- HistoryLink.org, courtesy Lawton Gowey
Did you know Seattle once had a ladymayor?! It’s true, and it was way back in 1926, when ladies barely were allowed to exist at all, and she was the first ladymayor in these here United States. As required by the laws of that time, she had a funny olde-timey name: Bertha Landes Knight Landes.
So as to not seem too uppity for a ladyperson, she positioned herself as Seattle’s “housekeeper.” As her dear hubby put it:
“It’s simply the natural enlargement of her sphere. Keeping house and raising a family are woman’s logical tasks, and in principle, there’s no difference between running one home and a hundred thousand.”
So true. She also sounds like a wetblanket, putting a stop to delicious bootlegging and making sure people weren’t having inappropriate amounts of fun at dance halls and cabarets. Sigh.
In this photo, she is making tea for the city. It seems to have had a deleterious effect on her sleeve.
More, in case you’re still awake, over here.
UPDATE: From beyond the grave, Bertha Knight Landes is on Facebook.
i’ve been in her room many a time.
also, analogy fail, mr. landes.
Seattle had a lot of serious ladies who were always trying to spoil everyone’s fun. (we still do, actually, but that’s another matter)
I don’t really blame the ladies of yore, however. Seattle had loads of prostitutes in the old days, and the serious ladies could never find their husbands because they were always sitting in some Madame’s parlor, sipping brown liquor and looking at young girls in ridiculous undergarments while someone played a piano. (I’m sure they did other things as well, but I am a serious lady myself, and this is a family blog)
I’m sure Bertha carried the burden of Seattle’s vice, remembering those early days when Mr. Landes was always down in Pioneer Square visiting the fallen women. But she got back at him by becoming Mayor. Can you imagine the ribbing he got at the tonsilarium for that?
“and making people weren’t having inappropriate amounts of fun at dance halls and cabarets.” just broke my brain..
Best post ever! Made my morning!
Bethany – it is Bertha KNIGHT Landes!
Plus ça change…So as to not seem too uppity for a ladyperson, Patty Murray has positioned herself as a mom in tennis shoes.
Ms. Landes is also a ghost who haunts the Harvard Exit Theater.
Wait a minute. Something doesn’t make sense.
You wrote that she was the first “ladymayor” in the United States. But, in the article, there is a photo of her with the caption…”Edmonds Mayor Alice Kerr and Seattle City Council President and future Mayor Bertha Landes, 1925″
Hmmm.
Edmonds was part of Canada until the war of Northwest Secession in 1924. Being northwesterners, we are really embarrassed about it, and don’t talk about it.
Besides, it was a really boring war. Mostly just a bunch of passive aggressive actions against the other side.
Why do all of you ladywriters at The Stranger now sound like Lindy West? Do you have a new female- staff-member style book? You used to have a very different voice BJC, and it was jst fine?
10, yeah, I was just going to comment that Bethany and Megan both are sounding so much like Lindy these days it’s sad
I sound like Lindy more than I used to now also! HANK.
It’s Bertha Knight Landes.
@13 hey, she got pretty close though! HANK IS GASSY.
@3: Apologies—apparently my brain was already broken.
@5 and 13: Thank you! And see above.
@10 and 11: I’ve been around here for a long time—see?—sounding pretty much the same, I think. But, um, thanks.
BJC: I know you’ve been around a long time, I’ve read your reviews, and though I don’t always agree, I have enjoyed reading them. You did not used to sound so twee.
@15 num num num num num num num num
@16: Maybe it is Slog that is making us all sound alike, like Slogzombies who create new compound words and SCREAM THINGS and use interrobangs?! Then add something small and quiet. IS IT SOMETHING ABOUT FORCED SLOGGERY IN THE SLOGFORMAT THAT IS MAKING US ALL GO CRAZY IN THE SAME WAY?! Help.