1948: A Snohomish Photo Story
In November 1948, Snohomish, WA, was the centerfold of The Seattle Times—or more precisely, the featured story in the Sunday Rotagravure section. This special pictorial insert, a predecessor to today's Pacific NW Magazine, was published weekly with stories from around the Puget Sound.
A Times photographer and writer visited Snohomish the week prior, making front-page news in the local Tribune. After publication, extra copies were made available for purchase at the Puget Sound Power & Light Company office. An original print still exists, and I was lucky enough to see it—and snap photos of the "Snohomish Issue."
I was surprised to find it in excellent condition. Though the original sepia tone had darkened with age, the depth and detail of the photos remained remarkably well-preserved. Rotagravure printing, known for its ability to capture subtle tones from light to shadow, uses an engraved copper cylinder, mechanically inked and rolled onto a page. The process was costly, as each image required its own engraved cylinder, but the results were striking—smudge-free, full-tonal prints that brought images to life.
While modern eyes, accustomed to digital imagery, may overlook its significance, rotogravure revolutionized newspaper photography. Before its introduction, images were printed using half-tone dots, which lacked depth and detail. The New York Times was the first American publisher to introduce a rotogravure section in December 1912, and it quickly became the most widely read part of the newspaper. By 1918, at least 47 newspapers had adopted the technology, dramatically increasing both readership and advertising revenue.
Though developed in the 1800s, rotogravure didn’t gain widespread use until it became viable for high-speed newspaper printing, capable of producing thousands of pages per hour. Its ability to deliver crisp, detailed images without smudging made it a favorite among publishers.
The charming photos and captions from the seven-page spread offer a rare glimpse into an era we don’t often see, documenting everything from industry to culture to daily life.
Below, you’ll find a few of the images—enjoy!
Robet Hazeltine, Post Office, Carnegie Library, Aldercrest Sanatorium, Snohomish High School, Snohomish County courthouse, Central Elementary, Edna Sayre, Phyllis Stuart, Mary Soto, First Street, Milwaukee Railroad, Bickfrod Ford, Moehring Shoes, T.E. Dobbs, Tommy Baker, Pilchuck Julia, Ruby Foss, Kikendall Cabin, James Baker, Harold Cooper, Sally Cooper, Harry McCloud, Mike McCloud, Kenneth Cedergreen, Evergreen Frozen Foods, Earl Averill, Cleveland Indians, F.A. Averill, Cecil Ferguson, Ferguson Canning Co, Edward Hoffman, Columbia Packing Co, William Ellis