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Crosby Store Ledger takes it all in this month’s State Archives Poll

Crosby Store Ledger takes it all in this month’s State Archives Poll

This month’s Archives Treasure goes to the Crosby Store ledger from 1859, with honorable mentions for the picture of the 1990 “Steel Magnolias” photo and an 1857 map of Western Washington Territory. The ledger details the day-to-day transactions of the Crosby Store in Tumwater back in territorial days. The store was located on Reserve Street (now Deschutes Way). It was a general-merchandise emporium and important Tumwater fixture, operated by a settler named Nathaniel Crosby III. The ledger was the last of…

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Vote for your fave Archives Treasure!

Vote for your fave Archives Treasure!

It’s time for March Madness, State Archives style. Over the past few days, we’ve featured three items or collections in our monthly Archives Treasures series. Now it’s time for you choose your fave. The three contestants are an 1857 map of the western half of Washington Territory, 1990 photos of a group of female state representatives known as the “Steel Magnolias,” and the 1859-1860 ledger of the Crosby Store in Tumwater. The online poll is open below. You have until…

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After 100 years, a public record comes home

After 100 years, a public record comes home

Palouse Clerk-Treasurer Mike Bagott (left) hands a very old volume of Palouse City Council minutes to Lee Pierce, an employee with the Washington State Archives. (Photo courtesy of Washington State Archives) Between 1914 and 1920, the town fathers of Palouse, a small Whitman County community near the Idaho border and north of Pullman, kept careful minutes of the meetings of their city council. With elegant strokes of an ink pen, they wrote down the official business of their town in…

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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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State Library Jewel #1: 1924 WA road map

State Library Jewel #1: 1924 WA road map

(Map courtesy of Washington State Library) We recently finished showcasing three special items housed in our State Archives. Now, it’s the State Library’s turn. Starting this week, we’ll do a monthly feature on three of the many rare, unique or interesting items, maps and collections found in the State Library. After we show them off, you and others can vote in our online poll by choosing the State Library “contestant” you like best. After a few days, we’ll announce the…

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Vote for your favorite “Archives Treasure”

Vote for your favorite “Archives Treasure”

Nowadays, we have opinion polls on just about everything. Not wanting to miss the poll train, we’re offering you a chance to sound off on some of our State Archives’ many interesting documents, collections, photos and other historical gems. Starting this month, we’re featuring various “Archives Treasures.” Over the past few days, we’ve showcased three of these treasures for viewing. The first “contestant” is the state boxing license applications submitted by heavyweight legends Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. The second…

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50 years after his first inaugural, Oly honors Dan Evans

50 years after his first inaugural, Oly honors Dan Evans

Dan Evans receives an ovation in the House chamber when he is sworn in as governor in January 1965. (Photos courtesy of Washington State Archives)   Fifty years after his first inaugural, Dan Evans received a warm welcome Wednesday at the Capitol where he once wielded power as a House leader and the state’s only governor elected to three consecutive terms.  Leaders from both parties honored Republican Evans for his work as state legislator, governor, Evergreen State College president, U.S….

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Boxing legend opens “Archives Treasures” poll

Boxing legend opens “Archives Treasures” poll

Former world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali’s boxing license application for our state is just one of millions of documents or other items housed in our Washington State Archives. If you like Washington history, you’ll want to check out this blog series featuring our State Archives and Washington State Library. For years, we’ve talked about how many interesting, historical and cool items are found in the Archives and State Library. Now, we’re going to prove it by showcasing many of these…

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From the Archives: 75th anniversary of Law murder case

From the Archives: 75th anniversary of Law murder case

(Image courtesy of Washington State Archives) Even 75 years later, it’s a murder case shrouded in mystery. On Jan. 5, 1940, Laura Law was found murdered in her Aberdeen home.  Her husband, Dick Law, was a local leader of the International Woodworkers of America union. Laura also was active in the union. The crime was investigated from 1940 to 1953 by the Aberdeen Police Department but never solved. Our State Archives has many photos and documents from Laura Law’s murder…

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From the Archives: Classic photo of Dog House restaurant

From the Archives: Classic photo of Dog House restaurant

(Photo courtesy of Washington State Archives) It may have closed 20 years ago, but the famous Dog House restaurant in Seattle continues to be a fond memory for the many who dined, drank and socialized there. A Seattle P-I columnist described it as “an epoch of Seattle history, a virtually non-stop, open-24-hours run of food, booze, music and fellowship.” The restaurant’s sign perhaps said it best: “All roads lead to the Dog House…where friends meet friends in Seattle.” The Dog…

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