1970's Seattle (Tacoma, Bremerton, White Center: houses, neighborhood, construction)

[seattlerain]

Earlier today I was sent a link to a website full of for the most part 1970's Seattle.

This was Seattle, as few people on this forum will have seen it...and it brought back a lot of memories…this was Seattle many years before it hit the national stage.

Seattle was much more of a “working city” back then, very little polish and glamour, and in some ways I miss it greatly.

Looking at some of these pictures it almost feels as if I've been away for many years and now I've come home...

Pre-restoration Pike Place Market

First Avenue (Skid Road)

Pioneer Square

Downtown Seattle


The rest of the collection can be found here:


cyesewski.com|Wondering in Seattle

[5chevin5]

Dungeness Crab $1.09 a pound!! Woohoooo!!!

Man those are some great pics, Seattle looked like a fun little town then.
Some shots reminded me of NYC in the 70's....

Thanks for sharing
5

[Ira500]

I love those pictures, and remember when Seattle was a little more "rough and tumble...I can't remember the year but it had to be around '77 when Tiny Freeman ran for Mayor as an anarchist Republican, and got something like 20% of the votes.

[5chevin5]

Actually I have even dug deeper....(work obviously is not a focus today...must get back to it!)
So amazed at the texture and presence of the photos I had to send the photographer an email of appreciation for sharing his minds eye.

Some of the photos give me chicken skin (tori hada..ne!)

Its so voyueristic huh....cool!
5

[azoria]

I wasn't here, but in northern California in the late 70's when Seattle went belly up, I remember seeing a billboard on the news "Will the last person leaving Seattle please turn out the lights."

Back then Seattle was know a rough outback of dock workers, loggers, fisherman, and backwoods hippies.

Sorry I missed it.

Couple of months ago I was talking with a friend and mentioned that I was looking for an area around here with some friendly neighborhood dive taverns, greasy spoon cafes, and real down home people. He said I should try Bremerton.

So I did. What a disappointment. The whole town has been dug out and hauled away, nothing left but a massive construction pit and a couple of parking lots. In what was clearly the old town area there are a few buildings left standing, being reinvented as art galleries, coffee houses, and spas. No pawn shops, no mom and pops, no dives, no nuthin'. All gone.

Geez....is there any place around here besides White Center that isn't some kind of yuppie reinvention?

[Ira500]

Geez....is there any place around here besides White Center that isn't some kind of yuppie reinvention?


South Park. Skyway. Parts of Tacoma.

[allforcats]

Originally Posted by Ira500

South Park.

You mean -- I could find Eric Cartman?? And little Kenny??? AND BUTTERS???

[5chevin5]

Timmy!!!!!!

[allforcats]

Originally Posted by seattlerain

This was Seattle, as few people on this forum will have seen it...

"Oriental Waffles"?? "Red Eared Turtles"?? -- turtles have ears?
The Kingdome....

I first came here in '82. I did see a few cowboys then, and a few longshoremen and other "ruffians" (a word my grandmother used), and they, along with all the full-bearded men walkin' around, made the town seem so exotic and rough to me.

Seattlerain, these are great photos! Thank you so much for sharing them with us!
(P.S. Turns out the photographer was wandering in Fairbanks at the same time that I was wandering in Fairbanks. This will be fun! Thank you.)

[obsidian97]

Originally Posted by allforcats

You mean -- I could find Eric Cartman?? And little Kenny??? AND BUTTERS???

I have clearly under-estimated you.

Thanks seattle for sharing the pictures. It really makes me feel like I've been living here for about two seconds, which is probably about twice as long as I've actually been living here to some of you.

Love the pictures. The guy really has a great eye.