion porch
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
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online
catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or
places should search the catalog using these headings.
