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From the Archives: Classic mountain photos!

From the Archives: Classic mountain photos!

Mountains are among the physical marvels that draw visitors throughout the world to our state and make Washingtonians proud to call this place home. Our mountains serve as grand and inspiring, yet dangerous, playgrounds for climbers, scramblers, backpackers, dayhikers and others wanting to get close to nature. Several of Washington’s most notable peaks are dormant volcanoes, including one (Mount St. Helens) that has been active more than once in recent decades. You can find many classic photos of Washington’s best-known…

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From the Archives: Mount St. Helens photos

From the Archives: Mount St. Helens photos

If you mention “May 18, 1980” to an older Washingtonian, you’ll likely get a knowing response: It’s the day Mount St. Helens erupted. It was on a sunny morning 37 years ago today that the eruption blew off the top 1,300 feet from its once cone-like summit, killing 57 people and thousands of animals, and destroying or flattening thousands of acres of timber. The eruption occurred when the mountain’s north face collapsed due to an earthquake, resulting in the largest…

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May Library Jewel #1: Spectacular photos of St. Helens eruption

May Library Jewel #1: Spectacular photos of St. Helens eruption

(Photo courtesy of Washington State Library) Days after documents related to the unforgettable 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption topped this month’s Archives Treasures online poll, we’re kicking off the May edition of State Library Jewels with a collection of aerial photos of the world-famous mountain during and after it literally blew its top and knocked down or buried 230 square miles of forest beneath volcanic deposits. The eruption killed 57 people. The aerial and satellite shots of the mountain were…

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35 years later, Mount St. Helens docs top Archives poll

35 years later, Mount St. Helens docs top Archives poll

The anniversary of the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens is still a memorable date for many Washingtonians. It also helped propel the documents related to that iconic volcanic event to an easy win in the May Archives Treasures online poll. The St. Helens eruption docs, which include a letter from President Jimmy Carter to Gov. Dixy Lee Ray, gathered 49 percent of the votes. The 1975 Vietnamese refugee photos and documents finished second with 33 percent, followed by Seattle…

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May Archives Treasures: Let’s vote!

May Archives Treasures: Let’s vote!

We’ve launched this month’s Archives Treasures online poll, so it’s time to vote on your favorite among these three choices: Seattle pioneer David Denny’s powder horn, photos and documents from the 1975 arrival of Vietnamese refugees in Washington, and documents related to the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. Vote using our online poll below. The poll closes at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, so don’t miss out on voting! Seattle pioneer David Denny’s powder horn 1975 Vietnamese refugee photos, documents…

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Archives Treasure #3: Mount St. Helens eruption docs

Archives Treasure #3: Mount St. Helens eruption docs

Monday marks the 35th anniversary of a tragic “where-were-you-when-it-happened” moment for many Washingtonians: the eruption of Mount St. Helens. On the morning of May 18, 1980, the cone-shaped volcano erupted violently, killing 57 people and thousands of animals, unleashing devastating mudslides, damaging or destroying more than 4 billion board feet of timber and sending an ash plume 12 miles into the sky and covering much of Eastern Washington with the gritty ash. The 1980 event was the deadliest and most…

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From Digital Archives: Iconic WA landscapes

From Digital Archives: Iconic WA landscapes

Elephant Head Rock on the Washington coast. There’s no denying that Washington has many beautiful places and a wide variety of stunning landscapes, from rugged ocean beaches and evergreen forests to jagged, glacier-clad mountains, deep blue lakes and sagebrush-strewn deserts. Our state’s amazing beauty has attracted photographers for years — that’s evident when you scan through the collections of photos on our Digital Archives website. These photos below are found in a collection includes 256 glass lantern slides taken between…

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From Your Corner of Washington: Mount Rainier & other peaks

From Your Corner of Washington: Mount Rainier & other peaks

Summer temperatures in Western Washington usually are warm and comfortable. When temps around here become too hot for comfort, many people do one of two things: They either find saltwater or head up to the mountains. If you choose the latter, it’s tough to beat a day on majestic Mount Rainier. A day hike to Camp Muir, nestled on Rainier’s south side, can bring a cool, gentle breeze and plenty of quiet and solitude. Remember to use lots of sunscreen…

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Remembering Mount St. Helens & May 18 eruption

Remembering Mount St. Helens & May 18 eruption

(Photo courtesy of Washington State Library.) For many Washingtonians, the eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980, is one of those moments forever ingrained in collective memory. Saturday is the 33rd anniversary of the iconic mountain blowing her top. We  feature photos from our State Archives and State Library showing how the mighty mountain and nearby Spirit Lake were popular recreational spots in the years before the devastating eruption. The last photo shows the mountain sending ash thousands…

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Hard Times in Washington: Mount St. Helens eruption

Hard Times in Washington: Mount St. Helens eruption

Photo courtesy of Washington State Archives Those who witnessed this once-beautiful mountain’s eruption on May 18, 1980, will never forget the incredible destruction and the ash cloud that seemed to rise endlessly into the sky. In the late 1990s, the Johnston Ridge Observatory and Visitor Center was opened to the public, offering a breathtaking view of St. Helens and its massive crater. If you want to visit Johnston Ridge before winter returns, do it soon. At the end of the…

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