Want your West Seattle event/meeting/etc. to be listed here? Please send basic info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thanks! Please include full details AS PLAIN TEXT IN YOUR E-MAIL, *not* in an attached doc/poster/flyer/etc. A web link for more info helps too. Thank you!
USING THE CALENDAR: Mouse over any entry to show the “plus” sign at right; click it to expand the item for more info without leaving this page; click “read more” for the FULL listing.
Join us for a special tour commemorating the 1851 anniversary of the first settlers landing on Alki Beach. Learn about the history of Alki Beach, the peoples who have lived here and how settlement by various groups and individuals has left its mark on Alki. Visit historic and cultural sites in the area and discuss how our understanding of the area and its people continues to evolve.
The tour includes stops at the Log House Museum, Fir Lodge/Alki Homestead, historic sites and monuments at Alki Beach, and Doc Maynard’s home in West Seattle.
The tour is offered rain or shine and include about one mile of walking with multiple stops. The tour is ADA accessible although there are no stops that include seating.
This program is FREE although registration required. Suggested donation $15.
The anniversary tour will take place on Thursday, November 13, 2025 from 2:00 – 3:30 pm. After the tour is over, feel free to grab a snack before exploring the West Seattle Art Walk’s Alki stops along the Alki beachfront and at the Log House Museum.
The Log House Museum is at 3003 61st SW.
The True Story of Lou Graham and the Immigrants and Sex Workers Who Built Seattle
Hanna Brooks OlsenThursday, November 13, 2025 at 6 pm via Zoom
At the turn of the 20th century in Seattle, new buildings were creating an unfamiliar skyline. More than a decade after the Great Fire, the city was still rebuilding and, at the same time, trying to define what the next century would bring. Walking the muddy, uneven streets was a woman who later became a legend and, eventually, something of a caricature. Lou Graham, known as Seattle’s Most Notorious Madame, was so much more than that. She was a speculator and an investor. She was a friend to the downtrodden. She was a wheeler-dealer and a big spender. In recent years, though, she’s become an idol for anything and everything people want her to be. How do we parse these false narratives – and what does it tell us about ourselves that we’d rather repeat misinformation than dig for the truth?
Hanna Brooks Olsen is a writer from Oregon (formerly Seattle). Her essays and reporting have appeared in the Nation, the Atlantic, the Democracy Journal, the New York Daily News, the BBC, Bust Magazine, Pacific Standard, Ms. Magazine, and elsewhere. She’s a regular contributor to Real Change in Seattle and is currently working on her second novel.
Southwest Seattle Historical Society Annual Meeting 2025
Saturday, November 15, 2025 at 10 am to 11 am at the Log House MuseumWe are pleased to invite members to the Southwest Seattle Historical Society’s Annual Membership Meeting, on Saturday, November 15, from 10am to 11am at the Log House Museum. Join our Board of Trustees, staff, and members to elect our 2026 slate of officers (below) as well as for a presentation on our annual report and to hear plans for 2026, including a new sneak peak at our upcoming permanent exhibition.
Registration is encouraged HERE. Light refreshments will be provided.
2026 Slate of Officers:
President, Kathy Duncan
Vice President, Jason Plourde
Treasurer, John Sweetland
Secretary, Nancy Sorensen
Membership Secretary, Megan SImkus
Trustees and Expiration Date
Phil Frick 12.31.26
Dora-Faye Hendricks 12.31.27
Kerry Korsgaard 12.31.26
Soo Lee 12.31.27
Mike Shaughnessy 12.31.25
Carol-Ann Thornton 12.31.27
Date: Thursday, November 20th, 2025
Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Location: 2656 42nd Ave SW
Dress Code: Business Elegant / Cocktail Attire
(Register here)Your Evening Experience
-Exclusive Mix & Mingle Cocktail Hour – Network with Seattle’s most influential leaders
-Thanksgiving-Style Gourmet Dinner – A culinary celebration of community and gratitude
-Visionary Program Unveiling – Be the first to learn about our transformative educational initiatives
-Dessert & Beverage Bar – Indulge in artisan selections
-Post-Event Soirée – Continue the conversation and forge meaningful partnerships
