Noted legislator and coal miner Abe Morris honored at grand opening of new Chinook Building

Names of each floor reflect history and diversity of the region

Coal mining pioneer and former State Representative Abe Morris was honored January 25 as King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn named the ninth floor of the new King County office building in his honor.

“Through hard work and the admiration of his colleagues, Abe Morris grew to be the most respected mining official in his day,” said Councilmember Dunn. “It is an honor to be able to name the 9th floor of the county’s new building after this true pioneer from District 9.”

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.

Morris is known for serving in Pierce and King County’s coal mining industry since the age of 12. In addition to being president of the Local #2634 of the United Mine Worker’s Union, he served as superintendent of three different mines. He eventually organized the South Willis Coal Company with two colleagues, which was later incorporated into the Palmer Coking Coal Company in Black Diamond. In 1916 he was elected to the State Legislature and served two consecutive terms. While in the Legislature, he authored a new state mining code. In 1920, he was appointed by Governor Hart as State Mine Inspector.

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.