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Seattle Municipal Archives presents the October 2025 edition of Views from the Vault (previously Favorite Archival Objects), a monthly series where our archivists share hidden gems, surprising finds, and beloved treasures from the City’s past. Each month, we open the vaults to spotlight unique pieces from our collections and the stories behind them.

In this installment, Seattle Municipal Archives' Research & Evaluation Archivist Vanessa Granger takes a look at a 1934 letter to the Parks Department regarding Seattle's bathing suit laws.

SMA MATERIAL CITATIONS To explore more materials in the Archives, please visit our website: seattle.gov/cityarchives

Photographs
—  Magnuson Park, 1920, Item 29873, Record Series 5801-01: Don Sherwood Parks History Collection
—  Leschi Park, 1920, Item 29657, Record Series 5801-01: Don Sherwood Parks History Collection
—  East Green Lake Bathing Beach, July 15, 1930, Item 29152, Record Series 5801-01: Don Sherwood Parks History Collection
—  Bath House and Pavilion. Alki Beach, 1911, Item 37998, Record Series 5801-01: Don Sherwood Parks History Collection
—  One of the five Lake Washington Bathing Beaches, 1930, Item 29786, Record Series 5801-01: Don Sherwood Parks History Collection
— Madison Street Park Bathing Beach, June 24, 1936, Item 10537, Record Series 5801-01: Don Sherwood Parks History Collection
—  Green Lake Life Saving Class, July 7, 1936, Item 10669, Record Series 2613-07: Engineering Department Negatives
—  Green Lake, bathhouse, June 25, 1936, Item 10565, Record Series 5801-01: Don Sherwood Parks History Collection
—  Frederick Law Olmsted, Item 172638, Record Series 5801-08: Olmsted Brothers Photographs
—  Olmsted Job #2931 John Charles Olmsted, Item 172640, Record Series 5801-08: Olmsted Brothers Photographs

Documents
—  A ten year program for the Seattle Park Department, 1931, Item Doc_2040, Record Series 1801-92: Published Documents Collection
—  Letter from University Book Store re: bathing suits, May 1, 1934, Item 5801_01_005_005_001, Record Series 5801-01: Don Sherwood Parks History Collection
—  Here’s Your Season Ticket to Seattle’s Parks and Playgrounds, Item 533

Moving Images
—  Engineering Department Annual Picnic Fortuna Park, 1925, Item 506, Record Series 2613-09: Engineering Department Moving Images
—  [Seattle Department of Streets and Sewers Activities], 1926, Item 12951, Record Series 2613-09: Engineering Department Moving Images
—  A Day in Woodland Park Zoo, 1938, Item 532, Record Series 8601-08: Woodland Park Zoo Moving Images Collection
— More Power to You, 1962, Item 468, Record Series 1204-05: City Light Moving Images
—  [Woodland Park Zoo] Archives Film, 1968, Item 953, Record Series 8601-08: Woodland Park Zoo Moving Images Collection
—  Parks, Pleasant Occasions and Happiness, 1977, Item 920, Record Series 5802-08: Department of Parks and Recreation Moving Images
—  Windsurfers on Lake Washington; Aerials of Downtown, Lake Washington, Green Lake, Shilshole Marina, Item 749, Record Series 2613-09: Engineering Department Moving Images
—  Fun Frolic, 1937-1941, Item 521, Record Series 5802-08: Department of Parks and Recreation Moving Images

Maps
—  Seattle's Olmsted parks : history and guide, Item 3301, Friends of Seattle's Olmsted Parks

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
— UW Bookstore 1927. Courtesy of the University Bookstore.

All of the videos from the "Favorite Archival Object" and "Views from the Vault" series feature the following:
– Footage in introduction titles: Seattle Channel, Item cs_112119_3071924V
– Music: "The Plan's Working" by Cooper Cannellis from YouTube's Audio Library (Creative Commons)