For more than two decades, Feliks Banel has been one of the Pacific Northwest’s most trusted keepers of memory. His Emmy Award–winning television work for the Seattle Channel, Edward R. Murrow Award–winning radio and podcast reporting, and his years as deputy director of MOHAI (1999–2006) have shaped how generations understand Seattle’s past.
Today, Feliks is the producer and host of CASCADE OF HISTORY, the region’s most popular live radio show and podcast devoted to local history, public affairs, culture, and preservation. Across all his platforms, he is one of Seattle’s most fearless chroniclers of preservation battles, documenting threats, advocating for architectural integrity, and holding institutions accountable for the futures of historic places.
His reporting on the proposed sale and out‑of‑state relocation of the National Archives at Seattle (Sand Point) in 2020 exemplifies this commitment. Feliks broke the story and illuminated why the archives matter: treaty documents for more than 270 federally recognized tribes; 50,000 files from the Chinese Exclusion Act; records from Japanese American incarceration camps; and more. “People say they can feel their ancestors in these documents,” he noted. A new archive center will soon be built in Seattle.
Feliks brought the same clarity and conviction to the fight over Memorial Stadium, built in 1947 to honor 762 Seattle high school graduates who died in World War II. “The stadium itself is the memorial,” he reminded listeners. Only the memorial wall remains. And during the Gas Works Park controversy, Feliks again became the primary watchdog, documenting the City’s attempts to bypass required approvals, filming the moment the first tower was cut in April and returning day after day as crews worked and withdrew.
For Feliks, preservation is not only about protecting structures. It’s about honoring the people, communities, and stories that give places meaning.
Historic Seattle proudly recognizes Feliks Banel for his unwavering dedication to storytelling, advocacy, and truth‑telling in service of Seattle’s history.
Images courtesy of Feliks Banel
