Preview up to 100 items from this collection below. Explore the early history of the Pike Place Market through letters, receipts, plans, rental agreements and other documents related to the market’s business.
Chief Kyan totem pole in Ketchikan, Alaska, ca. 1899
Chief Kyan was a Tlingit chief who, in 1885, sold 160 acres to Mike Martin, one of the city of Ketchikan's founders. The totem pole shows the lineage of the Chief's family. The bear at the base of the pole represents Chief Kyan's family. The Thunderbird in the center represents his wife's family and the crane at the top represents his wife.
Identifier: spl_ap_00080
Date: 1899
View this itemHootalinqua on the Yukon River, ca. 1899
Hootalinqua was a small outpost located at the convergence of the Yukon and Teslin Rivers. It served as a stopping point for prospectors making their way to the gold fields.
Identifier: spl_ap_00148
Date: 1899
View this itemLetter from Arthur Goodwin to D.Z. Gourman regarding unauthorized signage at his stall, November 12, 1927
Letter from Arthur Goodwin to D.Z. Gourman informing him that he is not permitted to display the price of butter on his signage as it draws business away from other vendors at Pike Place Market.
Identifier: spl_sh_00094
Date: 1927-11-12
View this itemLetter from Arthur Goodwin to D.Z. Gourman regarding poor business practices, March 11, 1927
Letter from Arthur Goodwin to D.Z. Gourman stating he has become aware of Gourman's practice of directing customers looking for butter to stalls on the upper floor rather than the closer stalls on the lower floor. Goodwin states 'We do not think this is fair to your neighboring merchants and we ask you to investigate and if your clerks have been doing this, to correct it.'
Identifier: spl_sh_00082
Date: 1927-03-11
View this itemLetter from Arthur Goodwin to William Peterson regarding sagging floor in Economy Market. January 17, 1927
Letter from Arthur Goodwin to William Peterson of the General House Repair Co. asking him to look into the sagging floor of the Bartell's Drug Store located in the Economy Building and make repairs as quickly as possible.
Identifier: spl_sh_00048
Date: 1927-01-17
View this itemLetter from Arthur Goodwin to D.Z. Gourman instructing him to stop selling certain products, November 12, 1927
Letter from Arthur Goodwin to D.Z. Gourman letting him know that they have received complaints from other vendors at Pike Place Market over the fact that Gourman is now selling goods such as cranberries and nuts at his stall. Goodwin instructs Gourman to stop selling these items, stating 'As a grocery, you certainly have more lines than any other business in the market and we canot contenance your converting your place into lines that conflict with specializers, who depend entirely on these commodities for their business.'
Identifier: spl_sh_00095
Date: 1927-11-28
View this itemAerial photograph of Pike Place Market looking north
Aerial photograph of Pike Place Market facing north. The viaduct and waterfront piers can be seen on the left side of the photo.
Identifier: spl_sh_00011
View this item"Australian" steamboat at Canyon City in Yukon Territory, ca. 1899
A similar photograph in the University of Washington’s Eric A. Hegg’s photographs identifies the location at Miles Canyon Landing, about 6 miles south of Whitehorse on the Yukon River. This location was used by the Canyon and White Horse Rapids Tramway Company between 1897 and 1900 to portage steamer cargo around Miles Canyon and the Whitehorse Rapids. Location information for Canyon City has been provided based on information from the National Park Service. The "Australian" was constructed by the Canadian Development Company in Bennett, British Columbia in 1899.
Identifier: spl_ap_00151
Date: 1899
View this itemI.A. Caraco receipt for the Desimon Bros. & Co., October 19, 1935
I.A. Caraco's receipt for the purchase of grapes from the Desimone Brothers & Company Vegetable Growers. The back of the receipt promises 'We believe everything you bought of us today will give you entire satisfaction. If there is anything wrong about this transaction we stand in readiness at any and all times to cheerfully rectify the same.'
Identifier: spl_sh_00051
Date: 1935-10-18
View this itemConstruction on Pike Place in front of Leland Hotel
Photograph depicting the construction underway on Pike Place in front of the Leland Hotel.
Identifier: spl_sh_00013
Date: 1939-08-17
View this item