❖ SEAFAIR DAYS OF OLD ❖

SCHOONER GRACIE S sails in
the Royal Entourage to open Seattle Seafair
Photo dated 11 August 1950
from the archives of the Saltwater People Log©

King Neptune takes over Seattle: Victor Rabel, as King Neptune I led his royal entourage ashore at the Harbor Patrol dock a the foot of Washington St to officially open Seattle's first annual Seafair. 
      Mayor William Devin welcomed the Seafair ruler and his party. The group included: Prime Minister Ray L. Eckmann, a company of guards, and 25 princesses, contenders for Seafair Queen. The royalty arrived on the schooner GRACIE S, under full sail. King Neptune was crowned last night at the Green Lake Aquatheater.
Text from Seattle Times, 12 August 1950. Front page. 

1950
Old sternwheelers churn Elliott Bay.
US Army Corps W.T. PRESTON, right 
powered past the SKAGIT BELLE, center and the 
SKAGIT CHIEF to take the lead and win the 3-mi race.
The course of the Seafair event ran from Magnolia bluff
to the foot of Lenora St. 
The race was sponsored by the
Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society
Photograph by Larry Dion.
Original from the archives of S.P.H.S.©

1950

WORLD RECORD HOLDER 
SLO-MO-SHUN IV.
Best of all this photo depicts 
the designer, Ted O. Jones;
the builder, Anchor Jensen;
the driver, Stanley S. Sayres;
the second year of the Seattle SeaFair, 1950.

Original photo from the archives of S.P.H.S.©

1952

King Neptune, E. L. Blaine, Jr.
gets a royal reception, as he steps ashore
from the yacht GRACIE S to take over
Seattle for the Seafair.
He was given a king salmon by Joan Knutson,
representing Ballard.
L-R: Ray Lichtenberger, holding the salmon,
Mayor Allan Romeroy, in the background,
King Neptune, holding Joan,
Rack Eckmann, first prime minister of Seafair,
Vic Rebel, King Neptune, and 
Willis Camp, 1952 prime minister.

1954

Are we serious about this parade?
Bobby Dow, Mary Dow, Peggy Dow
and Judy Knightlinger watch from
Times Square, Seattle, WA.
Click image to enlarge.
Photographer unknown,
From the archives of the Saltwater People
Historical Society©

1955

British Cruiser SUPERB,
Pier 91, Seattle, WA.
Original photo dated 1955
from the archives of the S.P.H.S.

Visitors streamed aboard the British cruiser at Pier 91 that year as the SUPERB and 12 ships of the USN were opened for Seattle inspection. Another major attraction was the US aircraft carrier MIDWAY. With them on display were the destroyer escorts BRANNON, GILLIGAN, ROMBACH, JOHNSON, NICKEL, GRADY, WELDEN, GOSS and BUTLER with minesweepers REDSTART and DEXTROUS. Crew members were the guides aboard their ships.
Text from the Seattle Times, 31 July 1955.

1957

PAR-LIN
14-ft sloop after 1,000 miles from Sitka, AK
to the Seattle Seafair
Summer 1957.
Original photo from the archives of the
Saltwater People Historial Society©

Two suntanned youths from Alaska got a Seafair welcome in Seattle after completing a 1,000-mile trip from Sitka. 

      The sailors were directed to the pier by Harbor Patrol to receive an official Seafair greeting.

      Sailors Don Noreen, 18, and Lester Radach, 19, steered their small craft to Pier 50 after a trip from Everett. The boys, who started their trip on 9 June at Stika, also were greeted by Noreen's grandfather, Adam Fries of Tacoma, and other relatives.

      The men made most of the journey by sail, but used a borrowed outboard motor for the last leg of the trip; they plan to sell the boat.

      The daily distances varied from four miles to 75 miles; they only experienced minor sailing difficulties. 

Abridged text from the Seattle Times 31 July 1957.

      

1964

Third Lake Bridge, Lake Washington, 1964.
The first symptom of the annual malady––
hydroplane fever––was detected as men
from the 554th Engine Co at Fort Lewis
built a 472' floating span from the Stan Sayres
Memorial Pits to the official barge.
The Army brought half pontoons and
decking from Fort Lewis
in several heavy trucks and six trailers.
Thirty-five men assembled the span in five hours.
At left, a USCG buoy tender marked the course for
the Seafair Trophy Race of 9 August 1964.
Photo by Bruce McKim on 30 July 1964
Original photo from the archives of S.P.H.S.©

1965

Army engineers push a section towards
the bridge already installed.
Photo date verso, 29 July 1965.
Original photo from the archives of the S.P.H.S.©

Army engineers constructed the bridge from the shore of Lake Washington to the official barge near the Stan Sayres Memorial Park, the site where the unlimited hydroplanes would begin the build-up for the Gold Cup.

1967

Honorary Marshal Joshua Green
(c. 1870-1975)
SeaFair, Seattle, WA. 1967.
Original photo from the archives of S.P.H.S.©

Long on years but high on Seafair enthusiasm, Joshua Green appeared in a new role as honorary marshal of the Torchlight Parade. Green took to the honor like a duck takes to Lake Washington in parts uncharted by hydroplanes. "Tip top!" Green cried on learning of the choice.

      Promptly, Green slipped into a Seafair Commodores' jacket, temporarily discarded his hard-brim sailor straw in favor of a Commodore cap and saluted Seafair and all Seattle in his new role.

      Honorary chairman of the board of Peoples National Bank of Washington, a golfer, a pheasant-and-duck hunter, a brisk man for all his 97 years. Green said of his appointment:

      "It fits me like the paper on the wall. It's a very nice thing, but I don't think I rate it. My steamboating days make me just right for this Seafair job––right out of my Seafair book. Great cities have great festivals––New Orleans has its Mardi Gras, and Seattle has its Seafair. My steamboating fits me for Seafair; my banking fits me for Seafair, for it pours money into the city at this season, and that makes for more prosperity.

      Green saluted in front of the Neal Ordayne portrait of him that hangs in the Green home. He grinned as he struck a pose for the new role. 

      "Reckless abandon," Green said impishly.

Above text by Robert Heilman for the Seattle Times, 31 July 1967

      

1986

Boats of all shapes and sizes moored at the log boom
to watch the hydros on Lake Washington
This day 3 August 1986 with photo by freelancer,
James Robert Zebroski
Original photo from the archives of S.P.H.S.©

Log boom spectators 
watching the Blue Angels, 1986.
Racecourse for the hydroplane races,
Lake Washington, Seattle, WA.
Click to enlarge.
Photo by Greg Gilbert.
from the archives of the S.P.H.S.