Guide to the Archives of the City of Seattle

Record Group 1200
City Light

City Light provides electricity and electrical and conservation services to its public and private customers. It is the largest public utility in the Pacific Northwest. Public responsibility for electrical energy dates to 1890 with creation of the Department of Lighting and Water Works. In 1902, Seattle voters passed a bond issue to develop hydroelectric power on the Cedar River under the administration of the Water Department. Electricity from this development began to serve Seattle in 1905. A City Charter amendment in 1910 created the Lighting Department. Under the leadership of Superintendent James D. Ross, the department developed the Skagit River hydroelectric project which began supplying power in 1924. Both public and private power was supplied to Seattle until 1951 when the City purchased the private electrical power supply operations, making the Lighting Department the sole supplier. The Boundary Project in northern Washington began operation in 1967 and currently supplies over half of City Light's power generation. Approximately ten percent of City Light's income comes from the sale of surplus energy to customers in the Northwest and Southwest. The current name of the agency was adopted in 1978 when the Department was reorganized.

1200-01
Seattle Lighting Department Records
1902-1960
220.0 cubic feet

The Seattle Lighting Department records document the agency's history and public power activities from its genesis in 1902 through 1960. The collection includes the files of John D. Ross who served as superintendent for over 30 years. In addition, the records include legal and legislative files, business and financial records, press releases, newsletters, electrical statistics, and scrapbooks. Also contained in the collection are records related to the acquisition of the Puget Sound Power and Light Company, the City Light Employees Association, the 1936 World Power Conference held in Seattle, hydroelectric development along the Skagit River, recreation development on the Skagit, and some of Ross' personal papers. Of particular interest is material relating to public ownership of utilities and the administration of Depression era projects. These records are housed at the University of Washington. They were acquired prior to creation of the Seattle Municipal Archives. They are identified at the University of Washington as Accessions 33-1, 33-2, 33-3, 33-4, and 2246.

UW
Inventory

1200-04
Incoming Correspondence
1903-1938
20.0 cubic feet

Correspondence received by the Lighting Department from City departments, federal regulatory agencies, other utilities, contractors, railroad companies, and vendors. Of particular interest is material relating to public ownership of utilities and Depression era projects. Arranged alphabetically by correspondent.

UW
Inventory

1200-08
Annual Reports
1911-2003
1.4 cubic foot

Narrative and statistical reports detailing the activities, projects, and programs of Seattle's public power utility. The reports provide broad outlines of the development of hydroelectric power systems and the extension of lighting services in the City.

SMA

1200-11
Department History File
1894-1972
1.2 cubic feet

Correspondence, news clippings, brochures and pamphlets, reports, typescript histories, and photographs relating to departmental history. The major topics include Superintendent John D. Ross, the Cedar Falls power plant, public power, energy in the Pacific Northwest, and the Skagit River power project. Histories include timelines detailing the department's history, biographies of superintendents, and discussions of hydroelectric power. Speech transcripts are also included, and some material appears to have been prepared for a 1946 "publicity book," which was to include information on specific dams and power plants, statistics and financial data, maps, employee information, and feature stories. Histories and publicity materials stress the low power rates enjoyed by Seattle's citizens. References to the agency as "Your City Light" also appear frequently; one history states, "...it all belongs to the people of Seattle! You, as a Seattle citizen, are one of the owners of City Light. You may well be proud of this progressive, flourishing enterprise built from its own earnings, to bring the many benefits of low cost hydroelectric power to a great city."

SMA
Folder List

1200-12
Electric Home and Farm Authority Contract Records
1939-1943
0.4 cubic foot

The Authority, through Seattle City Light, subsidized the purchase of electrical appliances by those families that demonstrated need based on finances. Records include log books containing contract information such as date of contract, customer name, dealer/vendor number, and contract number. Also includes monthly payment charts, balance and finance charges for appliances, delinquent payment lists, customer correspondence, correspondence with dealers, and form samples.

SMA
Folder List

1200-13
Superintendents' Correspondence
1939-1956
0.8 cubic foot

Incoming and outgoing correspondence of City Light Superintendents E.R. Hoffman (1939-1954) and Paul J. Raver (1954-1956). Includes both business related correspondence and personal matters.

SMA
Folder List

1200-14
James D. Ross Reference Material
1911-1982
0.2 cubic foot

Miscellaneous records and publications related to the career of James D. Ross, former superintendent of Seattle City Light. Items include biographical materials compiled by third parties, writings by Ross related to public ownership of utilities, transcripts of radio talks by Ross, and an obituary for Ross published in the Bonneville Spark. Also included are four photographs. This small body of material was maintained as a reference collection in the City Light Superintendent's office until 2007. The folders are arranged chronologically.

SMA
Folder List

1201-03
Advertising Scrapbooks
1954-1974
4 volumes

The collection consists of five scrapbooks of newspaper, magazine, and other advertisements publicizing Seattle City Light, products and appliances, developments in hydroelectric power, and the city of Seattle itself. Products and services advertised include electric stoves, water heaters, air conditioning, and heat; dishwashers and dryers, especially in the 1950s and 1960s, appear frequently in advertisements. Ads for the "Medallion Home Symbol" are also common. The symbol indicated that a home had been inspected by Seattle City Light and met certain standards for lighting and appliances. City Light advertised its 24-hour repair service and even its Home Economics Department, intended to "help customers realize the full benefits of modern electric living." Local businesses were often spotlighted to display the advantages of electric kitchens or outdoor lighting. Special events, such as the Century 21 Exposition, the opening of the Gorge Dam on the Skagit River, and the Seattle Home Show, also figure prominently in City Light advertisements.

While advertisements in the 1950s and 1960s focus on the low rates and high power consumption enjoyed by Seattle citizens, rate increases, warnings about over-consumption, and energy conservation tips appear more frequently in later advertisements. 1970s advertisements reflect growing awareness of diversity and include sponsored ads for Black History Month (detailing the lives of prominent African-American leaders) and promoting City Light's equal opportunity hiring practices.

SMA

1201-06
Personnel Cards
1904-1938
3.4 cubic feet

Summary personnel information for City Light employees. Includes name, job title, pay rate, dates of job changes or personnel action, and address. Arranged alphabetically.

SMA

1201-07
Seattle City Light Newsletter
1942-1973
0.8 cubic foot

Internal weekly publication containing project and personnel news. Also included are weekly electricity generation and usage statistics.

SMA

1201-08
Scrapbooks
1874-1959
3 volumes

Three scrapbooks assembled by City Light employee Thomas Park. They contain photographs, employee newsletters,correspondence, clippings, brochures, departmental memoranda, and other material. The majority of the items are related to Seattle City Light activities and employees, although some seem to relate to Mr. Park’s personal interests. There is a fair amount of material relating to J.D. Ross, especially from around the time of his death in 1939. While there are a few early items, the bulk of the material is from the late 1930s through the 1950s.

SMA
Volume List

1201-09
CLEA Newsletter
1938-2006
0.8 cubic foot

Monthly publication published by City Light and the Employee Association with departmental and employee news.

SMA

1202-03
General and Plant Ledgers
1935-1982
35 reels

Microfilm copies of City Light's general ledgers.

SMA
Container List

1203-01
Toxics Advisory Group Records
1991-1992
0.4 cubic foot

Minutes, agendas, reports, memoranda, budget materials, and distribution lists for group established to discuss environmental hazards. The group compiled and disseminated information on hazards, such as electromagnetic field radiation, and generated reports on its findings.

SMA
Folder List

1204-01
Negatives
1914-1995
150,000 images

Photographic negatives documenting the development of Seattle's public electric utility. Includes photos of dam construction in the Cedar River Watershed and the Skagit, and the Boundary Project; transmission lines, substations; City Light facilities; and employees. The largest groups of images relate to Boundary Dam, Gorge High Dam, and Ross Dam. Other generating facilities depicted are Cedar Falls, Diablo Dam, Lake Union and Georgetown Steam plants, and the Newhalem hydroelectric plant.

SMA

1204-02
Photographic Prints
1914-1995
12,500 images

This series is comprised primarily of prints of City Light negatives (1204-01) and documents the development and growth of the City's public electric utility. Also included are unidentified images without corresponding negatives.

SMA

1204-03
Glass Lantern Slides
1903-1945
200 images

Slides related to the development of public power in Seattle. Includes landscapes at Cedar Falls and the Skagit; promotional materials comparing City Light facilities to private companies; examples of electrical appliances and applications of electricity; and views of Diablo Dam, the Skagit River Railway, Cedar Falls Power Plant, and the Denny Hill Regrade.

SMA

1204-04
Slides
1920-1975
20,000 images

Slides documenting the development of City Light's public power facilities including dams, power houses, transmission lines, substations, and methods of wiring. Among the sites covered are Cedar Falls Power Plant, Newhalem, Diablo Dam, Ross Dam, and Boundary Dam.

SMA

1204-05
Motion Picture Film
1940-1965
338 reels

Film footage depicting City Light construction projects and facilities, employees and contractors, and other general topics related to the utility. The reels vary in size from 3.5 inches to 15 inches. Many reels are unidentified.

SMA

1204-06
Aerial Thermal Study Photographs
1977
4.0 cubic feet

Prints of infrared aerial photographic survey showing heat and energy loss throughout Seattle. The flight includes 1250 images.

SMA

1204-10
Newhalem and Diablo Dams Construction Photograph Albums
1919-1936
2.8 cubic feet

Fourteen photograph albums illustrating the planning and construction of Newhalem and Diablo Dams including their respective power houses on the Skagit River in the North Cascades. In addition to the dam construction, photos include images of machinery, laborers, engineers, housing for contractors and worker's camps, recreational activities, Skagit Railroad, tourists, nature and scenic views. Of note are the images detailing construction technology and innovations of the time period such as penstock tunnels, coffer dams, valves, turbines, cement panels and the incline hoist. Album 3 also includes images of the Gorge Dam development.Seattle's Department of Lighting oversaw the project under the leadership of Superintendent J.D. Ross.

SMA
Volume List

1204-11
Gorge Dam Development Project Photograph Albums
1948 -1962
1.6 cubic feet

Photographs in this series document the Gorge Dam development on the Skagit River, including construction of the Gorge Diversion Dam, Gorge Tunnel and Intake, Gorge Surge Tank, Gorge Powerhouse, the Newhalem Creek Intake, Ladder Creek Settling Tank, and Gorge High Dam. The project was designed to make more efficient hydroelectric use of the water flowing down from Diablo Dam. The project culminated with the completion of the Gorge High Dam in 1962. Photographs include images of construction workers, equipment, and working conditions.

SMA
Volume List

1204-12
Ross Dam Construction Photograph Albums
1938-1948
1.8 cubic feet

Nine photograph albums illustrating the construction of the first three steps of Ross Dam on the Skagit River. They include images of dam construction, construction materials and equipment, people working, the various stages of dam construction, and the surrounding terrain. Particularly interesting is the album compiled by William B. Wolfendale, principal engineer on the project. The album contains colorized photographs of step one construction and group portraits of the people involved in the project. Also included are images of interiors and exteriors of the visitor cottages at Ross Dam.

SMA
Container List

1204-13
Skagit River Aerial Photographs
1949
0.2 cubic foot

Aerial photographs of the Skagit River in British Columbia taken prior to increasing the water height of Ross Lake Reservoir which resulted from completing step 3 construction of Ross Dam. The 70 exposures were shot from 12,000 feet by Aero Surveys, Ltd. of Vancouver, B.C. The photographs document the course of the river, topography of the area, and vegetation adjacent to the river.

SMA

1204-14
Masonry Dam Construction Photograph Album
1912-1915
0.4 cubic foot

Black and white photographs of the construction of Masonry Dam, 1912-1915. The album includes images of construction workers, the dam site covered in snow, clear cutting, trains and railroads, and bridges. Many, but not all, of the images are in the online photograph database (http://clerk.ci.seattle.wa.us/~public/phot1.htm). A 1.4 million dollar bond issue for construction of the dam was approved by the voters in November 1910. Masonry Dam construction was started in 1912 and finished in 1914. The dam was designed to raise the level of Cedar Lake to supply increasing demands for power. After completion and water collection in basin behind the dam, water seeped through the north bank of the reservoir. The bank could not be sealed because of the existence of a glacial moraine. Because of the leak, the dam was not used to supply power to Seattle.

SMA

1204-15
Columbia Basin "Z" Canyon Photograph Album
1933
1 volume

The photograph album and accompanying map show proposed dam sites on the Columbia River and other areas in the Columbia basin. Pictured are valleys, plains, rivers, and gorges, an underground tunnel, and a footbridge across a gorge; men appear in some photographs. Included are photographs of proposed sites for Grand Coulee and "Z" Canyon dams, as well as "Z" Canyon, Latah Creek Valley, the city of Spokane, the Spokane River, and the Clark Fork of the Pend Oreille River. Several of the photographs are panoramas, and a detailed caption accompanies each photograph.

A set of images at the end of the album are copies of photographs made for Col. Hugh L. Cooper, circa 1916; many show the same or similar scenes as the 1933 photographs. The album appears to have been prepared for J.D. Ross.

SMA

1204-17
Lake Union Steam Plant Construction Photograph Album
1914
1 volume

Black and white photographs of the construction of City Light's steam plant on Lake Union, 1914. Many, but not all of the photographs are in the online Photograph Index. The City approved purchase of the land and money for construction of the plant in 1913 and construction began in 1914, finishing in 1917. Additions were made in 1918 and 1921. The plant was decommissioned in 1987 and sold in 1990. This album only covers 1914 construction. The album includes construction, people working, machinery, and Lake Union and the surrounding area, including houseboats.

SMA

1205-01
Large Industrial Customers Survey
1984
0.4 cubic foot

The survey was conducted by Seattle City Light in 1984 to gather economic and energy use characteristics of large industrial customers in the Seattle area. The survey, carried out by the Load Forecasting Section, covered two concerns: energy costs and plant characteristics, and economic characteristics. Among the customers surveyed were Bethlehem Steel, Olympic Foundry, Seattle Times, Rainier Brewery, Aitron, and Darigold.

SMA

1206-03
Power Development Charts and Statistics
1909-1940
0.6 cubic feet

Charts, figures, statistics, performance curves, schematics, diagrams, cost estimates, computations, graphs, property agreements, and reservoir capacity figures on the Skagit River Power Development Project and the Cedar Falls Power Plant. Includes data for the Gorge Powerhouse and Diablo Dam.

SMA
Folder List

1208-01
Skagit Tour Records
1911-1942
0.8 cubic foot

Records of City Light's Skagit Project Tours from Rockport to Diablo Dam including brochures, excursion reservation forms, correspondences (private, groups, and clubs), tour itineraries, tour write-ups, trip narratives, visitor's lists and impressions, tour music, Newhalem trail and list of trees and shrubs. Also includes documents also pertaining to tour accounting, classification, work orders, employee positions and duties, purchases and annual reports, and files from Edward M. Kemoe, City Light manager in charge of Skagit Tours. Of note is Superintendent J.D. Ross' essay on "Public Ownership" and Ellen Larson's Skagit poem.

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Folder List

1208-02
Skagit Static (Newsletter)
1946-1951
0.4 cubic foot

Weekly newsletter serving personnel and their families at Diablo and Newhalem. Includes news of social activities, school sports and activities, cultural events, and items related to the comings and goings of employees and their families.

SMA

1208-03
Skagit Youth Camp Records
1991 -1996
1.0 cubic foot

The Seattle City Light Skagit Youth Camp records include administrative records, meeting minutes, correspondence, memoranda, end-of-season reports, and promotional materials. Camper and counselor evaluations, parent handbooks, and correspondence from parents and campers are also included. Issues covered include program proposals and development, enrollment, fundraising, camper qualifications and recruitment, staffing and organizational structure, budgeting, the Summer Food Service Program, and the transfer of the camp to the Parks Department. The 1990 edition of the American Camping Association's Standards Organizer for Day and Resident Camps is also included; this publication serves as a tool for organizing the materials necessary to achieve camp accreditation. It covers standards for personnel, site and facilities, aqua tics, health care, and various other aspects of camp administration. Skagit Youth Camp officials' responses to the standards, as well as relevant information such as correspondence and interview questions, are included.

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Folder List

1210-01
Advertising Materials
1939-1995
0.4 cubic foot

Correspondence, reports, articles, pamphlets, newspaper clippings, and advertisements relating to the Skagit River, power rates, and City Light advertisements.

SMA
Folder List