Reporting live from Seattle's past

Long history of racial and economic unrest in Seattle

The history of Seattle and the post-settlement era of the Pacific Northwest is rife with violent episodes rooted in conflicts over race, economics and often both.

6 years ago

Hidden history of anti-Chinese violence

Local historian Feliks Banel tells story from 1886 that should be better known, especially in a time when Seattle is struggling with growth and change, and the nation is still struggling with immigration and discrimination.

6 years ago

All Over The Map: Mystery of Union Slough and other Snohomish River stories

If you've ever taken I-5 through Everett, you might have noticed that the highway crosses the Snohomish River and three distinct "sloughs."

6 years ago

Layers of hidden history in Seattle building’s long-forgotten ‘Prohibition Room’

There are mysteries aplenty in a downtown Seattle building opened to the public in early 1933 during the depths of the Great Depression.

6 years ago

All Over The Map: Take a trip down Newcastle’s Marijuana Road

When it comes to the names of local places that don't show up on any map, Newcastle's "Marijuana Road" is about as good as it gets.

6 years ago

Couple revives classic Sheridan Market in Lake Forest Park

Sheridan Market, a classic old mom-and-pop grocery store north of Seattle, may be coming back to life, thanks to the efforts of a local couple.

6 years ago

KIRO Radio listeners recall Mt. St. Helens eruption

To mark the 40th anniversary of the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, KIRO Radio has gathered exclusive excerpts from an audio diary recorded in Yakima 40 years ago.

6 years ago

All Over The Map: Mount St. Helens named for International Man of Mystery

The Northwest is marking the 40th anniversary of the eruption of Mount St. Helens, a peak which could easily have been known by a different name.

6 years ago

Comparing the Great Depression in Washington to the COVID-19 crisis

It's certainly no stretch to say that the last time the job numbers were this bad in Washington was during the Great Depression in the 1930s.

6 years ago

All Over The Map: Searching for the ‘Devil’s Elbow’ east of Renton

With the pandemic keeping many people closer to home, a lot of us are exploring the areas around where we live with new and deeper curiosity.

6 years ago

Even Amazon wasn’t as powerful as the Hudson’s Bay Company

Hudson’s Bay Company, which is observing its 350th anniversary this week, played a major role in the development of what's now the Pacific Northwest.

6 years ago

All Over The Map: Old steam locomotives hidden all over Washington

When we reported that an old locomotive was for sale in Oregon, listeners responded with details on plenty of other locomotives still on display in the Evergreen State.

6 years ago

Boeing leans on its history for inspiration during coronavirus crisis

As Boeing has been easing back into production, its corporate historian has been looking into the archives to learn how the company weathered the 1918 influenza pandemic.

6 years ago

All Over The Map: Is it time to bring home Seattle’s beloved old locomotive?

While the giant number 1246 locomotive has been absent from Seattle for 40 years, could it be time to bring the old "Iron Horse" back home?

6 years ago

Government quarantines in Washington began in the 19th century

19th-century travelers in the Northwest from overseas were screened for disease, and if they were suspected of being ill, they were put into quarantine.

6 years ago

All Over The Map: Forgotten giant of science who named Seattle’s Fauntleroy neighborhood

While we grapple with the closure of the West Seattle Bridge, perhaps we can find solace in knowing who Fauntleroy was named after 150 years ago.

6 years ago

How a dog helped FDR win the election of 1944

With the current pandemic, a campaign that was already one of the strangest in memory is making some people recall the wartime election year of 1944.

6 years ago

Gov. Inslee responds to Sicko’s version of ‘Washington, My Home’

After reaching out to Gov. Inslee to get his take on Sicko's version of the Washington state song, KIRO Radio now has a response.

6 years ago

All Over The Map: 1940s Victory Square in Seattle and plans for a COVID-19 monument

While researching and visiting Victory Square this week, it got me wondering if it might be time to start thinking about a COVID-19 monument.

6 years ago

Raucous version of WA state song would make composer ‘turn in her grave’

The ongoing pandemic can make us feel a little patriotic about our home state. And not many people know that “Washington, My Home” is our official song.

6 years ago

All Over The Map: Help name three new Seattle parks

Stuck indoors to self-quarantine during the pandemic? Pass the time by helping Seattle name a trio of pristine parks spread across the city.

6 years ago

Iconic local author’s long-ago triumph over quarantine and tuberculosis

I went in search of inspiring local stories of survival in quarantine, and I didn’t have to go too far to find iconic author Betty MacDonald.

6 years ago

All Over The Map: Twisted tales of the West Seattle Bridge

The history of the West Seattle Bridge is one fraught with scandals, long delays, and even a ship crash that had a drawbridge stuck in position for years.