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Diablo Dam incline railway climbing Sourdough Mountain, 1930. Courtesy Seattle Municipal Archives, 2306.
Children waving to ferry, 1950. Courtesy Museum of History and Industry.
Loggers in the Northwest woods. Courtesy Washington State Digital Archives.

This Week Then

7/10/2025

Early Northwest explorers

News Then, History Now

New Use Found

In the 1860s, Seattle's first municipal cemetery was filled with the city's early deceased, many relocated from informal plots to make room for downtown development. On July 10, 1884, the graveyard -- located on land owned by David Denny -- was rededicated as Seattle's first public park. Its original residents were again reinterred, most to Washelli Cemetery.

Let's Look Around

On July 10, 1910, Stadium Bowl opened in Tacoma, providing sports fans with one of the most majestic views anywhere on Puget Sound. Originally named Tacoma Stadium, the structure was built in a natural gulch next to Tacoma High School. Because of the stadium's commanding presence, the school changed its name to Stadium High in 1913.

A Port on the Sound

On July 13, 1918, the Port of Everett was created by a special election. Local citizens had hoped to acquire a robust World War I shipbuilding industry on their city's waterfront, but the November 11, 1918, Armistice quickly ended their shipbuilding plans. 

Today in
Washington History

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Image of the Week

On July 14, 1915, the Liberty Bell visited Everett, Seattle, and Tacoma

On July 14, 1915, the Liberty Bell visited Everett, Seattle, and Tacoma en route to the Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco.

Quote of the Week

"Like Spain, I am bound to the past."

–William S. Burroughs

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Bruno de Hezeta (Heceta) party lands on future Washington coast and claims the Pacific Northwest for Spain on July 12, 1775.
Spanish Exploration: Hezeta (Heceta) and Bodega y Quadra Expedition of 1775 to Formally Claim the Pacific Northwest for Spain
Spanish Exploration: Arteaga and Bodega y Quadra's 1779 Expedition
Mexican and Spanish settlers complete Neah Bay settlement in May 1792.
Malaspina, Alessandro: Early Explorer of the Pacific Northwest Coast
Spain and Great Britain sign the Nootka Convention on October 28, 1790.
Captain Robert Gray becomes the first non-Indian navigator to enter the Columbia River, which he later names, on May 11, 1792.
George Vancouver begins British survey of Puget Sound on May 19, 1792.
David Thompson plants the British flag at the confluence of the Columbia and Snake rivers on July 9, 1811.
David Thompson visits Kalispel Indians on Pend Oreille River beginning on June 8, 1811.
David Thompson records first written description of the Sanpoil Indians and the landscape along the Columbia between Kettle Falls and the mouth of the Sanpoil River on July 3, 1811.
David Thompson records first written description of the Nespelem Indians and landscape along the Columbia from the mouth of the Sanpoil through Nespelem Canyon on July 4 and July 5, 1811.
David Thompson records first written description of the Methow Indians and landscape along the Columbia between Nespelem Canyon and the mouth of the Wenatchee on July 6, 1811.
David Thompson records first written description of the Sinkayuse Indians and the landscape along the Columbia between the mouth of the Wenatchee River and Crab Creek on July 7, 1811.
David Thompson records the first written description of the Wanapum Indians and of the landscape along the Columbia between Crab Creek (present-day Grant County) and the mouth of the Snake River (near present-day Pasco and Kennewick) on July 8-9, 1811.
David Thompson of the North West Company surveys Celilo Falls, The Dalles, and Cascades Rapids on the lower Columbia River beginning on July 13, 1811.
David Thompson, Canadian explorer and agent of the North West Company, reaches the mouth of the Columbia River and meets with Pacific Fur Company agents at Astoria on July 15, 1811.
Astorians trade with Chinook and Clatsop Indians in April 1811.
U.S. Congress votes to declare war on Great Britain on June 18, 1812.
Great Britain and the United States sign the Treaty of Joint Occupation of Oregon on October 20, 1818.
Britain and the United States agree on the 49th parallel as the main Pacific Northwest boundary in the Treaty of Oregon on June 15, 1846.
Slaughter County is renamed Kitsap County on July 13, 1857.
Kitsap County -- Thumbnail History
Native Americans kill U.S. Army Lieutenant William Slaughter and three other soldiers along the White River on December 4, 1855.
Slaughter is renamed Auburn on February 21, 1893.
Auburn -- Thumbnail History
Native American tribes sign Point Elliott Treaty at Mukilteo on January 22, 1855.
Treaty of Point No Point, 1855
Captain William Talbot establishes a steam sawmill at Port Gamble in July 1853.
Port Gamble -- Thumbnail History
Port Orchard -- Thumbnail History
Sidney (later renamed Port Orchard) incorporates on September 15, 1890.
Bremerton -- Thumbnail History
Poulsbo -- Thumbnail History
Bainbridge Island (Winslow) -- Thumbnail History
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
Washington Public Ports: A List with Founding Dates
Seattle Cemetery
Denny, David (1832-1903), Louisa Boren Denny (1827-1916), and Family
Seattle establishes its first public park, Denny Park, on site of the city's first municipal cemetery on July 10, 1884.
Washelli Cemetery (1884-1887), Seattle
Tacoma
Tacoma High School opens on September 10, 1906.
Port of Everett is created by a special election held on July 13, 1918.
World War I in Washington
Everett Bayside: A Tour
Seattle celebrates the end of World War I on November 11, 1918.
First attempted hijacking at Sea-Tac Airport is foiled on July 14, 1954.
Dash-80, prototype for Boeing 707, first flies on July 15, 1954.
Boeing Field, Seattle's first municipal airport, is dedicated on July 26, 1928.
William Boeing incorporates the Pacific Aero-Products Co. on July 15, 1916.
Washington State Roll of Honor, Part 10: Vietnam War
Soldiers returning from Vietnam are welcomed with parade, barbecue in Seattle on July 10, 1969.
Fort Lewis: 9th Infantry Division
Kalama -- Thumbnail History
Kalama incorporates on July 16, 1890.
Benton City -- Thumbnail History
Benton City's incorporation is certified on July 14, 1945.
Gig Harbor -- Thumbnail History
Gig Harbor in Pierce County is incorporated as a fourth-class town on July 12, 1946.
Richland -- Thumbnail History
Richland votes to incorporate as a first-class city, thus making the transition from being federally owned to being a self-governing city, on July 15, 1958.
Liberty Bell visits Everett, Seattle, and Tacoma on July 14, 1915.