Rainy Day History

Seattle the pioneer town was home to logging, coal, fishing… and lots of men. In 1864 Asa Mercer had a plan to "civilize" this rough and tumble Seattle – bring over boatloads of women! In this episode we learn about one of these women, Lizzie Ordway, her journey, and her influence on the city. We also explore Seattle's complicated image as a pioneer town and rapidly shifting definitions of what it means to be an early settler.

Show notes and episode transcript are available on our website.

The city of Seattle, as it is now known, has been the home of the Duwamish people since time immemorial. The relationship between the city and the Duwamish is long and complicated—too long for a single episode. In this episode we explore a single artifact: the cane of Kikisoblu, the daughter of Chief Si'ahl, who refused to leave when the Duwamish were expelled from the city. It is a story of survival and competing legacies.

Additional show notes and transcript available on our website.

Welcome to Rainy Day History, a podcast by the MOHAI Youth Advisors!

Seattle is famous for its coffee beans and digital machines, but it hasn't always been that way. We're diving into history to uncover what it means to be a Seattleite both in the past and the present. This isn't your everyday museum podcast—it's completely teen-researched, written, and produced!

New episodes will be released every other week this fall.