Donald Schmechel Oral History Collection
Watch oral histories with prominent figures in the Pacific Northwest including artists Jacob Lawrence and Kenneth Callahan; Governors Albert Rosellini and Dixy Lee Ray and Reverends David Colwell and Samuel McKinney.
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Temporary span looking south at 12th Ave. S bridge, May 30, 1968
Temporary span on the Jose Rizal Bridge (renamed from 12th Avenue South Bridge in 1974) which carries 12th Avenue S over S Dearborn St. View faces south over the I-5 freeway where Smith Tower and the Space Needle can be seen in the distance. The building under construction at the center of the photograph is Safeco Plaza.
Identifier: spl_dor_00017
Date: 1968-05-30
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Aerial view of Bellevue, WA, circa 1990s
Aerial view of Bellevue looking west and slightly north along NE 4th Ave. towards Lake Washington and Seattle. Bellevue Square (first opened in 1946 as Bellevue Shopping Square, and expanded in the 1980s), One Bellevue Center (constructed 1982-1983), the Hyatt Regency hotel (built 1989), Key Bank Building (built 1971), and other buildings can be seen.
Identifier: spl_dor_00021
Date: 1990?
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Fred Haley Interview, May 2, 1986
Fred T. Haley (1912-2005) was the president of Brown & Haley, the confectionary company founded by his father in 1912 that became well known for manufacturing Almond Roca. Haley was heavily involved in civil rights and education issues in Tacoma and nationwide. He served on the Tacoma School Board from 1954 to 1965 and worked for school desegregation and increasing diversity among the faculty. He was also heavily involved in establishing a Tacoma campus for the University of Washington. Haley’s deep interest in social causes was further demonstrated by his participation in the 1963 March on Washington. The American Civil Liberties Union honored Haley with their William O. Douglas award in 1985 for his work to promote civil rights and racial equality and protecting targets of McCarthyism in the 1950s.
Identifier: spl_ds_fhaley_01
Date: 1986-05-02
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Albert Bumgardner Interview, September 30, 1986
Albert Bumgardner (1923-1987) was a noted Seattle architect responsible for the design of buildings across Washington State. He grew up in Illinois and attended Illinois University where he received his bachelor’s degree in architecture in 1949. He moved to Seattle and started working with other architectural firms before starting his own in 1953. He served as the first chair of the Seattle Design Commission and helped protect Pioneer Square as the city’s first Historic District. Bumgardner designed several buildings on the campuses of Evergreen State College, the University of Washington, Central Washington University and Western Washington University. He also designed many private residences and buildings throughout Seattle including the Intiman Theater, Waterfront Place and Watermark Tower. He was president of the Seattle AIA Chapter from 1962 to 1962 and received the AIA Seattle Medal in 1987.
Identifier: spl_ds_abumgardner_01
Date: 1986-09-30
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Gasworks and Lake Union from Queen Anne, July 3, 1961
View of Gasworks Park, the University District, Portage Bay, the University Bridge and Eastlake taken from Paul Dorpat's friend's porch in Queen Anne.
Identifier: spl_dor_00005
Date: 1961-07-03
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Albert Rosellini Interview, April 22, 1986
Governor Albert D. Rosellini (1910-2011) served as the governor of Washington State from 1956 to 1965. Rosellini was born in Tacoma in 1910. In 1916, his family relocated to Seattle where they lived in the Rainier Valley neighborhood. Rosellini attended law school at the University of Washington. He was elected to the Washington State Senate in 1938. During his time as Governor, Rosellini focused on reforming the prison system to create a separate system for juvenile offenders. He also worked towards improving mental health services, road construction, and aid for higher education institutions.
Identifier: spl_ds_arosellini_01
Date: 1986-04-22
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Dwight Robinson Interview, October 23, 1985
Dwight E. Robinson (1914-1988) was a University of Washington economics professor noted for his study of fashion trends. Robinson earned his PhD from Columbia University in 1948 and became part of the University of Washington School of Business faculty in 1950. He was chair of the Business Department between 1965 and 1969. In 1963, he was awarded the John Simon Guggenheim award for his research on fashion and design. Robinson retired from the University of Washington in 1981.
Identifier: spl_ds_drobinson_01
Date: 1985-10-23
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Josiah Collins VI Interview, January 19, 1988
Josiah Collins VI (1908-1990) came from a pioneering Seattle family and was active in real estate. He graduated from Yale University and served in the Army during World War II. Following the war, Collins was involved in Seattle real estate with the firm Yates, Riley & MacDonald and as a member of several organizations including the Seattle Real Estate Board, Building Owners and Managers Association, Society of Residential Appraisers and American Right of Way Association. He married Dorothy Priscilla (Patsy) Bullitt Collins in 1947 and together they had three sons.
Identifier: spl_ds_jcollins_01
Date: 1988-01-19
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Frank Cunningham Interview, September 15, 1986
Frank Cunningham (1922-2013) was a fixture in the Seattle rowing scene. Cunningham grew up in Lowell, Massachusetts and attended Harvard and was part of the varsity rowing team. He interrupted his college education to serve in the Marine Corps during World War II. Following the war he moved to Seattle where he began working at Boeing and met his wife, Jane. He earned his graduate degree in teaching from the University of Washington and began a career in education. He also coached the rowing team at Lakeside school where he was also a humanities teacher. Several of his students later became Olympian rowers. He received the medal of honor from the U.S. Rowing Association in 2010 and was included in their Hall of Fame. In 2012, he was honored by the Washington State Senate for his teaching and coaching career.
Identifier: spl_ds_fcunningham_01
Date: 1986-09-15
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Laurene Gandy interview, April 6, 1987
Laurene Tatlow Gandy (1908-1993) was born in Denver, Colorado. She attended Colorado University for two years before transferring to Smith College where she earned her degree in English literature. She received her masters degree from the University of Denver and taught English there until she met and married in Joseph Gandy in 1937. Joseph Gandy was appointed as the president of the 1962 Century 21 Exposition and Laurene was often referred to as the fair’s “First Lady.” She served an important role hosting hundreds of visiting dignitaries and celebrities visiting the fair. Gandy was active in a variety of civic activities throughout her lifetime including serving on the board of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, acting as president of the Seattle Children’s Home and helping to found the Seattle Center Foundation in 1977.
Identifier: spl_ds_lgandy_01_01
Date: 1987-04-06
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