Incredibly tight budgets in King County, Seattle, and other cities have galvanized activism in the heritage community in the past few weeks. As always during budget crunches, funding for cultural programs has been targeted by executives, including Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn and King County Executive Dow Constantine. But heritage and preservation groups have come out in force to remind lawmakers that cultural programs keep the area’s quality of life high while contributing to the area’s economic health. Read the rest of this article »

One thing Seattle has in abundance is ‘museum weather,’ i.e., the meteorological state between two feet of snow and 70 degrees.   With the ‘museum weather’ season now upon us, perhaps there are ways in which the King County heritage community can heighten its profile while benefiting small business and enhancing local tax revenues as well. Read the rest of this article »

The Shoreline/King County Landmarks Commission Hearing for “Certificate of Appropriateness” for the Ronald School proposal, originally scheduled for October, has been rescheduled for November 17. Read the rest of this article »

Several board seats are opening up on the AKCHO Board of Directors, and the board is seeking nominations for 2011. Board terms are three years, and the board meets monthly, except January and August, at the state archives office on the campus of Bellevue College. Tasks range from working on AKCHO’s annual awards program to managing AKCHO’s finances. Read the rest of this article »

Each year AKCHO presents a set of meetings and activities to promote the exchange of ideas among King County’s Historical Organizations.  Even as we review the inspiring meetings we’ve had over the past year, we’d like you to be thinking ahead to 2011. Read the rest of this article »

Another busy year is winding down and we would like to thank all the volunteers who donated time to talk about AKCHO.  Maple Valley, Eastside Heritage Center and the Center for Wooden Boats all hosted our AKCHO display at their events.  Historic Seattle invited us to display at the annual Bungalow Fair, where we received an invitation to next year’s Greater Everett’s fair. Read the rest of this article »

Several AKCHO members will be hosting events to honor America’s veterans this month. Read the rest of this article »

Several King County sites made the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation’s 2010 Most Endangered Properties List this year. Read the rest of this article »

The Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust wants to hear from the heritage community. When Greenway Trust deputy director Doug Schindler addressed the AKCHO meeting at the Preston Community Center back in February, he outlined the process by which the Trust is studying a variety of resources in the Greenway, including history and heritage, as part of its work to plan for the next 20 years. Read the rest of this article »

At the University of Washington, the Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies will have special cause to celebrate at its annual banquet.  That’s because the November 14 event in the Walker-Ames Room in Kane Hall is serving a dual purpose as the grand opening of the Labor Archives of Washington State. Read the rest of this article »