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Vintage Green Lake photos: The winter of 1916

What do you think? (14 Comments) February 24, 2011 at 6:54AM

The following photographs come from the personal collection of My Green Lake reader Nancy Johnson. They were taken by her great-grandfather Theodore Ramm during the blustery winter of 1916.

Please click on the photographs to enlarge them.

 

Skaters on Green Lake. Copyright Nancy Johnson, may not be reproduced without permission.

Skaters on Green Lake. Green Lake Elementary School can be seen on the hill. Copyright Nancy Johnson, may not be reproduced without permission.

Skating on Green Lake - Nellie Ramm, Aubrey Ramm and Margaret Ramm. Copyright Nancy Johnson, may not be reproduced without permission.

Snow in Woodland Park - Aubrey Ramm, Margaret Ramm and Nellie Ramm. Copyright Nancy Johnson, may not be reproduced without permission.

Thank you, Nancy!

Paul Dorpat reports the following about the winter of 1916 on HistoryLink.org:

When the big snow of 1916 began to fall on a cold Monday on January 31, 1916, there may have been more cameras than shovels in the hands of amateurs. The flurry of snapshots of our second greatest snowstorm illustrate snow-stopped streetcars, closed schools, closed libraries, closed theaters, closed bridges, a clogged waterfront, collapsed roofs, and ­– most sensationally –­ the great dome of St. James Cathedral, which landed in a heap in the nave and choir of the sanctuary. (There were no injuries to persons.)

The unusually cold January already had 23 inches of snow on the ground when, on the last day of the month, it began to fall relentlessly. Between 5 p.m. on Tuesday, February 1 and 5 p.m. on Wednesday, February 2, 21.5 inches accumulated in the Central Business District at the Weather Bureau in the Hoge Building. This remains (in 2002) a record ­– our largest 24-hour pile.

The 1916 snow was a wet snow, and it came to a foul end — a mayhem of mud that mutilated bridges and carried away homes.

Green Lake has frozen over more than once.  You can read more (and see more pictures) here.


Do you have historic photographs of Green Lake that you would like to share?  Please drop us a line at tips [at] mygreenlake.com.

 

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Location: Green Lake Park, South Green Lake
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What do you think? (14 Comments)
  • Anonymous

    I’m curious to know the relationship of Theodore Ramm to the Ramms in the photo, and whether Aubrey went on to the UW (in engineering)?

  • Williamherrick

    My Grandpa, Theodore Ramm, was a really nice man, who lived until 1947. My Grandma, Nellie Rebecca Ramm passed away before I was born. My mom was Margaret Louise Ramm, who passed away in 1968. I spent my entire youth IN and around Green Lake! Bill Herrick (Nancy’s Dad)

    • Anonymous

      Bill, thanks for chiming in! From what I’ve heard, it sounds like folks used to spend a lot more time in the lake than they do today. I’ve heard that kids used to swim in the lake all the time, with no parents in sight. Times have changed….(speaking as a probably-too-over-protective parent myself!) :)

      Amy

      • Williamherrick

        My Grandpa Theodore Ramm was a very nice man, but I never knew Grandma Nellie. She passed away before I was born. Margaret, my Mom, passed away in 1968. I spent all of my youth IN and around Green Lake. Bill Herrick Yes, times HAVE changed, and not neccessarily for the better. We rode our bikes all over Seattle, and stayed at the lake until dark. Good ole days!

        • Anonymous

          William,

          You’ve been in the Green Lake community for quite a while from what I can tell – perhaps even during a time when trains still ran around the lake? Perhaps you even used them?

          • Williamherrick

            Oh yes!! I used to love the streetcar ride through Woodland Park on the wooden trestle down to and around the lake. We kids like to climb up under the trestle and stick our heads up a little when the streetcar came by….never told my Mom that one.

  • Nancy

    BTW – I still have the old camera used to take these photos. I was even able to buy some film for it, but I’m afraid to load it. I need one of my camera nerd friends to provide moral support during the loading.

    • Anonymous

      Nancy, I think it would be wonderful, everyone willing, if at some point a picture of that camera could be taken and posted with these old photos, together with a picture of you and Bill Herrick, using that nearly century old camera used to capture the images of your great grandfather and his family. At Green Lake, of course . . .

      • Nancy

        Good idea! I really would love to try the film out.

  • Jen

    Nancy and William – Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful pictures and memories. The pictures are so much fun to study and the stories are so interesting.