Seattle's Streetcar Era: An Illustrated History, 1884-1941

Seattle's first street railway opened in 1884, with two horses per streetcar. By 1899 ten companies operated trolleys and cable in the city--and hillside properties became prized building lots. A decade later, all but one were run by Seattle Electric Company, and their 103 million passenger ridership was equivalent to every Seattleite boarding a streetcar 435 times a year. Seattle voters approved municipal ownership in 1918, and the mayor issued bonds to fund the $15 million purchase. Bus routes and several line extensions followed, but the debt load and the Great Depression forced the system into disrepair, and the Seattle Municipal Railway converted to trolley and motor buses. Author Michael Bergman worked as a transit planner for Sound Transit and King County Metro Transit for more than 35 years. Through narrative, maps, and previously unpublished photographs, he delivers a detailed jaunt through Seattle's fascinating streetcar era.

Author: Michael Bergman
Publisher: Washington State University Press
Published: 09/15/2021
Pages: 160
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.95lbs
Size: 11.90h x 8.60w x 0.50d
ISBN13: 9780874224078
ISBN10: 0874224071
BISAC Categories:
- Transportation | Railroads | History