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Archive for the ‘Events’ Category

Panama Hotel Receives National Historic Landmark Recognition

Jacqueline Ashwell (right), Superintendent of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in Seattle, presents the National Historic Landmark plaque to Jan Johnson, owner of the Panama Hotel.

Historic Seattle held its quarterly members’ meeting and “Learning from Historic Sites” event at the Panama Hotel (605 1/2 South Main St) in Seattle’s Japantown (Nihonmachi) on Monday, October 15, 2012. About 60 members and new friends attended this special event that offered tours of the bath house and upper floor hotel spaces. What made the evening even more special was the recognition of the Panama Hotel as a National Historic Landmark (NHL)–the highest honor bestowed on a historic place. The property was designated an NHL in 2006. The NHL nomination was prepared by Professor Gail Dubrow who has worked hard to document places of significance in Asian American heritage in the West. The Panama Hotel is featured prominently in her book with Donna Graves, Sento at Sixth and Main. Of course, more recently, the Panama Hotel has gained fame in the book, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.

Jacqueline Ashwell, Superintendent of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in Seattle, presented a beautiful bronze plaque to Panama Hotel owner Jan Johnson in the building’s tea and coffee house. Below is Ms. Ashwell’s speech, eloquently prepared by Gretchen Luxenberg (National Park Service, Cultural Resources). The plaque ceremony was followed by Ms. Johnson’s stories about the building history and the people associated with making the Panama Hotel such a unique and important part of Seattle heritage. Historic Seattle thanks Jan for being such an incredible steward of the building and for her continuing efforts to teach us all about the significance of the Panama Hotel in Japanese American history. (more…)

Volunteer Park Conservatory Celebrates 100 Years with “Victorian Day”

Vintage postcard, 1914, of Volunteer Park Conservatory / Source: UW Special Collections

Join the Friends of the Conservatory as it celebrates the Conservatory’s 100th year with an old-time celebration in Volunteer Park. Come dressed in your best finery from yesteryear or come as you are. An afternoon of festivities is planned. Pack a lunch or choose from several food trucks. Tickets are REQUIRED for the Croquet Tournament fundraiser ($60; $50 Friends of the Conservatory members) but most other activities are free!

WHEN: Sunday, August 12, 1:00 to 6:00 pm

WHERE: Volunteer Park, 1402 E. Galer St., Capitol Hill, Seattle

For details, go to the Volunteer Park Conservatory website.

The Friends of the Conservatory is actively raising funds to renovate the east wing of the conservatory building. More information on the condition of the structure and efforts to save the building can be found here.

See the World in Southeast Seattle

From the Department of Neighborhoods Historic Preservation Program:

Over the past two years, Southeast Seattle’s rich cultural heritage has been documented through a series of posters, essays and reports prepared by community historians.  The Southeast Seattle Community History Project focuses on the area south of I-90 and east of I-5, including the neighborhoods of Beacon Hill, Mount Baker, Rainier Valley, Seward Park and Rainier Beach.  These neighborhoods are home to several City of Seattle Landmarks, but much of the community’s history has not previously been documented.  The Seattle Historic Preservation Program invites you to explore our city’s history, and learn about the people and places that make it unique.

For more information on the Southeast Seattle Community History Project, go to the Department of Neighborhoods website.

Please join Deputy Mayor Darryl Smith and Councilmember Sally Clark:

Celebrate the Southeast Seattle Community History Project & pick up your free copies of SE Seattle Posters

WHEN: Friday June 1st at 5:30pm

WHERE: Royal Esquire Club, 5016 Rainier Avenue South in the Columbia City Landmark District (near Columbia City Light Rail)

Free all-ages public event sponsored by City of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Historic Preservation Program

Historic Seattle Building Renovation Fair – Saturday, April 14

Join Historic Seattle at the second annual Building Renovation Fair, Saturday, April 14, from 10 am to 4 pm, at historic Washington Hall (153 14th Avenue, Seattle). Take this opportunity to meet the region’s experts in old buildings (we expect 25 vendors)–the salvage houses, restoration and renovation architects, contractors, interior designers, and trades people who appreciate working on the components of old houses in glass, wood, metal, tile and ceramics, plumbing, electrical, hardware, painting, plaster, and wood windows. Presentations are offered throughout the day. For full descriptions of the presentations and the renovation fair, go to Historic Seattle’s website.

Timeless Style, Modern Living – 11 am
Carol Sundstrom, AIA, röm architecture studio

Masonry Restoration – 12 pm
Marty Smith, Director of Business Development, VanWell Masonry

Preparing your Historic Home for Earthquakes – 1 pm
Bruce Schoonmaker, A-FFIX LLC

Interior Storm Windows for Old Buildings – 2 pm
Van Calvez, MSE, LEED AP, Windovative Design LLC

Laser Scanning as a tool for Historic Preservation – 3 pm
Brad Freeman, Triad Associates

2012 Historic Seattle Program / Annual Members Meeting January 23

Historic Seattle’s 2012 Program is here! We begin the new year with our Annual Meeting at the Neptune Theatre (co-sponsored by Seattle Theatre Group). Please join us on Monday, January 23, 2012 at 5:30 pm. You’ll enjoy a special performance by Book-It Repertory Theatre of The Future Remembered, adapted from the HistoryLink retrospective celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Seattle World’s Fair. Details about this event are on our website. You can download the program brochure on our website or go to our Events Calendar to see our slate of events for the year and register on-line. Members attend events at a discounted price and get access to special members’ only events. If you’re not a Historic Seattle member, we encourage you to join!