Check out this modern description of Seattle (Brier: 2015, theater)

[pnwguy2]

"Casual visitors to Seattle are often puzzled by the many faces the city can present. It can be a cozy homelike city with green lawns, trimmed shrubbery, and tree-lined boulevards, or it can be a young, industrial giant looking for new jobs to test its strength. It can be a boomtown, bursting at the seams, singing its own praises, or it can be reserved, quiet, unassuming. It can be aggressive, vigorous, pushing all obstacles aside to accomplish its purpose, or it can be relaxed, carefree, enjoying leisure and outdoor fun. It can be a modern city of tall buildings, fine shops and theaters, excellent restaurants, or it can be a frontier town."

This is from a book called "Sawdust Empire", written by Howard M. Brier, published in 1958.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by pnwguy2

This is from a book called "Sawdust Empire", written by Howard M. Brier, published in 1958.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

[GatsbyGatz]

It sounds like NIMBYs existed even in 1958.

[homesinseattle]

Couldn't have said it better in 2015.

[Chris Meyers]

The frontier town part was a lot more real in 58. I miss that more pioneering frontier spirit. There was a lot of that left when I grew up here in the 70s and 80s. I feel that frontier spirit a lot in our current times in places like Montana and ND like near the Bakken. Been there many times in the last few years.

[take57]

One for the ages. Thanks for posting that !!!

[pnwguy2]

You are welcome. This book was written by my grandfather, and is still available on Amazon. It is a good read, and this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to his view of the region in the mid to late 50's. Brier wrote many other books, mostly for adolescents in the 40's, but this was one of his last works. He was also a professor at the U-Dub for many years. My grandfather died in '69 when I had just turned 10, I wish I had more of an opportunity to know and speak to him as an adult.

[pnwguy2]

Thanks for all your comments, and reps, the most I have ever received under my current handle and a past one. I really appreciate it. But it really goes to my Grandfather. Seattle has a great history, and we need to keep track of what some scholars have said. I look forward to many more decades of growth for Washington State and Seattle. I think it is a gimme.
If you have any further interest in Briers books, please search "Howard M. Brier" on Amazon. This isn't for any monetary gain, as many in the publishing industry will tell you, there is little money in old books. However, his thoughts are important, and his writing is important, and that is what I would like to keep alive.

[homesinseattle]

pnwguy, good on you for keeping his legacy alive. My grandparents were writers and I try to do the same. If we don't have history, what do we have?