Collection Search

finding aid

digital collection










See our Searching for Records in the Seattle Municipal Archives e-learning course for a detailed look at our search tools and tips on how to use them.

Finding Aids

Our finding aids include record series and file level descriptions of material documenting the history and activities of City government. Record series descriptions contain information about dates, creators, subjects, record types, and volume of collections. File level descriptions include folder titles and date spans for most of the record series in the Archives with links to any available related digital materials.

Descriptions of selected records are also available through the Library of Congress National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections (NUCMC) and through Archives West, a union database of Encoded Archival Description (EAD) finding aids, for archival and manuscript materials in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Alaska, Utah, and Washington.

Digital Collections

The Digital Collections platform includes a variety of formats and both digital objects and non-digital objects. Other born digital records, including websites, are found here.


Other Resources

Seattle City Clerk Thesaurus

Annexed Cities Reference (1890-1910)

Research Library Collection

Municipal Archives, City Clerk

Anne Frantilla, City Archivist
Address: 600 Fourth Avenue, Third Floor, Seattle, WA, 98104
Mailing Address: PO Box 94728, Seattle, WA, 98124-4728
Phone: (206) 684-8353
archives@seattle.gov

The Office of the City Clerk maintains the City's official records, provides support for the City Council, and manages the City's historical records through the Seattle Municipal Archives. The Clerk's Office provides information services to the public and to City staff.