Names of each floor of new Chinook Building honor the legacy of King County

History and diversity of the region reflected in 13 names

The history and diversity of King County was celebrated today with the unveiling of the ceremonial names of each of the floors of the County’s new Chinook Building. The honorees range from a novelist and a coal miner to former King County government officials, labor organizers and civil rights activists, and even a historic town name.

The ceremony marked the grand opening of the newest addition to the King County government campus, a 13-story high-rise housing King County government offices at 401 Fifth Avenue in downtown Seattle.

“This is a glorious building, and each of these ceremonial names will remind visitors of the wide range of people and places that have made this county great,” said Council Chair Julia Patterson.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge leaders from all walks of life who shaped King County’s culture and history,” said King County Councilmember Bob Ferguson, who oversaw construction of the Chinook Building as chair the Council’s Capital Budget Committee. “I was pleased to sponsor a naming competition which inspired middle school students to really engage with that history and I am excited that some of those students were on hand to be recognized.”

Each member of the King County Council named the floor whose number matches the number of his or her Council district:

Floor 1: Ivan Doig (b.1939) – Bestselling author who draws inspiration for his lyrical Western novels from his childhood in Montana and from the natural wonder visible from his home in Shoreline overlooking Puget Sound and the Olympic range. Perhaps best known for This House of Sky: Landscapes of a Western Mind, an elegiac memoir about the people and places of the American frontier that was a finalist for the National Book Award, Doig’s varied contributions to our literature include novels, essays, memoirs and poems. Named by Councilmember Bob Ferguson.

Floor 2: Tyree Scott (1940 - 2003) - Ordinary worker who became a prominent internationalist, activist and civil rights leader. Partnering with Native American, Latino and Asian Pacific Islander workers to found the Northwest Labor and Employment Law Office (LELO), Scott broke down barriers to women and minority workers in the construction trades in King County. Under the banner of "no separate peace," Scott worked to build solidarity amongst workers across racial lines and national boundaries. Named by Councilmember Larry Gossett.

Floor 3: Tolt - In 1917, the town of Tolt changed its name to Carnation, in honor of the farms. In opposition, Native Americans and early settlers in the area continued to use the Snoqualmie name "Tolthue," for the town, meaning “river of swift waters.” In 1928, the town changed its name back to Tolt, but the train depot and the post office names remained as Carnation, allowing confusion to reign until 1951 when the city changed back to Carnation. Named by Councilmember Kathy Lambert.

Floor 4: Bernice Stern (1916 - 2007) - First woman elected to the King County Council. A liberal Democrat known for her bipartisan leadership who served from 1969-1980 as representative for District Four, Ms. Stern also served on the state Transportation Commission from 1981-1992, and participated in a wide range of social-service, civil-rights, political, and governmental activities. Named by Councilmember Larry Phillips.

Floor 5: Jean Hueston (b. 1919) - Retired public school teacher and renowned community and political activist. She has a long history in South King County where she is active with the Children’s Alliance, League of Women Voters, South King County Community Network, and a devoted member of the Des Moines Salt Water Unitarian Church. Named by Councilmember Julia Patterson.

Floor 6: John Spellman (b. 1926) - Served as the 18^th Governor of Washington State from 1981-1985. He also held the distinction of serving as the first King County Executive from 1969 – 1981, having been elected to the post during the implementation of King County’s Home Rule Charter in 1968. Named by Councilmember Jane Hague.

Floor 7: Father Peter Francis Hylebos (1848 - 1918) - Advocate on behalf of Tacoma’s Chinese residents who faced persecution in 1885. He supported underprivileged Native American communities near the present day Muckleshoot Reservation and built churches, hospitals, orphanages, and schools across the South Sound region. Hylebos Creek near the former St. George’s Indian School just north of the county line is named in his honor. The wetlands that contribute to the origin of the creek are now known as the West Hylebos Wetlands. Named by Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer.

Floor 8: Ruby Chow (b. 1920) - Seattle restaurateur, Chinese community activist, and first Asian-American elected to the King County Council in 1973, where she served three terms. She established and expanded programs that enhanced human services, public health, drug/alcohol treatment, public transit, and low-income housing. Named by Councilmember Dow Constantine.

Floor 9: Abe Morris (1879 - 1933) – Worked in Pierce and King County’s coal industry from the age of 12. He served as president of Local #2634 of the United Mine Worker’s Union and as superintendent of three different mines. After serving two consecutive terms in the State Legislature where he authored a new state mining code, he was later appointed State Mine Inspector. Named by Councilmember Reagan Dunn.

King County Executive Ron Sims named the top four floors of the 13-story structure:

Floor 10: Barry Bianchi (1942 - 1995) - An early HIV/AIDS activist on both the local and national levels, Barry worked with a variety of different community-based organizations, direct service providers and governments to increase awareness, expand treatment and prevention services, and improve public policies affecting people with HIV and AIDS."

Floor 11: Bernie Whitebear (1937 - 2000) - Native American activist and leader who unified Northwest tribes to fight for the return of their land. He founded and guided the United Indians of All Tribes Foundation for more than 20 years and dedicated his life to improving the lives of Indians and other ethnic groups by working for change and justice.

Floor 12: Anna Herr Clise (1866 - 1936) – One of the founders, along with 23 affluent Seattle women friends, of Children’s Orthopedic Hospital. Trustees later established the lasting policy of accepting any child, regardless of race, religion, or parents’ ability to pay.

Floor 13: Rev. Dr. Samuel B. McKinney (b.1926) - Pastor Emeritus of Mt. Zion Baptist Church, human rights activist and community leader. Committed to the social gospel, Dr. McKinney was Martin Luther King’s lieutenant in the Pacific Northwest, and was a founding member of the Seattle Civil Rights Commission. He continues to work on a number of social justice issues that impact the community.

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 8^th 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.