Rob Smith
Seattle Magazine Cover 1969: Abortion Rights Fight
The state legislature in 1969 was embroiled in debate over a woman’s right to choose
Courtesy of Jade D’Addario, Special Collections, The Seattle Public Library Back in 1970, almost three years prior to Roe v. Wade, Washington voters became the first in the country to vote to legalize abortion. This “Seattle” magazine cover, from 1969, reflects the debate raging across the state at the time. According to Cassandra Tate on…
Seattle Magazine Cover 1968: Tumultuous Times
This ‘Seattle’ magazine cover from October 1968 reflects the turbulence of the era
In early October 1968, a Seattle police officer shot and killed a 17-year-old Black boy after he threatened them with a rifle. According to David Wilma, writing on Historylink.org, the very next day two Seattle police officers were ambushed and wounded in retaliation. Welton Armstead’s death was eventually ruled “justifiable,” but a headline in a…
Headed for Tomorrow. Future Seattle May Look Very Different.
No parking downtown. Office buildings repurposed for affordable housing. The Seattle of the future will look very different. Here’s why that’s a good thing.
Years before they became coprincipals at Seattle’s Spectrum Development, Jake McKinstry and Gabe Grant got a clear glimpse of Seattle’s future. McKinstry’s education came courtesy of a three-year stint as a member of Seattle’s Planning Commission. He became keenly aware of the city’s considerable challenges around zoning, transportation and urban density. Grant spent his time…
Carmen Best Is Doing Just Fine
How can we create the future we want?
Retired Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best was thrust into the national spotlight in the summer of 2020 when the city erupted in protests. Many devolved into violence, and resulted in the subsequent months-long occupation of six downtown blocks. Protestors called for the city to defund or abolish the police. The Seattle City Council threatened to…
Julie Stein and the Burke Museum. A Natural History Evolution.
Julie Stein calls it a career after launching the new Burke
In a distinguished career as a professor of geoarchaeology at the University of Washington and a three-decade stint at Seattle’s nationally renowned Burke Museum, Julie Stein is quick to identify one standout moment. “It has to be cutting the ribbon for the new Burke,” says Stein, who retired in March after 16 years as executive…
Photography: Three Days in Seattle
Photo essay explores the experience from a unique perspective
Madison Street has always fascinated photographer Eirik Johnson. It’s the only major thoroughfare that completely bisects the city, from the waterfront to Madison Park and Lake Washington. It traverses diagonally through Capitol Hill and Madison Valley. “There’s a lot you can dig into there,” says Johnson, a professional photographer who also serves as programs chair…
Sonic Blast From The Past
Popular Facebook site recalls the glory of the Seattle SuperSonics
In one photo, NBA Hall of Famer and former Sonics great Jack Sikma maneuvers to take his deadly accurate fallback jump shot. In another, Hall of Famer Gary Payton lobs a perfect pass as teammate Shawn Kemp slams yet another alley-oop dunk. Those are just two of the thousands of old pictures, game clippings, feature…
A Take on Bake
Sahana Vij’s dessert cookbook marries her love of cooking and philanthropy
It’s hard to say what’s more impressive: the fact that Sahana Vij wrote a cookbook as a teenager or that she’s donating all of its proceeds to charity. The Redmond native, now a freshman at the University of California–Irvine, majoring in literary journalism, is the author of “Bake Away: Twenty Recipes Capturing the Spirit of…
Near-Beer Seer
Figurehead’s Bob Monroe has a uniquely personal reason for creating a nonalcoholic craft beer
It’s been years since Bob Monroe has had more than a sip of his own beer. That’s about to change. Shortly after cofounding the popular Figurehead Brewing Co. in Seattle five years ago, Monroe got some surprising news: He had an autoimmune disease that makes him prone to pancreatitis. He was told if he continued…
Fast Food Meets Fine Dining
Seattle’s first ‘fast-fine’ restaurant will soon open its doors
Thanks to Christian Chan, Seattle will soon become the place where fine dining meets fast food. In April, Chan will open Bloom, a grab-and-go “fast-fine” restaurant the likes of which he says Seattle has never seen. “This is not a term we originated. It’s used on the East Coast a lot,” says Chan, who is…
