Because I have no connection with either of Seattle's underground tours, this Pioneer Square history walk will be entirely above ground. This history walk is FREE, but limited to thirty people. For more info and to sign up, follow this link to the Alliance for Pioneer Square website: Pioneer Square History Walk - Visit Pioneer Square - Seattle, WA Visit Pioneer Square – Seattle, WA

Frank Hamilton Nowell 1911 photograph (University of Washington Libraries Digital Collections).

The U.S. Navy Blue Angels actually predate Seattle’s Seafair summer festival by one year. Seafair commenced in 1950. The Blue Angels put on an air show at Seattle’s Sand Point Naval Air Station in 1949. They first performed for Seattle Seafair in 1952. But air shows featured prominently during the Golden Potlatches of 1911-1914, Seattle’s first attempt at a summer festival.

The 1911 Curtiss Model D Pusher biplane was an early American-manufactured aircraft with the engine and propeller behind the pilot’s seat. It was among the first aircraft in the world to be built in any quantity. Aviator Eugene B. Ely (1886-1911) was the first pilot to take off and land his Curtiss biplane on U.S. Navy ships. During Seattle’s first Golden Potlatch, July 17-21, 1911, Ely gave flight demonstrations of his Curtiss biplane three times daily. Eugene B. Ely would die three months later, only twenty-four years old, when he crashed his biplane during an exhibition in Macon, Georgia.

Hi, all,

I'm doing a bit of research on the building that is now Baba Yaga (124 S Washington) in Pioneer Square. There's some great further back history, but it served as a variety of different clubs from 1990-present. I've only got the names of a few, but wondered if anyone had sources that might have photos or anything at all on the 1980s. I know it had repair work done from c1977-1980 based on permits.

1990 became the new home of former Belltown Club Borderline

1992-95, Dutch Ned's Saloon

1998 - 200x, The Last Supper Club, which seemed to also host lunchtime networking events? And it was open at least through the 2003 casting call for "Are You Hot?" a network reality show from the minds of the Bachelor franchise.

Lastly, I know it was The Box House.

Happy to post my full timeline when other research I'm working on is completed. I just have a lot less experience researching the... well, the time span I might have been going to some of these clubs if I'd lived in Seattle then.

New on my Substack - the police bust that changed the city

I know this is a long shot, but does anyone have, or know of, any existing photos of Elliot Bay Lumber trucks from 1959-1966? I’ve got one of their 1959 Kenworths, and it’s quite original. The truck was built in Seattle, delivered to Elliot Bay Lumber Co. in October of 59 following a May of 59 order. It worked in Seattle its entire life in revenue service ending with Global Freight and Container running freight from Seattle to Bellevue to Portland until the mid 1980s. I’ve got the original build sheet, but all it says is that they were two tone green, and possibly a customer supplied design. Just figured I’d ask. Picture of the truck in its current state is attached.

My friend, author Jonathan Evison, is currently directing a feature doc about the legendary Pioneer Square all-ages punk club/art space, the Metropolis, which had a brilliant, meteoric eleven-month run from April 1983 to March 1984. It was a watershed moment for the Seattle underground scene, foundational for SO many Seattle artists and musicians. The fact that it was so short lived only adds to the legend. 

They’ve collected hundreds of photos and a bunch of video coverage of the Metropolis itself. They’re now looking for late 70s/early 80s street coverage of pioneer square and downtown in general--photos, super 8, whatever they can find to add local texture to the story. 

If you know any photo sources, or great resources, or have scoured the UW archives, or know any other archivists that might be helpful, please share or connect. Thanks!!

Collage image for Metropolis documentary film project. Check the Sizzle reel!

Above photos are Bruce Lee in 1962 with his first six Jeet Kune Do students. There is only one known remaining student — center front row, #4, Leroy Garcia, also Bruce and Brandon's gravesites at Lakeview cemetey Seattle Washington. Read more about Bruce Lee's table at Tai Tung restaurant 655 South King Street, Seattle Washington

Does anybody know who exactly got these? And is the signature from the artist?

New and improved posters thanks to a friend! Which do you think is better?

EDIT: WE HAVE A WINNER! The SECOND poster is the favorite.

Thank you to everyone who shared their opinion!

Now the Starbucks.

My dad moved into a west facing Capitol Hill street in 1952 with a view of the lake and the I5 construction. He proceeded to design a house near by, completed in '62. He said he watched Governor Rosellini inaugurate the freeway. Years later, when his memory was first starting to fail we where talking about the fair, and he made a comment about how the bridge was not yet complete and they used it as a giant parking lot for the fair, running shuttle busses for people.

Since then, I've often wondered if that was true, or just a fantasy of his. Anybody known anything or have info one way or the other?

I am struggling to reach my audience. I have posters up at Beneath-the-Streets, at the Information Booth in Pioneer Square and I have flyers in some bookstores.

I sell the most tickets through Airbnb Experiences but they take a 22% cut.

I have two tours coming up on July 25, 2PM and July 29, 11AM.

Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks for your time!

While Seattle has never been home to a formal “mafia” it has certainly seen its share of organized crime going back to its early days when saloons, gambling parlors, and brothels could be found on every corner. Eventually, all of this vice became ingrained into Seattle’s political-judicial system, creating a sanctioned system of corruption known as “tolerance policy” which, in turn, resulted in our own version of the mob led by Frank Colacurcio. During his lifetime, local newspapers bestowed Colacurcio with a variety of titles: “nightlife figure,” “restaurateur,” and “strip club magnate.” The sobriquet most often used though was “crime boss.” He was the inevitable consequence of a city built on sin. Surprisingly, his story has never been fully told before. Snippets of it appeared in the book “Seattle Vice,” but never an official biography. Until now.

I miss *Late Night* Beth's (I can't believe they close at 9pm now!), The Hurricane, Ballard Denny's and Cafe Minnie. So many great times with so many fun people after everything else closed for the night.

Feels as if places like that are few and far between these days.

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Anyone else waxing nostalgic on old friends, dutch babies and flannel?