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Tag: Gov. Isaac Stevens

Public and traveling libraries 1904
Throwback Thursday: What Washington libraries looked like in 1904

Throwback Thursday: What Washington libraries looked like in 1904

J.A. Gabel, appointed Washington State Librarian in 1902 at just 29 years old, penned an insightful report on the condition of the state library system as “an active and aggressive force” for state education and governance. We found the document well worth sharing, both as an interesting historic record and as an explanation of how the State Library came to grow to its current form. Enjoy! Above is a map of the state’s library system as it existed then: the…

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Archives Treasure poll: Black Panthers protest photos win

Archives Treasure poll: Black Panthers protest photos win

One of the 1969 photos of the Black Panthers protest on the Capitol steps in Olympia. (Photo courtesy Washington State Archives) Judging by the results of February’s Archives Treasures online poll, classic photos are more popular than ever. This month’s poll featuring three items or collections found in the State Archives revealed that the 1969 photos of the Black Panthers protest on the Capitol steps was by far the favorite, as those photos received 63 percent of the votes. The…

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Time to vote for favorite “Archives Treasure”

Time to vote for favorite “Archives Treasure”

Over the past week, we’ve blogged about our three Archives Treasures for February: 1) Photos from the 1969 Black Panther protests at the Capitol; 2) 1976 photos of orcas being captured in Budd Bay near Olympia; and 3) A Colt handgun owned by Hazard Stevens, son of territorial Gov. Isaac Stevens. Now it’s time to pick your favorite. Please vote for your Archives treasure below. We’ll leave our poll open until this Friday at 4 p.m. Happy voting! #1 1969…

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Archives Treasure #3: Stevens’ 1860 Colt Army model

Archives Treasure #3: Stevens’ 1860 Colt Army model

The third Archives Treasure for February is the Colt Army Model handgun owned by Hazard Stevens, the son of Isaac Stevens, the first governor of Washington Territory. The younger Stevens enrolled in Harvard College in 1860, but left at age 19 to join the Union Army during the Civil War. He fought in the Battle of Fredericksburg and served in the Battle of Fort Hunger, for which he received the Medal of Honor. After the war, Hazard Stevens moved to…

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December Library jewel #1: Territory Volunteer papers

December Library jewel #1: Territory Volunteer papers

(Image courtesy of Washington State Library) Many of the collections or documents featured in our “Library jewels” blog series go deep into Washington history. Our first jewel for December goes back to soon after the creation of Washington Territory. It’s the Washington Volunteer papers from 1854 to 1861. The State Library has the story on these documents: The Washington Territorial volunteers were authorized by an Act passed by the Washington Territorial Legislative Assembly January 26, 1855 to organize a militia….

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Goodbye, women’s exhibit

Goodbye, women’s exhibit

After being featured for more than a year in the front lobby of our executive office at the state Capitol, the exhibit highlighting Washington’s female political pioneers was taken down Friday. The exhibit, entitled “Moving Forward, Looking Back: Washington’s First Women in Government,” included large posters focusing on the Washington women who were the first to hold various significant offices in our state, including state representative (Frances Axtell and Nena Jolidon Croake), state senator (Reba Hurn), secretary of state (Belle…

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