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Walk through history with us! The Rainier Valley Historical Society is delighted to introduce a historic walking tour of the Columbia City Landmark District. Walk through history with us The Rainier Valley Historical Society is delighted to introduce a historic walking tour of the Columbia City Landmark District. This immersive experience guides participants through 26 significant sites within the district, providing captivating insights through historical photos and detailed information about each location. To enhance your exploration, utilize the interactive digital map provided below for seamless navigation. Alternatively, you may download and print a copy of the map for your convenience. printable map digital map

The Rainier Valley Historical Society maintains an ever-growing collection of photographs. These images are housed within our main database, PastPerfect, for public exploration and research. Additionally, RVHS offers photo essays and curated gallery selection, King County Snapshots, a collaborative project with the University of Washington and other Washington museums. Photographs The Rainier Valley Historical Society maintains an ever-growing collection of photographs. These images are housed within our main database, PastPerfect, for public exploration and research. Additionally, RVHS offers photo essays and curated gallery selection, King County Snapshots, a collaborative project with the University of Washington and other Washington museums. Search Our Database Search our collection of 2,200+ photographs, articles, and artifacts. search Photo Essays Discover photo essays crafted by the RVHS team and guest writers. discover King County Snapshots Explore a curated collection of 350+ photos in collaboration with King County. explore Need help with a project? Looking for images for your project or need research assistance? Reach out to RVHS—we're here to help! Schedule an appointment or email us with your questions. We also handle photo prints and usage requests via email. Contact us at office@rainiervalleyhistory.org . contact us

Help us preserve and celebrate the history of the Rainier Valley. Be a part of our advocacy for local preservation. Become a Member With your support, we provide programs that explore diverse topics including cultural traditions, social activism, architectural history, and environmental stewardship. Your contributions also help us maintain our extensive digital and physical archives, many of which are housed at our Columbia City Office, ensuring public access to this valuable resource. Members enjoy these core benefits: Subscription to all RVHS publications. Presale access and reduced admission to tours, programs, lectures, and special events. Discounted image and document reproduction. 4 Hours of personalized research assistance. Together, we can preserve and celebrate the heritage of Rainier Valley!

Join our team of volunteers who help us process archives, develop programming, and host events. Volunteer Form RVHS has collected, preserved, and shared the stories of Rainier Valley since 1891. Our volunteers are essential partners in this effort. First Name Last Name Email Availability 1 day a week 1 day a month Occasionally What are you interested in helping with? Archiving Events Office hours Special projects Tell us a little bit about yourself and your interests SUBMIT Thanks for your interest! We'll get back to you shortly.

The Columbia Motor Co. Building Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 15, 2025 Rainier Valley Historical Society Acquires Historic Building to Establish Permanent Community Museum Seattle, WA — Rainier Valley Historical Society (RVHS) is excited to announce the purchase of the historic Columbia Motor Co. building at 3806 S Ferdinand Street in Columbia City. This milestone marks the start of a permanent home for RVHS. After more than 130 years of collecting, preserving, and sharing the diverse history of Southeast Seattle, RVHS (previously Columbia Pioneers) will now create a dedicated museum space to host public programs and expand access to its archives and collections. “We are thrilled to plant roots in the neighborhood we’ve long served, and we are grateful to everyone who helped us reach this historic moment,” said Karen O’Brien, RVHS Board President. The building will house exhibits and host educational programs and cultural events that reflect the neighborhood’s history of immigration, migration, labor, activism, and resilience. RVHS is currently in the early stages of site preparation and stabilization, with renovation plans underway to transform the building into a welcoming community space. RVHS extends heartfelt thanks to the seller and the donor for their commitment to preserving local history, to our board and volunteers for their tireless dedication, and to the community members whose belief in this vision never wavered. Public meetings will be held later this year to gather community input for the building’s design and future use. To learn more or support this next chapter, visit rainiervalleyhistoricalsociety.org. Media Contact: Rainier Valley Historical Society office@rainiervalleyhistory.org 206-723-1663

Rainier Valley Historical Society maintains an ever-growing archive of historic photographs, documents, maps, oral histories, and artifacts. Our Archives & Collections The Rainier Valley Historical Society maintains an ever-growing archive of historic photographs, documents, maps, oral histories, and artifacts. The collection - along with a library of books and other research materials relating to the Rainier Valley - is available to the public during office hours or by appointment and on our online databases. Researchers are encouraged to contact the RVHS to discuss their requests in advance by emailing office@rainiervalleyhistory.org . Contact Our Team Collections Committee In 2009 the RVHS Board adopted a new Collections Policy that outlines our commitment to collect and preserved the historical materials in our care. The new policy establishes a Collections Committee that will oversee accessions, cataloging, and preservation efforts. Collections Scope The collection focuses on the history of the Rainier Valley from 1850 to the present day. Our geographic boundaries are from Dearborn Street on the north to the city limits on the south, and from I5 freeway to Lake Washington. Our collection has historically centered on the Columbia City and the period from 1890-1940, but we are working to expand the collection to include a broader geographic range, materials from WWII and the post war period, and from many ethnic and cultural communities to present the Rainier Valley today. Explore Our Archives Articles & Publications Photographs Newsletters Oral Histories

Rainier Valley Historical Society has photographs of many historic homes and buildings in the Rainier Valley, particularly in and around Columbia City. We also have information about the general history of the neighborhood, which may also be helpful to you. Research Your House The Rainier Valley Historical Society has photographs of many historic homes and buildings in the Rainier Valley, particularly in and around Columbia City. We also have information about the general history of the neighborhood, which may also be helpful to you. Another place to look for historic photographs of your house is the Puget Sound Regional Archives , located at Bellevue Community College. Look under "King County Property Records," find your tax parcel # (it's all right there on the site), and e-mail or call them to see what they've got. They should have a photo of the house from 1937 (a county-wide photo survey was done that year by the WPA), plus information about when the house was built, etc. The archivists there can point you to more resources if you want to keep going. The Seattle Polk Directories are also helpful. A complete set of these directories — essentially the phone book, but they go back way before phones — is available at the Seattle Public Library's downtown site, and at the Seattle Municipal Archives . Many of these volumes also have reverse directories, so you can look up an address and find out what was there in any given year. The Seattle Municipal Archives also has a searchable online database of photographs, but they tend to focus on engineering projects and not residential buildings. If you are interested in restoring your old house, Historic Seattle has wonderful resources for researching architectural history and finding historically accurate building supplies and fixtures. List of Resources Puget Sound Regional Archives Seattle Public Library Seattle Municipal Archives Historic Seattle Need help with your project? RVHS is here to help! Schedule an appointment with our collections team or email your questions to office@rainiervalleyhistory.org . contact us

To collect, preserve, exhibit, and interpret the history and heritage of Rainier Valley and its community and to educate and promote public involvement in, and appreciation of, its history and culture. Our Mission To collect, preserve, exhibit, and interpret the history and heritage of Rainier Valley and its community and to educate and promote public involvement in, and appreciation of, its history and culture. Our Goals 01. Research, document, and preserve the history of Rainier Valley. 03. Develop knowledge and understanding of the multi-ethnic history of the area. 02. Foster pride in Rainier Valley’s unique heritage. 04. Maintain and add to our permanent archive of oral histories, photographs, documents, and artifacts relating to the Rainier Valley. Land Acknowledgement: Rainier Valley Historical Society acknowledges the land our mission statement refers to as Rainier Valley is the original home of the Duwamish and Coast Salish peoples. We recognize the reverberations of colonialism past and present and the painful history of forced removal of these groups. Through this acknowledgment, we hope to honor and respect the Indigenous peoples who were, and still are connected to and are stewards of this land. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement Rainier Valley Historical Society is dedicated to sharing the stories and histories of the many types of community that make the larger Rainier Valley community a place of diversity and differences. Become a Member Help us preserve and celebrate the history of the Rainier Valley. Be a part of our advocacy for local preservation. Support RVHS

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Articles Filter by tag: Columbia City Activism Street Cars Food Stories Mount Baker Schools Timber & Mills Garlic Gulch Women's Voices Baseball Hillman City Lakewood Books Events Rainier Beach Franklin High School Religion Special Programs Beacon Hill History Maker Awards Seward Park Filter by category: All Posts Days Gone By Oral Histories Dismantling Racism Series Articles Photo Essays Articles Riding the Number 7: Celebrating Rainier Valley's Heritage and Community "Riding the Number 7" stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of community, resilience, and dedication that defines Rainier Valley. The Articles Southeast Seattle ZIP Code 98118: Neighborhood of Nations It's been said that the 98118 ZIP code in Southeast Seattle is the most diverse in the United States. Articles Unveiling of the Hillman City Heritage Bell Join us at the Hillman City Block Party for the official unveiling of the Hillman City Heritage Bell - Hillman City’s new landmark! Articles Meet Cathy Fields - The Artist Behind the Hillman City Heritage Bell Meet Cathy Fields and read her artist statement for Hillman City's newest landmark, the Hillman City Heritage Bell. Articles Ghosts on the Ceiling I was born on March 30, 1947 in Rochester New, York. I came to live in my grandmother’s house, where my dad and uncle grew up. The house... Articles Lake Washington Regatta at Seward Park - 1947 Rowing is the oldest intercollegiate sport in the U.S. that began with a race between Yale and Harvard Universities in 1852. Years later,... Articles Row, Row, Row Your Boat ... Rainier Valley’s Connection to the 1936 Olympic Gold Medal Reading the captivating and best selling book Boys in the Boat, inspired us to... Photo Essays Columbia Branch History - Seattle Public Libraries Step back in time with us as we dive into the history of the Columbia Branch Library. In June 1909, the Seattle Public Library... Articles The Real Boys In The Boat - RVHS 133rd Annual Meeting Presenting: "The Real Boys in the Boat" - A Daughter Remembers Join us and Judy Rantz Willman, daughter of University of Washington crew... Articles What am I going to do with these plums? Garlic Gulch Legacy by Mikala Woodward, Excerpted from Rainier Valley Food Stories Cookbook Many Italian families – like many other... Articles Garlic Gulch Under the Microscope The Rainier Valley’s Italian community has long been a focus of interest and curiosity. In 1915 sociology graduate student Nellie Roe... Articles All’s Fair in Love and War Excerpted from Rainier Valley Food Stories Cookbook The greatest love stories all feature a seemingly insurmountable obstacle, overcome... Articles Ark Lodge Building: Home of Columbia City's Fraternal Past In this 1937 photograph we see the east side of Rainier Avenue’s 4800 block, with the ornate Ark Lodge building occupying center stage.... Articles Bombers Over the Rainier Valley? World War Two Defenses These pictures arrived in our office last week, sent by Mr. Vern Farrow. They may not seem all that spectacular at first glance, but they... Articles The Midwife and the Oysterman We are grateful to a student researcher, L.S., for bringing the Dixon family to our attention. We have gleaned much from archival... Articles Meet our 2023 History Makers This year’s return to the annual RVHS Founder’s Dinner and Auction was one of the best! We gathered on October 14th to honor founder Buzz... Oral Histories Jimi Hendrix at Sick's Stadium " On the afternoon of July 26, 1970, Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970) headlines a concert at Seattle's venerable outdoor ballpark, Sicks'... Articles 37th Avenue, 1908: What’s Left? This 1908 photo of Columbia City was taken looking north along 37th Avenue from Dawson Street at the foot of Hitt’s Hill. It is a... Dismantling Racism Series Dismantling Racism: October 27, 2020 Presentation Watch a presentation on voting rights, voter suppression, and disenfranchisement that results from institutional racism and racist... Oral Histories Eugene Coleman: Oral History Abstract: Mr.Coleman discusses buying a house and growing up in Rainier Valley, working in an Alaskan cannery and leisure time activities... 1 2 3 4 5

Sun, Sep 15 | Wix Office MY EVENT This is a great place to get your guests excited by telling them a little more about this event. RSVP Time & Location Sep 15, 2024, 6:00 PM – Sep 16, 2024, 9:00 PM Wix Office, 500 Terry Francois Street, San Francisco, CA 94158 About the event Use this space to tell guests more about this event, e.g., event schedule, speakers, important info & more. To customize this text head to Manage Event > Event Details. This is a paragraph about your event. You can tell guests about the event history, background, types of participants and more. This is a great place to give guests plenty of additional information to get them excited to register. To customize this text head to Manage Event > Event Details. This is a paragraph about your event. You can tell guests about the event history, background, types of participants and more. This is a great place to give guests plenty of additional information to get them excited to register. To customize this text head to Manage Event > Event Details. Show More RSVP Share this event

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