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Guide to the Archives of the City of Seattle
Record Group 5200
Office of the Mayor
The Mayor is the chief executive officer of the City with responsibilities for law enforcement, appointing department heads, administering City departments and programs, and preparing and executing the City budget. Seattle's original Charter (1869) created the position of Mayor who served as ex-officio President of the Common Council. The 1875 Charter gave the Mayor a vote on Council. That was amended in 1886 to provide for a tie-breaking vote only. The 1890 Charter completely separated the Executive and Legislative branches. Mayoral terms were set at 4 years by the 1946 City Charter.
5200-01
Adjudication Committee Minutes
1892-1911
1 volume
Proceedings of a three member committee hearing protests, claims, and offers regarding adjustments of assessment taxes for local improvements. Includes meeting minutes, resolutions, and determinations.
SMA
5200-02
Audio Recordings
1974-1978
0.2 cubic foot
23 audio recordings of Mayor Uhlman's press conferences, radio appearances, and community meetings. Recordings are indexed in the online Audio Database.
SMA
5200-03
Digital Photographs
2007
Photographs of mayoral programs and conferences including: the Mayor's Scholars Program and the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Summit, which contains images of Mayor Nickels, mayors from across the United States, and heads of business participating in the annual conference.
5200-04
Seattle Municipal Reports
1889-1894
Four volumes
Messages for the Mayor and Reports of City Officers for the fiscal years ending May 31, 1889 and May 31, 1890 are bound into one volume. The City Officers include: City clerk, Health, City Surveyor, City Attorney, Building Inspector, Chief of Police and Fire Cheif. Included in this volume are comptroller annual reports for the years 1891-1894.
Three additional bound volumes for the years 1891 to 1893 include Mayor's messages and annual report of various city offices including: Comptroller, Finance Committee, Board of Public Works, City Engineer, Superintendent of Water Works, Street Commissioner, Superintendent of Sewers, Superintendent of Buildings, Bridges, and Wharves, Board of Fire Commissioners, Police, Board of Health, Library Commission, Park Commissioners, and Port Warden. Harbor Master, License Inspector and Law Department are included for some years as well.
SMA
5200-05
City Employee Newsletters
1972-2002
0.2 cubic foot
Newsletters published for city employees. Some contain general news, while others are specific to particular issues such as safety or diversity.
SMA
Folder List
5200-06
Brochures and Mailings
1970-2010
0.2 cubic foot
Informational pamphlets, mailings, brochures, and ephemera produced by the Office of the Mayor. Includes material from Wes Uhlman, Charles Royer, Norm Rice, Paul Schell, Greg Nickels, and Mike McGinn.
SMA
Folder List
5200-07
Central Files
1979-2002
12 cubic feet
Correspondence, reports, memos, and other records retained in the Office of the Mayor. Rather than being filed with a particular Mayor's subject correspondence, these records were kept for reference purposes, often into succeeding mayoral administrations. Topics covered include ongoing concerns such as homelessness, neighborhoods, and the arts, as well as specific projects such as the sculpture park and the Seattle Commons. The series includes records documenting the city's involvement with the Seattle Mariners baseball team through the 1980s and 1990s, including issues surrounding the sale of the team in 1992. Also included are records relating to domestic partnerships, housing, Sand Point, transit, Weed and Seed, telecommunications, KeyArena, and the Pang warehouse fire.
SMA
Folder List
5210-01
Records of the Office of the Mayor
1956-1970
65.4 cubic feet
Records from the Seattle Mayor's Office mainly from the files of Dorm Braman and Gordon Clinton, but also including material from Floyd Miller's brief term, as well as a small amount from the beginning of Wes Uhlman's time in office. The records reflect a wide variety of issues of public interest in the 1960s. Concerns relating to discrimination, open housing, and civil rights are documented at length. Transportation is another topic covered in depth, including the transit system and METRO, parking issues downtown, I-5, the Lake Washington bridges, I-90, the R.H. Thomson Expressway, and downtown transportation planning. The Century 21 World's Fair in 1962, as well as Seattle Center's transition into a civic campus, is represented as well. The records cover a number of other topics, including urban renewal, environmental issues, civil defense, police actions and complaints, charter amendments, airline service, youth programs, and engineering projects. The files contain a good deal of citizen correspondence reflecting the public's views on a wide variety of issues. There is a small series of other media that includes audio and photographs.
SMA
Folder List
5210-02
Post-War Public Works and Improvements Advisory Committee Final Report
1945
0.2 cubic foot
The Advisory Committee was created by City Council Resolution 13527 in April 1943 and originally consisted of the Mayor, City Council President, Chair of the City Council's Streets and Sewers Committee, chair of the Board of Public Works, the City Engineer, chair of the City Planning Commission, and president of the Park Board. Soon thereafter, the size of the Committee was increased by adding three additional City Council members.
The Committee's task was to provide for the preparation plans for a comprehensive series of public works projects and improvements to be undertaken following World War II. Two overriding purposes were to be served by this planning. First, labor shortages and the inability to obtain certain materials during the War meant that civic improvements had to be deferred, thus creating an inventory of much needed work, especially on the City's infrastructure. Second, was the realization that returning military personnel would need work immediately to bridge the gap to normal employment and it was going to take some time for American factories to be reconditioned from war production to peace-time production.
The Committee's final report lists 318 identified projects comprising 11 million worker-hours and an estimated cost of nearly 52 million dollars. The report includes project sheets for each recommendation organized by City agency or function. They include project name, a priority rating, estimated costs, the status of planning for the project, a justification for the proposed project, and various maps and charts related to agency projects.
SMA
Folder List
5210-03
Mayoral Proclamations
1950-1969
2.0 cubic feet
Proclamations issued by the Mayor honoring individuals or organizations, or declaring the City's support for issues outside the City's governance. Files include supporting materials and correspondence from organizations requesting proclamations.
SMA
Braman served on the Seattle City Council from 1954 to 1964, when he was elected Mayor. He remained in this office until 1969 when he resigned to become Assistant Secretary of Urban Systems and Environment in the United States Department of Transportation. During his term as mayor, he oversaw the city's involvement in the federal Model Cities program and the acquisition of Fort Lawton. He supported the Forward Thrust program and advocated for rapid transit. One notable accomplishment during this period of racial tensions was the passage of Seattle's open housing bill in 1968.
Mayoral Records
See 5210-01
Clinton served two terms as Mayor of Seattle from 1956 to 1964. He oversaw the development of the Seattle Center site and presided over the city's festivities during the 1962 World's Fair. He created the Human Rights Commission to promote equality and understanding among Seattle residents, and actively supported the formation of Metro in 1958. He also initiated Seattle's sister city program, one of the first of its kind.
Mayoral Records
See 5210-01
5219-01
Mayoral Records
1953-1964
48.0 cubic feet
Correspondence, reports, and studies, financial papers, minutes, speeches, notes and memoranda, newspaper clippings, and ephemera relating to Clinton's term as mayor. Includes departmental files and correspondence with agencies and individuals outside City government. Arranged alphabetically for each year.
UW
5219-04
Photographs
1959
0.4 cubic foot
Black and white photographs commemorating Mayor Clinton's official visits to Kobe, Japan; Taipei, Republic of China; and Manila, Philippines in November 1959. Included are photographs of tourist activities, ceremonial events, and officials. Images from Kobe include an album documenting Clinton's visit to the Mitsubishi site and shipyard.
SMA
5219-05
Election Scrapbooks
1956-1960
2 volumes
Two scrapbooks containing materials relating to Gordon Clinton's mayoral races in 1956 and 1960. Volume 1 contains clippings and advertising about Clinton's opponents in the 1956 election, including William Goodloe, Bob Odman, and incumbent mayor Allan Pomeroy. Includes advertisements, newspaper articles, campaign brochures, and mailings. Appears to have been compiled by the Honig-Cooper advertising firm. Volume 2 is mainly materials from Clinton's 1960 reelection campaign, including fact sheets, mailings, photographs, advertisements, television ad scripts, and newspaper clippings. Also contains some material about opponents Gordon Newell and Bob Odman.
SMA
Volume List
Miller served as Acting Mayor for nine months in 1969 after Dorm Braman went to work for the Department of Transportation in Washington, DC. Miller was City Council President at the time of his appointment. In his brief time as mayor, he oversaw the City's responses to riots in the University District, the murder of civil rights leader Edwin Pratt, and corruption in the Police Department. Miller served until Wes Uhlman took office in December 1969.
Mayoral Records
See 5210-01
5252-00: William Earl Millikin
William Earl Millikin was elected Mayor at a special election in 1941 to fill the vacancy left when Arthur Langlie became Governor. Millikin served 15 months. His mayoral records are a small portion of a larger collection of personal papers located at the University of Washington.
5252-01
Mayoral Records
1941-1942
1.8 cubic foot
Correspondence, reports, studies and speeches relating to Millikin's term as Mayor. Subjects include national defense, censorship, wartime housing, shacktowns, and wartime labor relations. There are also records related to the internment of Japanese citizens and aliens during World War II.
UW
Inventory
5252-02
Subject Files
1941-1942
0.4 cubic foot
Correspondence, reports, and studies relating to Millikin's term as Mayor. Subjects include national defense, censorship, housing, and streets. Arranged alphabetically by subject.
UW
Inventory
Moran served two one-year terms as Mayor of Seattle from 1888-1890. He was Mayor during the Great Fire of 1889. This small collection, located at the University of Washington, post-dates the fire.
5255-01
Correspondence
1889-1890
0.2 cubic foot
Mayoral correspondence dealing especially with fire protection services and equipment. Moran was mayor during and immediately after the fire that destroyed Seattle's commercial district in 1889.
UW
Born in Chicago in 1955, Greg Nickels moved to Seattle with his family at the age of six, where he attended Seattle Prep and the University of Washington. He got his first job in city government in the mid-1970s, working as a buyer-trainee in the purchasing department. He was a legislative assistant to City Council member Norm Rice from 1979 until 1987. In that year he was elected to the King County Council and served there until 2001, when he was elected Mayor of Seattle. He served two terms as Mayor but was defeated in the 2009 election. He was perhaps most well known nationally for his environmental advocacy, leading the effort to create the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, in which over 1000 cities pledged to decrease their greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Kyoto protocols. Nickels was president of the United States Conference of Mayors and also served on the Sound Transit board of directors.
5259-01
Subject Correspondence
2002-2009
72.8 cubic feet
Correspondence, memoranda, reports, and other materials relating to City programs and services during the Nickels administration. Records are arranged by year and then grouped by City function: for example, transportation, public safety, economic development, parks, human services, and so on. Major topics covered include environmental issues, the Alaskan Way Viaduct, public utilities, civil rights, neighborhood issues, and Seattle Public Schools.
SMA
Folder List
5259-02
Mayoral Proclamations
2002-2009
2.8 cubic feet
Ceremonial documents issued by the Mayor honoring individuals and organizations, and celebrating special events. Records include a copy of the proclamation and information about the honoree or the event being celebrated. Proclamations for June through December of 2008 are missing.
SMA
5259-03
Weekly Reports
2002-2007
6.0 cubic feet
Activity reports sent to the Mayor each week from executive department directors. The reports highlight issues needing attention and document progress on departmental projects and goals. Reports are filed chronologically.
SMA
5259-04
Executive Team Meeting Packets
2002-2005
0.8 cubic foot
Agendas and background materials for the Mayor's weekly meetings with the executive team, which was made up of City department heads.
SMA
5259-05
Senior Staff Meeting Packets
2002-2005
0.8 cubic foot
Agendas and background materials for the Mayor's regular meetings with his senior staff aides.
SMA
5259-06
Edsonya Charles Records
1990-2004
2000-2002 (bulk)
1.2 cubic feet
Charles served as legal counsel to Mayor Nickels. Her records focus largely on police issues and public safety, including racial profiling, police accountability, urban search and rescue, use of firearms and less lethal weapons, emergency preparedness, and marine fire protection. Other topics covered in the records include the Seattle Municipal Court, homelessness, alcohol impact areas, and children and youth issues.
SMA
Folder List
Norm Rice was the second African-American elected to the Seattle City Council and the first elected Mayor. Rice was born May 4, 1943 in Denver, Colorado. He attended the University of Washington where he earned a BA in communications and a Master's degree in Public Administration. In 1978, following employment as a reporter and then bank manager, Rice won election to the City Council where he subsequently served three terms. His varied interests were expressed through service as chair of six different committees, but his principal focus was in finance, public safety, and energy issues. Rice served two terms as Mayor where he distinguished himself in the areas of education partnerships, human rights, revitalization of the downtown economy, and comprehensive planning. Following his public service to the City, he became president and CEO of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle. His wife, Constance Rice, is a respected educator and former vice-chancellor of the Seattle Community College system.
5272-01
Departmental Correspondence
1990-1997
58.8 cubic feet
Records include correspondence, memoranda, reports, studies, and briefing materials to and from City agencies regarding the full range of municipal government activities during Rice's terms as mayor. Topics include municipal facilities, arts and culture, planning, budget and financial issues, and schools and education, among others. Records are arranged chronologically and then by major departments within City government. Constituent correspondence is included in this record series.
SMA
Folder List
5272-02
Subject Files
1978-1997
Bulk: 1990-1997
10.4 cubic feet
Correspondence, memoranda, reports, studies, and other materials to and from non-city government agencies, businesses, associations, and the general public. Includes records about King County, state and federal government agencies, public development authorities, Metro, and boards and commissions, as well as constituent correspondence. Topics include the Seattle Mariners, sister cities, the Pang warehouse fire, the 1990 education summit, Pike Place Market, the Seattle Jobs Initiative, affirmative action, and regional transit.
SMA
Folder List
5272-03
Calendars
1978-1997
1.0 cubic foot
Appointment calendars documenting meetings and events during Rice's tenure as mayor. Also includes one appointment book from 1978.
SMA
5272-04
Weekly Department Reports
1990-1991
5.0 cubic feet
Activity reports filed with the Mayor each week by Executive Department directors and superintendents. The reports include items needing the attention of the Mayor, and progress reports on departmental and mayoral work program goals. The records are useful in establishing a chronology of departmental activities and for identifying high profile news events involving City agencies. The reports are arranged chronologically and then by City department. Reports exist only for the first two years of Rice's terms as mayor.
SMA
5272-05
Mayoral Proclamations
1990-1997
3.2 cubic feet
Ceremonial documents issued by the Mayor honoring individuals or organizations, or declaring the City's support for issues outside the City's governance. Records are arranged chronologically and without an index.
SMA
5272-06
Speeches and Statements
1989-1997
2.4 cubic feet
Talking points and speeches of Mayor Norm Rice. Speeches given at events and organizations such as Martin Luther King Memorial Service, United Way, National Association of Women in Construction, Earth Day, Red Cross, Chamber of Commerce, arts groups, meetings, ceremonial events and commencements on topics such as volunteerism, regional cooperation, social services, education, and the environment.
SMA
Folder List
5272-07
Photographs
1978-1997
1.6 cubic feet
Photographs, primarily informal, of Norman Rice's tenure as Seattle mayor and some from his years as Councilmember and before. Most are color photographs, but some black and white photographs are also included. Represented in the images are campaigns, city events, political events, meetings and conferences (including the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National Black Bar Association Conference), visits to Seattle by dignitaries and celebrities, and sister city events and travel. Events pictured include groundbreaking ceremonies, fundraisers, receptions, dedications, award ceremonies, announcements and proclamations, banquets, parades, marches, and celebrations, including the Chinese New Year. Rosa Parks, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, the Dalai Lama, the Reverend Jesse Jackson, the Reverend Billy Graham, Muhammad Ali, Dionne Warwick, and B.B. King are among the visiting political figures, religious leaders, and celebrities pictured in the collection. Portraits of Rice and family photographs are also included. Negatives are included with some color snapshots. A few images are scanned and available in the Photograph Index.
SMA
Folder List
5272-09
Campaign Materials
1978-1996
1.0 cubic foot
Records from Rice's city council races in 1978, 1979, and 1983 and his mayoral runs in 1989 and 1993. The series also includes materials from his 1985 mayoral bid, his 1988 congressional race, and his 1996 gubernatorial race, all unsuccessful. Records include campaign flyers, news clippings, briefing books, invitations, debate preparation materials, and calendars.
SMA
Folder List
5272-10
News Clippings
1988-1997
0.8 cubic foot
Newspaper clippings, magazine articles, and other items collected by Mayor Rice. Articles cover the Mayor and his wife, Seattle events and issues, and other topics of interest to the Mayor.
SMA
Born in 1939 in Medford, Oregon, Charles Royer briefly attended Portland State University before being drafted by the Army in 1961. Upon being discharged from the military, he went to the University of Oregon and studied journalism. He worked as a news reporter for television stations in Eugene, Portland, and Seattle for about ten years before running for Seattle mayor in 1977. He won election, taking office in 1978 and serving three terms before stepping down at the end of 1989. Major issues Royer worked on during his tenure included public housing, the downtown bus tunnel, pollution, the High Ross Dam, the convention center, downtown development, and public health. He served as president of the National League of Cities in the early 1980s. After leaving office, Royer was the director of the John F. Kennedy School of Government's Institute of Politics at Harvard for five years before returning to Seattle to work for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Urban Health Initiative. He later founded the nonprofit Institute for Community Change and worked as a consultant.
5274-01
Departmental Correspondence
1978-1989
78.0 cubic feet
Correspondence with city departments regarding departmental activities and programs. Records document ongoing operations as well as specific issues and events. A large portion of the records relate to the Department of Community Development and document the city's work on urban renewal, housing, neighborhood improvement, and historic preservation. Records relating to City Light deal with issues ranging from nuclear power to rates to discrimination against female and minority employees. Department of Construction and Land Use records cover zoning, permits, and displacement. Fort Lawton, the aquarium, and the zoo are all addressed in correspondence from the Parks Department. Other departments heavily represented in the records include Engineering, Police, Human Resources (social services), Personnel, and the Office of Management and Budget. Arranged alphabetically for each year.
SMA
Folder List
5274-02
Subject Correspondence
1978-1989
48.2 cubic feet
Correspondence, reports, and other records related to the issues, programs, and organizations that were part of the work of the Mayor's Office during Royer's tenure. Major topics covered include downtown issues, housing, the arts, community councils, transportation, KidsPlace, environmental issues, sports, Interstate 90, Metro, gay and minority issues, Pioneer Square, schools, and boards and commissions. Arranged alphabetically by subject for each year.
SMA
Folder List
5274-03
Legal Subject Files
1968-1988
13.8 cubic feet
Correspondence, memoranda, reports, copies of legislation, and City Attorney opinions relating to City-involved litigation, ordinances and codes, and subjects of a legal nature. Also included are some records from Mayor Wes Uhlman's legal staff. Primarily the records of Hugh Spitzer. Topics covered include personnel issues, Westlake Mall, Interstate 90, police intelligence, affirmative action, gay issues, and condo conversions.
SMA
Folder List
5274-04
Mayor's Messages
1978-1989
3.4 cubic feet
Proclamations, vetoes, directives, executive orders, and other official messages of Mayor Royer.
SMA
Folder List
5274-05
Department Weekly Reports
1978-1989
18.0 cubic feet
Weekly program and project progress and activity reports to the mayor from executive department heads. The reports highlight issues needing attention and document progress on departmental projects and goals.
SMA
Container List
5274-06
Communications and Public Information Records
1977-1986
4.2 cubic feet
Correspondence, newspaper clippings, notes, and reports of Mayor Royer's public information staff. Records cover topics including budgets, housing, the West Seattle Bridge, police, and transit.
SMA
Folder List
5274-07
Department Director Search Records
1978-1988
3.8 cubic feet
Correspondence, resumes, and evaluations of individuals interviewed for department director positions.
SMA
Container List
5274-08
Speeches
1978-1990
1.2 cubic feet
Speeches delivered to local, regional, national, and international conferences, seminars, colloquia, and special meetings. Series consists primarily of speeches given between 1978 and 1982; also includes budget messages and State of the City speeches from 1978 to 1990.
SMA
Folder List
5274-10
Bob Royer Records
1977-1981
2.6 cubic feet
Records of deputy mayor Bob Royer. Correspondence, memoranda, and reports on issues including transportation, housing, and energy and regional power issues. Arranged alphabetically.
SMA
Folder List
5274-11
Carol Lewis Records
1978-1987
3.6 cubic feet
Records of deputy mayor Carol Lewis, including correspondence, memoranda, and reports relating especially to housing, land use, and downtown development.
SMA
Folder List
5274-12
Mitchell Baker Records
1982-1989
3.0 cubic feet
Correspondence, memoranda, reports, and studies relating primarily to land use and transportation issues and planning for Seattle Center development.
SMA
Folder List
5274-13
Tom Byers Records
1978-1987
4.2 cubic feet
Correspondence, memoranda, reports, and studies relating primarily to health and human services issues, especially public health concerns and homelessness.
SMA
Folder List
5274-14
Anne Levinson Records
1986-1987
0.4 cubic foot
Correspondence, memoranda, and reports relating to human services issues including welfare reform, youth services, the homeless, and alcoholism and drug abuse.
SMA
Folder List
5274-15
Arlene Oki Records
1978-1982
1.0 cubic foot
Correspondence, memoranda, reports and studies relating primarily to Seattle Public Schools, the International District, and housing and neighborhood development issues.
SMA
Folder List
5274-16
Press Releases
1978-1986
1.0 cubic foot
Press releases from Mayor Royer's communications staff concerning issues, events, and other items related to City business.
SMA
5274-17
Mayoral Transition Document
1989
0.4 cubic foot
Transition document prepared by the outgoing Mayor's staff for the new administration. It contains a comprehensive snapshot of city government including an overview of the city's organizational structure, significant transition issues, administrative procedures, a review of city-wide financial procedures, a listing of appointments that fall to the mayor, and an overview of the operation of the Executive Department. It provides a comprehensive snapshot (in 1989) of City government organization and issues.
SMA
Table of Contents
Paul Schell was elected Seattle's 50th mayor for the term beginning January 1, 1998. He subsequently was defeated in the primary election in a run for a second term. Schell received a law degree from Columbia University in 1963 and moved to Seattle in 1967. He served as the director of the City's Department of Community Development (1975-1977) before establishing a private development company. He entered the political arena in 1989 when he was elected to the Port of Seattle Commission. From 1992-1995 he was Dean of the College of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Washington.
5279-01
Departmental Correspondence
1998-2001
33.8 cubic feet
Correspondence, memoranda, reports, and notes related to all City functions during Mayor Paul Schell's administration. Records are organized by City agency responsible for the specific issue addressed in the correspondence. Major topics covered in the materials include transportation, public safety, education, housing and human services, utilities, economic development, the arts, parks, and neighborhoods.
SMA
Folder List
5279-02
Schell Mail (Newsletter)
1998-2001
1 cubic foot
Schell Mail was an email newsletter sent out by the mayor discussing city programs and current issues. It did not have a regular publication schedule but usually went out about two or three times a month. Records consist of the newsletters plus replies from constituents about issues discussed in the publication. Records are arranged chronologically.
SMA
5279-03
Weekly Reports
2001
0.8 cubic foot
Activity reports sent to the Mayor by executive department directors each week during 2001. The reports highlight issues needing attention and document progress on departmental projects and goals. Reports are arranged by department.
SMA
5279-04
Mayoral Proclamations
1999-2001
2.0 cubic feet
Ceremonial documents issued by the Mayor honoring individuals and organizations, and celebrating special events. Records include a copy of the proclamation and information about the honoree or the event being celebrated.
SMA
5279-05
WTO Records
1999-2000
0.4 cubic foot
Records relating to the 1999 World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting and demonstrations, including reports created after the fact to determine lessons learned. Materials created before and during the conference include planning documents and status reports, emergency orders, information about press conferences and media contacts, and staffing schedules. Post-meeting records cover legal proceedings, chronologies, public disclosure of records, and the work of various review panels. Additional materials relating to WTO can be found in the WTO Accountability Review Committee Document Catalog (record series 1802-K1), as well as various City Council records.
SMA
Folder List
5279-06
WTO Staff Files
1999
1.6 cubic feet
Records created and collected by Mayor's Office staff relating to the 1999 World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting and demonstrations. This set of records was compiled for public disclosure requests filed after the fact. Includes memos, correspondence, news clippings, and other types of materials relating to planning the conference and the city's response to the demonstrations. Some office-wide files are arranged by type (weekly reports, emergency orders, etc.), but most of the records are arranged by the staff member who compiled them.
SMA
Folder List
5279-07
WTO Citizen Correspondence
1999
4.0 cubic feet
Emails and letters sent by citizens to the Mayor during and after the World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting and demonstrations. Dating from November 28 through December 29, 1999, the correspondence expressed both support and condemnation of the Mayor's and Police Department's actions. Seattle residents as well as national and international correspondents are represented. Series also includes some transcribed phone messages.
SMA
5279-08
WTO Press Conferences
1998-2000
0.4 cubic foot
Videotapes of press conferences held by Mayor Schell regarding the World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting and demonstrations in 1999. The ten VHS tapes date from November 1998 to July 2000, and are cataloged separately in the motion picture database.
SMA
Uhlman served as Mayor from 1969 to 1977, the youngest chief executive in Seattle's history and the first Democrat in almost 30 years. He faced a host of problems ranging from racial tensions and large anti-war demonstrations to a police scandal and an economic downturn. He responded by overhauling the city bureaucracy, encouraging increased citizen participation in government, and expanding social services. Uhlman was a strong believer in affirmative action, and the percentage of City workers who were minorities doubled during his time in office.
5287-01
Departmental Correspondence
1956-1978
78.6 cubic feet
Correspondence with city departments regarding ongoing operations as well as specific issues and events. The largest section of records covers the Executive Department, which includes the office and activities of the Mayor as well as subsidiary agencies like the Citizens Service Bureau, the Office of Policy Planning, and the Office of Management and Budget. Mayoral staffers' files are also included. Records relating to the Department of Community Development go into detail about the city's neighborhood improvement and urban renewal projects, including the Westlake and Yesler-Atlantic projects, as well as the plan to redevelop Pike Place Market. Materials from the Lighting Department cover issues including Ross Dam and labor strikes. Police Department files include citizen complaints as well as discussions of gambling and hollow point bullets. Other departments heavily represented in the records include Engineering, Legislative (City Council), Human Resources (social services), and Personnel.
SMA
Folder List
See also 5210-01
5287-02
Subject Files
1957-1977
78.6 cubic feet
Correspondence, reports, and other records related to the issues, programs, and organizations that were part of the work of the Mayor's Office during Uhlman's tenure. Topics range in scale from large transportation projects and the 1976 U.S. Bicentennial to individual parks and fire stations. The records include correspondence with and about local organizations, boards and commissions, and other governmental entities. The records also include routine mayoral correspondence such as thank you letters, congratulations, responses to invitations, condolences, and letters of introduction. The emergence of a number of issues and movements can be traced in these records, including the creation of environmental policy and the codification of historic preservation in the city. Civil rights and related issues are documented in records relating to demonstrations, affirmative action, redlining, school desegregation, the Black Panthers, and the city's first Gay Pride proclamation. Transportation projects are detailed in files about Interstate 90, rapid transit, and freeway projects, and records about Fort Lawton, Sand Point, and the Kingdome relate to major land use issues of the day. Other topics represented in this series include Forward Thrust, drug abuse, housing, city charter amendments, the Burke-Gilman Trail, major league baseball, the municipal building, neighborhood issues, Seafair, sister cities, and the city's animal shelter.
SMA
Folder List
See also 5210-01
5287-03
General Correspondence
1964-1978
8.2 cubic feet
Series contains correspondence with individuals and institutions, filed by letter. Many of these are from citizens who wrote to the mayor about a particular issue of concern to them. Other miscellaneous correspondence, sorted by year, is also included.
SMA
Folder List
5287-05
Mayoral Proclamations
1969-1977
1 cubic foot
Ceremonial documents issued by the Mayor honoring individuals and organizations, and celebrating special events. Records include a copy of the proclamation and, in some cases, information about the honoree or the event being celebrated. Proclamations exist for 1969-1970 and 1976-1977. The earliest proclamations are arranged alphabetically, while those from 1976 and 1977 are filed in rough chronological order.
SMA
White was Mayor of Seattle from August 1890 to November 1891. He served only two months of his first term and then stood for election under the newly adopted City Charter of 1890. White resigned after only one year of his term.
5295-01
Mayor's Messages
1890-1891
1 volume
Includes annual message on the state of the City, vetoes, proposed Charter amendments, and various communications to City Council.
SMA