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On May 23rd at 2:30 pm the fleet regrouped and began their transit into Elliott Bay. Having divided between Port Angeles, Port Townsend, and Bellingham they slowly fell into formation with Connecticut in the lead followed by the Kansas, Minnesota, Vermont, Georgia, New Jersey, Rhode island, Louisiana, Virginia, Ohio, Illinois, and Kearsarge. The card below shows the fleet entering Puget Sound. It was taken by local photographer Asahel Curtis and published by the Romons Photo Co., Seattle. The card is canceled the next day on the 24th in Seattle, an example of how quickly these postcard were produced. "This is the Battleship Fleet entering the Columbia River ha ___________ha ____________again has chin up, don't take it hard. Some day you may recognize the dower. Al is here and told me to say this, ...
The Northwest
the atlantic fleet entering puget sound
The above real photo postcard was taken by Asahel Curtis, Romans Photo Company of Seattle showing the fleet arrival on May 23rd, 1908. Nicely canceled on May 24, 1908. "This is the battleship fleet entering the Columbia River, ha, ha." A friend in Seattle writing to Mrs E. Shutty in Oregon. Asahel Curtis, with brother Edward Curtis (famous for his photographs of native Americans), opened a photo studio in Seattle in 1892. During the early periods Asahel went north to the Klondike to take photographs, but after some disagreements over photo property rights, Asahel joined with scenic photographer William P. Romans to form Curtis & Romans Photographic Company. Together their 1,677 photographs encompass one of the most valuable records of Seattle and the Northwest.
The scene in downtown Seattle along the waterfront to greet the fleet as they pulled in was packed. With only one street running parallel to the water along the warehouses, people clambered aboard tour boats that took them out to view the ships close up as they arrived. On the following days the ships allowed people to come onboard and tour the ships with sailors as the guides.
Many of the cards were created by unknown photographers, like these three, which appear to be by the same person when comparing the handwriting, all capital letters and similar "S" in each one.
Key to the City of Seattle
The fleet was met by the steamship Umatilla which carried the reception committee from the City of Seattle. As the Umatilla came alongside the Connecticut, she turned and led the flagship to anchorage. Afterwards the welcoming committee, led by the Mayor of Seattle, John Franklin Miller, came aboard for an office welcome where he presented the key to the City. It was a gold key made from Alaska gold as a welcome from the Northwest and an emblem of the freedom of the city. Below is a postcard depicting the key and a pin that was produced and sold during the Fleet's visit.
the flagship connecticut
At left a card depicting the Flagship Connecticut with Admirals Sperry and Evans flanking "The Commander in Chief." Postmarked May 25, 1908. Above, an unknown photographer captured the Connecticut firing a salute to the Governor, the Honorable A. G. Mead as part of the welcoming events. At right, card photographed and produced by Lon Lewis, a local photographer, showing the "Flagship of the Fleet" canceled on June 5, 1908 during the departure of the fleet back to San Francisco.
The fleet in elliott bay, seattle
There were many RPPC made of the battleships as they entered, anchored, and departed during their stay in Seattle. Some were by known photographers and some were not labeled. The formation at anchorage was just off of pier 56 in the harbor between downtown and West Seattle.
The Atlantic Fleet in Puget Sound, May 23, 1908 #446 Oakes Photo Co.
Battleship Kansas
Battleship Vermont in Puget Sound, #435 Oaks Photo Co.
Flagship Connecticut - Seattle
Battleship Minnesota in Puget Sound. #466 Oakes Photo Co.
wireless office uss connecticut
This attractive card of Mount Rainer was sent out from Seattle, Washington on May 27th, the day after the parade and includes a cancellation from the "Wireless Office USS Connecticut" I am not sure if this was a practice for sending mail from the ship or just a sailor who worked in the wireless office posting his cards.
u.s. battle ship fleet, puget sound, WAsh.
The is a card that was produced well after the ships departed. It was published by Lowman and Hanford Co. of Seattle and was sold for years after. This one in December of 1911.
THE BIG GUNS
The Big Guns were popular for taking photographs. It appears that there were photographers on the ship taking photographs of groups that they took back to their studio and made postcards for people to send home - for a price. The card at right is of the anchor chains of the USS Connecticut with its forward gun mount facing the camera. "Aboard the battleship Connecticut 5.25.08 at Seattle. Your Bro J.H.E. Mailed to Greeneville, Tennessee. The card in the center shows a large group of people on the forecastle of the Battleship Minnesota. "The banner over the guns was presented by the ASUW. Dear Blanch, I suppose that you are going down and carry off the hearts of at least six sailors while the fleet is in Tacoma. Let me give you a tip, don't try the Minnesota. There was nearly 1000 co-eds on her Monday. G.PS. jr."The card at right is a group with a sailor and a marine, probably tour guides, with two fellows that appear to be part of a marching band, possibly from the parade on the 26th. The letters across the bridge wings, above the double-mount, VIRGINIA. "Rec'd your letter will answer soon. This was while the fleet was in Tacoma." Mailed to Waverly, Washington
Photographs of the Fleet in Seattle
While at anchor in Elliott Bay the ships were visited by people who came from all over the Northwest and Canada.
At Left is a photo from the USS Kansas during the visit of May 25th, 1908. Sailors and visitors can be seen touring the ship.
At right, top, the USS New Jersey with it's steamer and a small boat with crew. The photographer etched in where Mt Rainier would be if not for the clouds.
At right, middle, the SS Chippewa leaving Bellingham for Seattle. Chippewa was purchased from a company using her on the Great Lakes by the Puget Sound Navigation Company. It regularly served the Seattle to Victory route. During the Fleet's visit she ferried people to see the battleships and to ports in Puget Sound. Chippewa remained in service until 1964 when she was condemned by the Coast Guard and purchased by Foss Launch and Tug Company to be used as a floating warehouse.
At right, bottom, the USS Georgia receiving visitors. "Main deck forward USS Georgia. This is a view I got last May during the visit of the fleet to this coast. Did you see them go by? (unknown photographer)
These two photographs are from unknow photographers. At left, a photo of the fleet at anchor from downtown Seattle, looking over Coleman Docks out to West Seattle in the distance. At right, a ship's steamer with cover towing a group of liberty boats filled with Marines, May 26th, the day of the parade.
The photo at right is of the USS Kansas anchored in Elliot Bay with West Seattle in the Background (unknown photographer). Center is the USS Connecticut, with Queen Anne Hill in the background. Right is the USS Connecticut with sailboat and passenger boat in the foreground. In the background can be seen the piers of Seattle with advertising for Galbraith-Bacon & Company. The company was a wholesale dealer in feed, flour, lime, plaster and cement at pier #3.
The below two postcards were taken from images of larger works. The one at left from a large "The Heart of Greater Seattle" and on the right a Welcome to the Pacific Shores with the Presidents as a frame.
the heart of greater seattle - framed with the flower of the american fleet
These photographic images of displays with a picture in the center ringed by the battleship fleet or the president where patriotic cards made from real documents. When I first found the card at left I thought, "this is odd," I thought it had been part of a display in a building during the fleet's visit to Seattle. Then, paying through the nose to one of my favorite dealer, I found the original. It measures approximately 36" x 16" unframed and is in excellent condition. It is the only one that I have ever found, and living in Seattle, one of my prized items to my collection.
Postmarked in Seattle on May 25th, this is a nice card of the USS Minnesota and the Crew from Hampton Roads to San Francisco Bay. The card was probably purchased in San Francisco and mailed in Seattle from a Sailor of the Fleet.
This postcard has the illustration that was used on the Official Program for the Fleet's visit to Seattle. It was published by the "Made in Seattle" White Advertising Bureau, Inc.
The two postcards below, one of the USS Connecticut, and one of the fleet's arrival were taken by a Northwest photographer M. L. Oaks from Yakima, Washington. His photo postcards from this period were made of the City and the surrounding area. I have other shown on this page and the page for Bremerton. His studio was located in Seattle and he is best know for his exaggerated or "tall tale" postcards. These are the cards that show a single apple that is 100 times it size sitting in the back of a truck. All of his photographs had a sharp contrast and a clear focused subject. Other cards from Oaks can be found on this page.
the armored cruiser washington
Though not part of the 16-Battleships that went around the world, the USS Washington, along with the USS Tennessee, played an important role during the first leg of the cruise. They were known as the "Pathfinders," part of the Special Service Squadron that was to be held in readiness to start on the voyage to San Francisco to join the Pacific Fleet. They left Hampton Roads on October 12, 1907 and arrived in Magdalena Bay on December 28, 1907.
The souvenir booklet below is part of the Frank Lesher collection on this website. Frank brought back a sea chest full of memories from his cruise around the world. An avid "rat-packer" his collection includes letters, postcards, souvenirs, framed certificates, and the odd items such as an ostrich egg! He always was willing to spend a little to get something nice, as with the brochure of Seattle below.
The group of cards below are from an unknown photographer published with an AZO stamp. They show the Virginia, Illinois and Kearsarge at anchor in Elliot Bay.
the junior ball may twenty-sixth 1908
In almost every port that were formal balls where officers put on there dress uniforms and attended dinner and dancing. Normally there would be guest speakers, and, for the single men, woman interested in meeting a man in uniform. In Seattle there was also a Junior Ball, for junior officers and midshipmen. The dance card shown here was in a collection from Midshipman Loftquist, USS Connecticut who saved all of his programs and cards.
the seattle parade - may 26th - 6,000 men down first and up second
For the City of Seattle this was the biggest event in the history of this city up until this time. The community had supported the construction of the USS Nebraska at the Moran Brothers Shipyard in downtown, and now to see it join the fleet to sail around the world was an event that brought people from all over the Northwest. Every hotel and home was filled and as the day of the parade came, the city was filled to capacity.
welcome to our fleet
Seattle had a heavy schedule planned for the 14,000 sailors that arrived. The Official Program at right provided information of the planned events and scenic opportunities around the city.
On page 17 the schedule of events starts off with special services in all churches of the City followed by automobile trips from Pier 6 to Snoqualmie Falls for senior officers.
On Monday there was a Grand Barbecue and Athletic Sports at Woodland Park.
Tuesday was the Grand Parade followed by Aquatic Sports on Elliott Bay. During the evening a Band concert at the reviewing stands with the Illumination of the Fleet in the harbor.
Fleet sailors and street cars
This is an interesting card. It was sold to me saying that this was the sailors of the parade using the street cars in Seattle. As I work in Seattle I am familiar with the streets and a bit of the history. The photo is taken looking at the 800 block of 3rd Avenue. At the time, the New Western Hotel was located at 817 3rd Avenue. The parade was on 1st and 2nd Avenues, so this would have been an ideal location for sailors to use the street cars to travel to and from the fleet landing near Pioneer Square. It would also explain why the street is not decorated like the parade route.
Cons: The formations alongside the street cars are not sailors. None have white hats or belts and their were no mounted personal in the naval portion of the parade. The newspaper estimated a total of 400,000 watching the parade and 6,000 sailors in the parade. Many of the elements within the parade include other military units and local bands and organizations. Interested if anyone knows?
teddy bear mascots
In 1903 Theodore Roosevelt on a hunting trip refused to shoot a tied up bear calling it "unsportmanlike." From that event evolved the "Teddy" bear. When the fleet arrived in Seattle, each ship was gifted a cub bear from the city of Aberdeen, Washington to have as a mascot on the ship. The bears can be seen marching in the parade in Seattle and many spent the cruise tended by sailor onboard the ships.
studio auto photographs
The card were popular in both San Francisco and Seattle. In the first one can be seen a Seattle pennant and the second on, on the painted background, "Seattle 4-miles." The first one seems to be a sailor asked to join a group for a photograph, and the second a pair of Marines with a dummy sleeping in the back seat.
The above card to the left is a photo of the parade route along 1st Avenue, maybe after the parade was completed. At right is a shot of the parade with the bear cubs that were presented to the fleet from the city of Aberdeen, Washington. This view was taken near Second and Pine with the Standard Furniture Building in the back round. Below is a nice shot of the fleet at anchor with "Illuminations". Electric lighting on ships was a big deal and each ship would dress in lights during many of the port visits during the cruise.
Frank lesher, uss virginia
"It took us about six hours to make the run from Port Angeles up here and we had a fine day of the trip. The water in the Sound is as smooth as a mill pond. It would be fine sailing if we would strike that sort of weather all the time. There were hundreds of boats of all sorts to meet us as we came into Elliot Bay as they call the Harbor. It is a fine natural harbor, and from two hundred to four hundred feet of water wherever you take a sounding. All the ships are anchored about three blocks away from the shore and we can see the city very plainly. They have the best electrical display on the shore that I have so far seen. Welcome signs are numerous and one hotel is a blaze of light, outlining all the curves of the building."
SOUVENIR THE SEATTLE LODGES
This ribbon was probably gifted to sailors who visited the lodge while in Seattle.
guests of the seattle lodges i.o.o.f. may 23-26, 1908
The Seattle Lodges of the International Order of Odd Fellows extended an invitation to "our brothers on the Atlantic Fleet" to use there lodges. Below is a booklet that listed the names of all the sailors on each ship that belonged to their organization. I have no idea of how that got that information! There most have been a national roster that had been published.
Z. C. Miles & Piper Company
While the fleet was visiting Seattle, the Z. C. Miles & Piper Company extended an invitation to visit there building to view the fleet in the harbor and to watch the parade. On the Corner of First Avenue and Spring Street was an ideal location!
Z. C. Miles & Piper Company was one of the many "outfitting houses" that could provide a range of clothing, food, and equipment for people heading to Alaska to find gold. Z. C. Miles ran advertisements for "Complete Alaska Outfits." This type of package would be supplies for as many as fifty-miners prepared to load directly on the ships that left from the piers on the waterfront.
Pacific Squadron Leaving Puget Sound - Romans Photo Company No. 10528
This is a nice card, probably shot by Asahel Curtis showing the Pacific Squadron, the USS Washington as the tail ship, leaving Puget Sound. It is not from the GWF visit, but used in May 1908 just prior to their arrival. "Dear Folks, Haven't time for a letter but want you to know that we are OK and want Pop to have this card, keep it for your albums for we can't get another and its so real. Hope you are having a good time we are going to lunch with Alice today, its raining. (as usual)"
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