Photograph Collections
Images in these collections were created by county agencies as part of their program or functional responsibilities. The King County Archives organizes photographs in relation to the agencies that created them or to the programs that they document.
Photographs can be used for purposes not intended by their creators. For instance, a series of bridge photographs can document the histories of bridges at specific county sites. The photographs can also incidentally show such subjects as people, animals, homes and businesses, land uses, the natural environment, advertising signs, railroads, agriculture, floods, and so on.
Accession A07-056, Ahrens Photographic Files, box 10, image TS_11_A-0004
Series 400, Brittain Photographic Files, Item 95-005-1022
Accession A10-051, Public Health Prevention, image 004
Executive Spellman Phograph Files, image 92.0.0252-1
Series 400, Brittain Photographic Files, image 95-005-14
Series 400, Brittain Photographic Files, image 95-005-0179
Historical House Photographs
- The original Property Record Cards of the King County Assessor are at the Puget Sound Regional Archives (PSRA). Call or email PSRA staff with the property's tax parcel number to order photographs or copies of the cards themselves.
- Property Record Cards of platted property from parcel number 000900-0010 to 133930-0075 are available online through the Washington State Digital Archives: King County Assessor, Real Property Record Cards, 1937-1972.
Significant photograph series
The pages below link to selected scans from significant photograph series in the Archives holdings. Ask an archivist about other series or searching for other photographs.
County Executive
Series 413: County Executive John Spellman photograph files, 1968-1969The Kingdome
Series 473: Department of Stadium Administration promotional materials, 1972-2000Parks
Series 467: Park System photograph files, 1948-1998Series 427: Design Commission--Seahurst Park project file, 1971-1979
Public Health
Series 275: Seattle-King County Department of Public Health photograph files, 1909-1970Public Works
Series 400: Department of Public Works project photographs [Brittain Collection], 1900-2002Series 412: Department of Public Works levee inspection files, 1988-1990
Series 415: Department of Public Works -- Community Relations and Communications photograph files
Series 441: Department of Public Works -- Solid Waste Division photograph files
Series 474: Road Engineer bridge files: photographs, 1904-1988
Series 375: Road Engineer wharf files, 1906-1979