Decorated Buick in Golden Potlatch parade, Seattle, ca. 1913

• Main Author: Nowell, Frank H.
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Subjects: Automobiles > Washington (State) > Seattle; Parades and processions > Washington (State) > Seattle; Potlatch (Festival) (Seattle; Wash.); Publicity > Washington (State) > Seattle; Buick; Pacific; Yukon; Alaska
• Online Access: http://cdm16786.contentdm.oclc.org:80/cdm/ref/collection/imlsmohai/id/5631

The Golden Potlatch was a city-wide festival held in July, organized by civic boosters hoping to capitalize on the success of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. The first Golden Potlatch opened in July 1911; the event continued for each of the next three summers before being suspended during wartime. The name reflects the importance of the Klondike gold rush to Seattle and borrows a Chinook jargon term for a gift-giving ceremony. The boosters also used Chinook jargon to call themselves the Tillikums (friend) of Elttaes, (Seattle spelled backward). Thousands of people enjoyed the week-long carnival of parades, aircraft demonstrations and concerts. This automobile has showy decorations and a sign reading "Buicks by the train load." Industrial parades held throughout the week offered many local businesses promotional opportunities. Embossed on front of print: Frank H. Nowell, U.S.A. Photo from album with "Tillikums of Elttaes" embossed on the cover. Caption information source: HistoryLink.org. 1 photographic print: b&w; 9 5/8 x 7 3/4 in.