King County’s first executive honored at grand opening of county’s new Chinook Building

Sixth floor named after John Spellman

Former Governor John D. Spellman, who served as King County’s first elected County Executive, was honored January 25 as King County Councilmember Jane Hague named the sixth floor of a new King County office building in her honor.

“I am so pleased to finally have an opportunity to memorialize an individual who has been a hero to me and a mentor,” said Councilmember Hague. “John’s contributions to King County are immeasurable, but his oversight of the Forward Thrust package has left County citizens with a legacy of parks, pools and recreational facilities that benefits us all.”

The grand opening ceremony at the Chinook Building, a 13-story high-rise housing King County government offices in downtown Seattle, was an occasion to recognize and celebrate King County’s history as floor names honoring the people and places of King County were unveiled.

John Spellman was elected in 1967 and served one term as the last of the King County Commissioners. When voters approved a new King County Charter in 1968, Commissioner Spellman was elected County Executive in the first local race of its kind. He presided over the building of a new County government, establishing new departments and appointing department heads, and overseeing building of the Kingdome.

Each member of the King County Council named the floor whose number matches the number of his or her Council district. Other honorees range from a coal miner to former King County elected officials, labor organizers and civil rights activists, and even a historic town name.

The name of the Chinook Building itself and the idea of naming each of the floors came from King County students who won a naming contest sponsored by Ferguson in 2007. Middle school students in grades 7 through 9 were invited to submit essays in support of their naming suggestions. An appointed committee of prominent community members selected finalists and the King County Council selected the winning names.

The committee chose the name “Chinook” from among 140 entries submitted. Megan Drews, a student at Holy Family School in Kirkland when she entered the contest, said that “Chinook” is “an important name to me and my family because it celebrates our Northwest native heritage,” and also because “it is a great fish to eat!” Drews is now a freshman at Eastside Catholic High School and was present at the grand opening ceremony.

The Council adopted an idea submitted by 8th grader Connolly McHugh, who suggested that significant names be used for “certain rooms or wings for individuals, groups or symbolic logos” to make this a government building “of the people, by the people, and for the people.”

Seven County agencies are now housed in the building at 5th and Jefferson, which opened in the summer of 2007. Its tenants include Public Health, the Office of the Public Defender, the Department of Community and Human Services, the Office of Information Resource Management, and the Finance Division.