Historical Footage
*NEW* Late 1960s AHS Basketball
Featured above is footage from the 1968-69 and 1969-70 AHS basketball teams. Coach Loren Anderson led this group of young men that included Al Johnson, Jim Harker, Dirk Lunsford and Craig Taylor to name a few.
One of the games pits Anacortes vs Mt. Vernon, while the other two we're not entirely clear on who they're facing. If you do happen to recognize the opposing teams in the clips, comment below!
The Marineers’ Pageant Collection
Marineers’ Pageant (1948)
The Marineers’ Pageant was an annual Anacortes summer event which was held each July or August in 1937-1941, 1947-1949, and 1957.The huge undertaking, mounted by the city’s business community, resulted in thousands of visitors, and their dollars, coming to Anacortes. Events during those years included Coast Salish canoe races, a mass wedding at Causland Park in 1938, a "Cat-putter-outer Contest", a pageant queen and princesses, water events off the Marine Stadium (amphitheater) on Cap Sante, and spectacular parade -- one parade for children, and the other for floats, marching bands, and other units. Wallie Funk described the event in his column, Pictures of the Past, which ran in the Anacortes American on July 31, 1996: "The city hit on a real pleaser when in 1936 civic shakers decided to throw all their physical and financial resources into one gigantic three-day festival. Thus was born the Marineers’ Pageant, which in a very few stagings became one of the prima community celebrations on Puget Sound. "Its watersports, including world-champion waterskiers, smaller-class hydroplane races, canoe competitions pitting tribal entries from the Pacific Northwest and Canada, and battleships at anchor off Cap Sante installed it as a major marine gala. "There were coronation ceremonies that would do justice to a royal British crowning, along with celebratory balls that played to packed houses, street dances, barbecues. And the Grand Parade, which attracted spectators by the tens of thousands to view the spectacle along Commercial Avenue, truly was grand."
Marineer’s Pageant - Parade and Water Events (1948)
Don Ibsen’s Water Follies performed at Marineers’ Pageants in Anacortes in the 1930s and ’40s. See crowds galore parading on Commercial Avenue and at the water show viewed from the Marine Stadium, built on the east side of Cap Sante. The Anacortes American described the show in 1948. “Twenty-one acts occupying some three hours of solid entertainment each day will make up the huge and varied water show that will be presented in Anacortes next Saturday and Sunday,” Don Ibsen was inducted into the USA Water Ski & Wake Sports Foundation Hall of Fame in 1983. *Films provided to the Anacortes Museum courtesy of the Don Ibsen family*
The 12th Street Jalopy Races in Anacortes | (Late 1940’s Marineers’ Pageant)
Featured above is footage of the Jalopy Races from a late 1940’s Marineers’ Pageant. Jalopy, in this sense, is defined as "noisy old car, heap, wreck, or rattletrap. The Marineers’ Pageant—once the premier festival in Anacortes—included jalopy races and entries in the Pageant parade. The film also features Harley Sutt driving through a wall of fire, a daring feat indeed!The races would take place on the "12th Street Jalopy grounds," located where Safeway is now. Jalopies were an important part of summertime entertainment in mid-century Anacortes.
Industrial Anacortes
Anacortes Veneer Inc. Plywood Mill: A Worker Owned Enterprise
The Anacortes Veneer Inc. Plywood Mill was a worker-owned enterprise. Located at the foot of 34th street on Fidalgo Bay, the mill was the product of Washington Veneer employees seeking job security and managerial control. This led to the opening of Anacortes Veneer Inc. in November 1939, a risky time considering the hold that the Depression still had on the economy. The mill was in operation between 1939 – 1983, and again from 1986 – 1992. In 1992, the mill was destroyed by fire. Included in this mid-century AVI footage are parts of the plywood process from debarking and peeling the logs to patching and gluing sheets of plywood.
Anacortes "Little Chicaco" Fires (1957)
Located along the north and east shore of what is now the Port of Anacortes’ Cap Sante Marina, this area was referred to as Little Chicago throughout most of the 20th century. Many of the structures shown in historic photographs were boat houses or net sheds, not residences. This neighborhood was established perhaps as early as 1900. Considered an eyesore by some, and an obstacle to port development, it was condemned in 1956 by the Port of Anacortes. The homes were vacated in 1956, and then burned in phases in early 1957, culminating in the March 25, 1957 final fire.
The name “Little Chicago” was given to this neighborhood on the other side of the tracks, as a half-joking reference to the reputation that the City of Chicago had earned for gang activity associated with organized crime during the 1920s. Prohibition was violated in every Anacortes neighborhood, but Little Chicago was known as a place to purchase illegal liquor. The first known newspaper use of “Little Chicago” appeared in 1933, covering a fight over a booze transaction.
While this neighborhood may have absorbed a greater share of the poor during the Great Depression, it existed before the rise of Hoovervilles. The whole area between the current marina and Guemes Channel was marsh, such that a storm in 1902 made Cap Sante an island once more. The area was home to Elbridge Sibley in the late 1800s, and was owned by the Cap Sante Land Company from the 1890 real estate boom until the Port of Anacortes purchased in in 1928. The 1920 census notes that the residences here were on “tide lands” and “beach,” and most of those who made homes in the neighborhood were waterfront squatters. The 1930 census shows many immigrants from Europe living in this neighborhood, mainly from Norway and Yugoslavia (Croatia). They worked in the fishing industry and the mills.
Port and Pulp Mill Activity (1957)
Included in this footage is pulp shipping and processing from the Scott Paper Co. pulp mill in 1957. The Scott Paper pulp mill was a large part of the economy of Anacortes during the 20th century, providing many jobs as well as a nose-irritating smell to Anacortes. Despite its positive impact on the economy, the mill had a negative impact on the environment, which led to its closure in 1978.
Cap Sante in the 1950s
When looking from the top of the Cap Sante viewpoint, you will be greeted with a beautiful panoramic view of Anacortes. Though not too long ago, what is now parks and marinas was once the center of the industrial hub in Anacortes. Watch below to see the Cap Sante viewpoint as it was in the 1950s complete with mills of all kinds including: lumber, plywood, shingle and pulp.
Seahawk Strong
Anacortes Seahawks Basketball (1950s)
Include in the video is footage of various 1950s Seahawk basketball teams. Led by legendary coach Bill Taylor, the Seahawks were a dominant force and able to go to back-to-back state championships from ’55-56 to ’56-57. Along with footage of those championship games, there is footage of Anacortes vs. South Kitsap in 1950, and the ’55-‘56 championship parade.
Anacortes Seahawks Baseball (1950s)
With the start of MLB Spring Training, we wanted to post footage of Anacortes Baseball. Now posted on our YouTube channel is footage of (presumably) Anacortes vs. an unknown team. We need your help to figure out the context of the footage along with the date. The footage, c. 1950s, was taken by the Guthrie family. Is Elmer Guthrie on the field? Do you recognize anyone else on these teams? If so, please contact the Anacortes Museum.
Miscellaneous
A Day With Bobo the Gorilla
Bobo the Gorilla was a resident of Anacortes, WA long before he went the Woodland Park Zoo. Bobo became an icon in Anacortes and a celebrated part of our history. This film takes you on a ’Day in the Life’ with Bobo in the Lowman household.