Published in Journal of Precipitation·Dec 31, 2019Let’s remember when Seattle got its booze back, on this day in 1932 (December 31)I’ve blogged something every day in 2019, save for June 16 and I’m still not sure what happened there. This seemed like a good place to go out on and wrap up the series. From HistoryLink and Phil Dougherty: On December 31, 1932, medicinal liquor becomes available in Seattle after…Prohibition3 min readProhibition3 min read
Published in Journal of Precipitation·Dec 30, 2019Let’s remember when The Jazz Singer, the first hit movie to have sound, opened in Seattle, on this day in 1927 (December 30)This is the kind of nerdery that I live for. The first time a lot of people in Seattle were able to witness a movie with sound was 92 years ago today. …Blue Mouse Theater3 min readBlue Mouse Theater3 min read
Published in Journal of Precipitation·Dec 29, 2019Let’s remember when the new Emerald Queen Casino opened in Fife, on this day in 2004 (December 29)The Emerald Queen Casino has been such an important part of the Tacoma area for over 20 years now. It’s probably one of the most recognizable casinos in the Northwest, and some of their billboards along I-5, I swear, can be seen from space. And it opened in its new…Casino3 min readCasino3 min read
Published in Journal of Precipitation·Dec 28, 2019Let’s remember when the Moore Theatre opened, on this day in 1907 (December 28)A very necessary Happy Birthday is due to one of Seattle’s most long-running theaters. It opened 112 years ago today and it remains an excellent place to see a show. From Eric L. Flom of HistoryLink: On December 28, 1907, an overflow crowd of nearly 3,000 jams into Seattle’s new…Moore Theatre2 min readMoore Theatre2 min read
Published in Journal of Precipitation·Dec 27, 2019Let’s remember when Hearst announced its takeover of the Post-Intelligencer, on this day in 1921 (December 27)In March of 2009, Hearst turned the Seattle Post-Intelligencer into an online-only newspaper, which was a damn tragedy. But the PI has been a Hearst property for almost 100 years now, as an editorial announced the acquisition 98 years ago today. From HistoryLink: On December 27, 1921, the fact that…Newspapers1 min readNewspapers1 min read
Published in Journal of Precipitation·Dec 26, 2019Let’s remember when a raid in Magnolia turned up 50 gallons on moonshine, on this day in 1923 (December 26)Prohibition, what a time to be alive! From HistoryLink and Greg Lange: On December 26, 1923, during Prohibition, a search warrant is issued to King County Sheriff Department to search 3214 Magnolia Boulevard in Seattle’s Magnolia neighborhood. …Prohibition1 min readProhibition1 min read
Published in Journal of Precipitation·Dec 25, 2019Let’s remember the very first Christmas in Seattle, on this day in 1851 (December 25)It’s a Christmas miracle! From Dorothea Nordstrand and HistoryLink, this story is remarkable: Christmas of 1851 found a great change at New York Alki, the place of the very beginning of our city of Seattle. Only six short weeks had passed since the Arthur Denny party had made their historic…Seattle2 min readSeattle2 min read
Published in Journal of Precipitation·Dec 24, 2019Let’s remember when right-wing wacko David Lewis Rice murdered Charles Goldmark, and his family, on this day in 1985 (December 24)Seattle Met magazine called it “one of the most heinous crimes in Seattle history.” It is quite ghastly and horrifying. In the great article about the case, James Ross Gardner writes: For more than 30 years, anniversaries have come and gone, essentially unobserved, at least publicly, and the reasons why…Crime3 min readCrime3 min read
Published in Journal of Precipitation·Dec 23, 2019Let’s remember when the first US case of mad cow disease was reported near Yakima, on this day in 2003 (December 23)The outbreak of mad cow disease was both a very big deal in 2003, and the subject of way too many late night talk show jokes. But the US outbreak began in a town I hadn’t heard of, Mabton, in Yakima County. According to Kit Oldham at HistoryLink: On December…Health2 min readHealth2 min read
Published in Journal of Precipitation·Dec 23, 2019Let’s remember when legislation to curb the spread of jazz music was introduced in the Washington legislature, on this day in 1933 (December 22)Depression-era Washington state had a big menace on their hands that needed to be addressed: jazz music. Really. As Peter Blecha wrote in HistoryLink: On December 22, 1933, amid growing fears over the perceived threat posed by that relatively new fad, jazz music, Washington State Representative William A. Allen submits…Music2 min readMusic2 min read
