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A Portrait of Your Old House
Yesterday--1937. |
When my husband mentioned that pictures were taken of every house in Seattle in the '30s, I called the local library to find out more. They directed me to the Puget Sound branch of the Washington Archives.
The archives confirmed that if my house was built before 1937, they probably have a picture of it. To check, they needed the tax number of the property, which I gave them. They called back shortly to say they had pictures of both the house we had just sold and the one we had just bought. I ordered 8x10 prints; my husband had them framed and they now hang in our living room.
Who took the pictures?
Between 1937 and 1940, the Works Progress Administration sent out crews to photograph every building in King County for a property inventory. In 1940, the King County Assessor's Office picked up the project, and they continued adding to and updating the pictorial inventory until 1972. The Puget Sound branch of Washington state's Regional Archives now maintains the collection, as they have since 1979.
Today--2001. |
You will need the tax account number of the property--if you don't have it, call the King County Department of Assessments at (206) 296-7300 with your address and they will look it up for you. With your tax number in hand, call the Regional Archive's Puget Sound branch at (425) 564-3940. Prints range in size from 5x7 to 16x24, with prices from $11 to $24, not including shipping.
Find out more about your house
The Puget Sound branch also makes it easy to research your home's history: former owners, tax information and the like. It's also a great place for historical sleuthing on local subjects such as family histories and state and local history. Research is by appointment only, and they suggest you call and discuss your research with them beforehand so they can help you prepare and make the most of your time.
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| roslyn cole | Dec 18, 2002 | brentwood | |
