Engineering Department Slides

Series

Identifier: 2613-08

Scope and Contents note

Slides of various Engineering Department projects and miscellaneous slides produced from historical photographs.Includes images of construction of the West Seattle Freeway Bridge, and a large body of images of the Tolt River Project construction and damage and repair work on the Ravenna water pipeline break. Other slides include images of downtown streets, the waterfront, damage after the Great Fire of 1889, Pike Place Market, the old public library building, Seattle Hotel, and Cedar Falls Municipal Light Plant. Digitized slides can be viewed on our digital platform.

Dates

Creation: 1880-1990

Historical Note

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The Engineering Department (SED) maintained the City's streets and bridges, designed and oversaw construction of public works projects, provided traffic and transportation planning, and operated the sewer and solid waste utility. The position of City Surveyor was created in 1873 to survey the City, establish boundaries and street grades, and administer condemnation processes. This position was renamed City Engineer in 1890. In 1931 the Engineering Department absorbed part of the Department of Public Utilities and in 1936 it assumed the responsibilities of the Department of Streets and Sewers and the Traffic Department. In 1997, the water, solid waste, drainage, and wastewater utilities from the Engineering and Water departments were merged with the Engineering Services Division of SED and the Customer Service Call Center and Construction Engineering Sections of City Light to form Seattle Public Utilities. The traffic and transportation functions of the Engineering Department were consolidated in the Seattle Transportation Department.