Tag Archives: Thursday Hidden Treasure
…A Gift Horse
Thursday Hidden Treasure
We currently call the Museum of History & Industry by its acronym, “MOHAI” but it wasn’t always the case. After the museum was built in 1952, it was mainly known by its full name (they didn’t even use the ampersand like we do now!) sometimes with the addition of “given to the City of Seattle and administered by the Seattle Historical Society.” I’m exhausted just writing it. Continue reading »
…Burning Bright
Thursday Hidden Treasure
These two gas lamps were donated to the Museum in 1959 by the Washington Natural Gas Company in order to commemorate the “gas-light era” of Seattle’s history. This era was from 1874-1901 when Seattle’s street lights were primarily lit with gas and not electricity. It wasn’t until 1901 that the street lights were all converted to run on electricity. Continue reading »
…Creative Reuse
Thursday Hidden Treasure
Table Lamp With Base Made From Wood From the Ship Diamond Head
Note: Electric table lamp, wooden parts were made from original railing from the ship Diamond Head. Ship built in 1866 as the Gainsborough in England, wrecked on Diamond Head, Hawaiʻi, raised and renamed. Oil barge for General Petroleum since ca. 1915; ca. 1938 tore railing, etc. off her. Ship moored on Lake Union by the City Light Plant; lamp has tan, red and black paper shade with electric cord.
…Incorrect and Somewhat Inappropriate Acronyms
Thursday Hidden Treasure
“Ride the S.L.U.T., South Lake Union Trolley” T-Shirt, Ca. 2008
Note: Seattle’s South Lake Union Trolley – officially “Streetcar” – began running from South Lake Union to downtown in December of 2007. The “urban legend” holds that the use of the name “trolley” was abandoned when city planners realized the “SLUT” acronym, but officials maintain that “streetcar” had been originally selected to provide a more modern-sounding name and that “trolley” had never been in use. Shirt was purchased by donor at Kapow! Coffee Shop on Harrison Street. Donor stated that he used to wear the shirt in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, but stopped wearing it when he moved to Bellevue, considering its humor out of place in the eastside neighborhood.
Thursday Hidden Treasure highlights artifacts in MOHAI’s collection that are not on everyday display.
…Prepared for the Weather
Thursday Hidden Treasure
Plaster Figure of “Umbrella Man”, Local Figure
Note: From Catalog Card: Plaster Statue, “Umbrella Man”. 9 in. high, 3½ inches square base. Standing in front of a soap box, was a character in Seattle who invented an umbrella hat, which he always wore. Was a pensioner of the Civil War, lived on a houseboat on Lake Union, his name was Robert W. Patten, known as “the maker of Seattle’s weather.” “Dok” Hager conceived the idea of using his likeness in caricature as subject for his daily weather cartoon in the Seattle Times newspaper. Mr. Patten was born February 29, 1811 in New York. He mended crockery, umbrellas and glue and repaired other items to supplement his pension. After a stroke, he moved to Soldier’s home at Orting, in 1911 moved to soldier’s home in Los Angeles.
Thursday Hidden Treasure highlights artifacts in MOHAI’s collection that are not on everyday display.
…Tickling the Ivories
Thursday Hidden Treasure
Seattle’s First Piano(?)
Brought Here in the Late 1870s by Mr. David Kellogg as a Gift to His Wife
Note: Dark mahogany wood construction, wood lace design, maroon silk backing, porcelain castors, octagonal legs.
From Catalog Card: Piano. Plate “Seattle’s 1st piano, brought here in the late 1870′s by Mr. David Kellogg as a gift to his wife Anna”, upright, dark mahagony stain, wood lace design with maroon silk backing in front, Royal London Model, mnfd. by Ralph Allison and Sons, London, covered keys, yellowed keys, torn silk backing.
In the Seattle City Directory, D. Kellog was listed as a bookkeeper at corner of 4th and Columbia. From directories of 1885 and 1886 he was manager of Puget Sound Hide Co, wool pullers, dealers in wool and tanners, on Yesler’s wharf. Residence was South East corner of 5th and Madison. 1889 through 1891 directories show that Kellog, D & Co. owned by D. Kellog and A.E. Goetz, hide dealers and tanners and their factory in Fremont on Lake Union. Their office was on Yesler’s Wharf, with his residence at 5th and Madison. In 1894 and 1895 city directories, he was manager of Yesler Wood, Coal and Lumber Co. on Yesler’s Wharf. In 1897-1900 he was in the real estate business with offices in the New York Block. Home still was at 426 Madison Street.
Piano was gift of donor’s father, David Kellogg, to his wife Anna. Donor asserts piano was “Seattle’s 1st.” Review of accession file and biographical research of David Kellogg, however, appears to refute donor’s claim.
David Kellogg born in Maine in 1835. His family moved to Illinois in 1847, and David moved to Chicago in 1851. From 1856-57 he was quite active in abolitionist activities related to admission of Kansas to the Union. From 1857-59 he spent time traveling across America, spending documented time in Memphis, Tennessee, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Boston, Massachusetts. In July 1859 he left Boston, Massachusetts and arrived in San Francisco, California in November 1859. From there he left for Victoria, British Columbia in 1861 and eventually landed in Seattle in 1862. In 1862-63 he founded Kellogg Brothers Drug Store with his brother Gardner Kellogg, who later became Seattle’s first auditor, postmaster, fire chief, and fire marshal. In 1863 David returned to Chicago, where found work as a traveling salesman. In 1868 he married Anna Tull of Monroe, Michigan and then returned to Seattle. From 1868-79 he worked for Yesler & Co., and in 1886 he founded Seattle Hide & Leather Co. Some of David Kellogg’s manuscripts (dated 1852-1916) are stored in the Sophie Frye Bass Library at MOHAI.
Thursday Hidden Treasure highlights artifacts in MOHAI’s collection that are not on everyday display.
