I'm intrigued that the map makers had the racial consciousness to distinguish between different varieties of Asians. I mean, let's face it: it was probably made by white people, and white people aren't exactly famous for understanding the differences between, say, the Chinese and the Japanese.
I wonder if that type of racial awareness is a major component in defining the culture of Seattle and a few other American cities.
Also, did you guys notice that black people seem to be concentrated in what's now the ID and not the CD? I wonder when the CD became known as the "black area" of Seattle. Was it just 30 years or so in the overall life of the city (I'm thinking 1960-ish to 1990-ish), or was it longer?
TVDinner, the map was made by cops, who had a finely honed sense of which groups in the ID were connected, respected, paid up, etc. Good map, Soph! For you TV, here's a HistoryLink page that will get you started on background of the CD, hope you find it interesting: http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?Dis…
I am intrigued that the "vice resorts" in "mostly business Belltown" are "mostly cheap and second-hand." Don't worry 1940 Belltown! It'll take quite a few decades, but in the future, you too will have middle-class -- and even some high-class -- dwellings.
I am going to start referring to my local pub as a vice resort.
This Montana person is a treasure. More maps please!
@9, 10 no kidding - Montanan yay. It'd be cool to learn the original purpose of the maps - briefing the Council, getting funding, avoiding the 1940's version of civilian oversight?
@15 I know that judges used to issue injunctions against Johns, prohibiting them from going to areas that had lots of sex workers, which in the middle of the 20th was the Yesler/Jefferson corridor, and in the late 20th was Aurora.
@4; Seattle officials (and white America in general) were effective at xenophobia before they got around to being just plain racist. Differentiating between Asian nationalities was no problem for 19th century and wartime Seattle: if you don't believe me, try wikipediaing 'chinese exclusion act' or 'japanese internment'...
I wonder which one of those dots is the Wah Mee Club. I have memories of the reminants of this Seattle from my youth. This map takes me back to the Seaport town that was Seattle in the 60's
@18 That was me. I used to live in Seattle and now am doing the PhD in Ecology through the folks at the Flathead Station, but I live in Bozeman. Confusing but is seems to be working out.
"15th and Yesler, madam."
What a fantastic, fascinating document. You win my "You Rock Today" award.
as a big map nerd, thanks for this post...it IS fascinating.
I wonder if that type of racial awareness is a major component in defining the culture of Seattle and a few other American cities.
Also, did you guys notice that black people seem to be concentrated in what's now the ID and not the CD? I wonder when the CD became known as the "black area" of Seattle. Was it just 30 years or so in the overall life of the city (I'm thinking 1960-ish to 1990-ish), or was it longer?
http://depts.washington.edu/civilr/displ…
Is there an easier way to post a link?
http://bit.ly/aT4TcZ
http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?Dis…
I am going to start referring to my local pub as a vice resort.
This Montana person is a treasure. More maps please!
I wish we were as honest as they were then.
Well, that plus you forgot the jet packs.
Capitol Hill was a very middle to lower middle class/Catholic/family neighborhood until de geighs moved in...apparently, we caused Straight Flight...
@7 GREAT link.