RENTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY & MUSEUM Winter Volu me 47 December 2016 QUA RTER LY Number 4 NAMESAKES: THE SARTORI FAMILY by Elizabeth P. Stewart n the city’s early years, Rentonites’ dreams were The Sartori family originated in Valle Maggia often bigger than their capital. Schools, libraries, new in Canton Ticino, Switzerland. The migration of Italian- Ibusinesses, all needed financing from outside the city to speaking Swiss, or “Ticinese,” to California began with the succeed. Ignazio Sartori and his brother Rafael were Marin 1849 Gold Rush, as young men sought American wealth. County cattle and land barons who also invested considerable In winter these men worked in sawmills or factories, and wealth in early Renton. The Sartori brothers’ influence in in summer they worked on dairy farms, until they saved Renton demonstrates how business got done here, when enough to purchase their own small farms. In 1886 the Marin sometimes plans were bigger than resources. Journal estimated there were 800 Ticinese in California, with close to 300 in Marin County. These 300 owned 32,000 acres of land, with property valued at over $1 million.1 Continued on page 5 Also In This Issue... Time Machine Museum Report President s Report Collections Report ’ currently on exhibit by Elizabeth P. by Alexis Madison, by Sarah Samson, 2 at RHM. 3 Stewart, Director. 4 Board President. 8 Collection Manager. TIME MACHINE From ome travel through time... With the help of the Renton Municipal Arts NOVEMBER Commission, Guest Curator Amy Elizabeth Gorton from the Museology 8 Graduate Program at the University of Washington designed a collaborative C to exhibit focused on the concept of time. Her exhibit, Time Machine, pairs artifacts from Renton History Museum’s collection with pieces from the City of Renton's art MARCH collection to explore the idea and perception of time. 25 CONGRATULATIONS, WELCOME KIM! WOOLWORTH'S BUILDING! Our new Public communities. Among the Engagement Coordinator, fascinating initiatives Late last year, the F. King County Historic Kim Owens, already she has worked on is the W. Woolworth’s in Preservation Program has a history with the repatriation of Native downtown Renton—now for rehabilitating the Renton History Museum, American artifacts in known as the Cortona former Woolworth’s having worked as an California. Kim is also a Building—earned a building. The Cortona intern on our Sustaining talented jewelry-maker listing on the National Building hosted the A City exhibit and as a and has her own shop on Register of Historic awards ceremony, with collections volunteer etsy.com. Stop in and say Places, with the help the support of the Renton working with our hats and hello to Kim! of research and photos Historical Society. shoes. After working at provided by the Renton the Burke Museum, the History Museum. Gene Autry Museum of On October 13, 2016 the American West, and owners Monica and University of California David Brethauer won a Davis, she comes to Spellman Award from us with a wealth of King County Executive experience working with Dow Constantine and the volunteers and diverse 2 | RENTON HISTORY MUSEUM QUA RTER LY Winter 2016 RENTON HISTORICAL QUARTERLY MUSEUM REPORT Sarah Samson Graphic Design & Layout Karl Hurst City of Renton Print & by Elizabeth P. Stewart, Mail Services Museum Director RENTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY BOARD n June 2015 Mayor Denis Law formed the City’s first OF TRUSTEES Inclusion Task Force, a committee of representatives of Alexis Madison, President Renton’s diverse communities, whose mission is facilitating Betsy Prather, Vice President I Laura Clawson, Treasurer dialogue and enhancing trust and communication between local Antoin Johnson, Secretary government and residents. Representatives come from ethnic Jordann McKay, 2018 groups, such as the Latino, Filipino, Vietnamese, Sikh, Somali, Don Hunsaker III, 2019 and African American communities, as well as communities Lynne King, 2019 of common interest, like seniors, LGBT, and people with Elizabeth Stewart, Board Liaison disabilities. The Task Force has worked on improving Elizabeth P. Stewart emergency preparedness, promoting neighborhood safety, and MUSEUM STAFF organizing events like this fall’s Multicultural Festival at the Director Elizabeth P. Stewart Piazza Events Center. Museum Director Sarah Samson What does this have to do with history? From its Collection Manager very founding, Renton has always been a city of immigrants, Kim Owens with many languages, cultures, and traditions to share and Public Engagement Coordinator understand with more or less difficulty. When they arrived Nichole Jones here in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, new arrivals from Office Aide Wales and England confronted the Duwamish people. Later RENTON HISTORY MUSEUM Italians, Eastern Europeans, African Americans, Chinese, 235 MILL AVENUE S and Japanese came to live and work here. Depending on RENTON, WA 98057 local fears and national conditions, some, like the Chinese, P (425) 255-2330 Japanese, and African Americans, were unfairly temporarily RTC ESL students with their F (425) 255-1570 barred from staying; others were able to settle and prosper. exhibit Across Cultures in 2010. The history of the U.S. is the story of the tension HOURS: between our identities as people with distinct ethnicities, Tuesday - Saturday 10:00am - 4:00pm races, religions, and languages of which we are proud, and our common identities as Americans. The Renton History ADMISSION: Museum has already explored this tension in our Sustaining $5 (Adult) A City exhibit and collaborative exhibits with students from $2 (Child) Renton High School and Renton Technical College’s ESL Program. Visitors have told us they appreciate the chance to see the world from new perspectives. Coming in 2017, we’ll be taking a deeper dive into what makes us different, by hosting Sorting Out Race: Examining Racial Identity & Stereotypes in Thrift Store RHS sophomores pose with their Donations, a traveling exhibition from the Kauffmann work in the exhibit I Am Here in 2012. Museum in Kansas. It uses thrift store donations with racial and ethnic imagery to open a conversation about identity. Are these items harmless reminder of past attitudes, or do they perpetuate harmful stereotypes? Should they be “sorted out” of American life? We are now organizing a community advisory group of Rentonites interested in helping make this an opportunity for positive discussion and education. The committee will meet three or four times before the exhibit arrives on March 27. If you are interested in participating, please contact Kim Owens at [email protected] or myself at [email protected]. WINTER QUARTERLY, 2016 | 3 UPCOMING PRESIDENT’S EVENTS MESSAGE by Alexis Madison, President THE RIGHT TO DREAM February 18 11:00 am-12:00 pm reetings from the Renton Historical Society The Right to Dream recreates Board of Directors! We’ve had a fun few months a student's coming of age working on the 10th Annual RHS Dinner Auction. as an African American in G In September we held our annual fundraiser at the Renton Mississippi during the 1950's Senior Activity Center. We had 98 people in attendance, and 1960's. This program illuminates the issues of including some Renton City Council members: Carol Ann civil rights and how the fight Witschi, Ryan McIrvin, and Ruth Perez. This extraordinary against prejudice has shaped turnout led to our highest grossing fundraiser to date. Alexis Madison our history. Our Annual Dinner and Silent Auction is an important part of the fundraising that furthers the Historical President Society’s mission to document, preserve, and educate about Renton’s heritage in ways that engage diverse people of all ages. These funds make it possible for the Museum to offer WITHIN THE SILENCE changing exhibits, organize educational programs, bring April 8 history into classrooms, and care for the city’s collection of 11:00 am-12:00 pm historic objects and photos. The event is also a fun way to In 1942 Roosevelt's introduce ourselves to new people. Executive order 9066 Our theme this year was “Renton Makers and imprisoned thousands of loyal American families. Doers,” showcasing the city’s history of innovation, Guests Stefanie McIrvin, Carol Share one Japanese American craftsmanship, and manufacture. Local artists, designers, Ann Witschi, Meegan Prince, family's fight to sustain faith and furniture makers took existing items and refurbished and Angie Benedetti enjoy the in the country they love. them to create upcycled gifts and furnishing. Two of our History-Making Party. biggest upcycled auction items were created by Board Vice President Betsy Prather and volunteer Dennis Conte. Betsy took a youth bed she found at a local antique shop and created a bench for two people to sit on. Dennis Conte, a NATIVE VISION local artist, designed a bar out of a vintage bicycle. Other May 13 upcycled items were contributed by Theresa and Stephen 11:00 am-12:00 pm Clymer, Lynne King, and Sarah and Wil Samson. Join us for “Native Vision,” Local Renton entertainer Aunt Dottie and her the story of a young Navajo 1965 Schwinn bicycle bar girl who is taken from nephew Aaron provided our entertainment for the evening. Aunt Dottie did a stellar job emceeing the party and upcycled by Museum volunteer her home and placed in a Dennis Conte for auction at the government-run boarding helping with the silent auction, and Aaron conducted our History-Making Party. school during the 1930s. most successful live auctions ever. These two helped make the evening a fun, entertaining, and carefree event. All of these accomplishments couldn’t have been done without the Renton Historical Society Board of Trustees who worked tirelessly on the event. Renton-area businesses pitched in to donate tens of wonderful auction items. And Renton History Museum staff worked behind the scenes to keep everything moving smoothly before, during, and after the event.