Knute Berger
What Do Citizen Activists and Rainier Club Members Have in Common?
Rainier Club members have long played a central role in shaping our city, Knute Berger recognizes, but so have citizen activists
This article appears in print in the November 2018 issue. Click here to subscribe. I am writing this from the quiet confines of The Rainier Club in downtown Seattle. The club’s ivy-covered brick facade speaks of tradition, power, privilege and solidity. The building is impressive, a landmark designed by Northwest legend Kirtland Cutter in a “Jacobean Revival style,”…
With Mount Baker’s New Historic Status, What Lessons Can This Neighborhood Teach Us?
Knute Berger remembers his family’s Mount Baker neighborhood from long before it was designated a historic place
The Mount Baker Community Club, ca. 1914, became open to all in 1968, changing with its now-diverse neighborhood
The Importance of Cosplay at Seahawks Games
Sometimes, jerseys speak louder than words
I had a chance to go to the Seahawks-Rams game on Sunday. Walking across town, I joined the flood of 12s converging downtown and gathering momentum like a glacier-fed river as we passed through Pioneer Square where the bars were hopping. The beer was flowing, too. A few folks were wearing Rams gear, but it…
From Sports to Minimum Wage, the Seattle Public Makes Itself Heard
Seattleites are having a profound effect on the ways business and government operate
Is Seattle’s progressive populism changing the game nationally? In terms of sports franchises, we are for sure. Seattleites were furious at being ignored by politicians who pushed for stadiums the public opposed. King County voters, for example, opposed funding a new baseball stadium back in the mid-1990s. But, the politicians in Olympia funded an expensive…
Reconsidering Seattle’s Unwritten Rules of Conduct
Where some Seattle behaviors are concerned, Knute Berger is coming around to the need for a little more broad-mindedness
Right of Way: In the past, ferry captains often had an audio signature that identified them; today, that blast probably signals a boater playing chicken
How the Trump Administration is Threatening the Washington Wilderness and What State Leaders Are Doing About It
In Washington state, we’ve been pulling together to protect our wilderness. But Knute Berger wonders if the current federal administration will take us back to the era of exploitation
A 1958 hike led by Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas drew attention to the Olympic coastline; with areas like this under threat, a “Save the Coast Hike” this summer will follow the same path
There’s a Farm Equipment Demolition Derby in Eastern Washington that Every Seattleite Should Go See
The annual Combine Demolition Derby in Lind is happening from June 8 to 10, and it's an off-beat sight to behold
There are plenty of summer events around the state that offer entertainment that is, well, exotic from a Seattle standpoint. If you’re looking for off-beat and off-the-beaten-track entertainment, you might be drawn to events like the McCleary Bear Fest in Gray’s Harbor County which features a giant communal pot of bear meat stew (July 6-8)….
Why Cars Won’t Be the Answer for Key Arena Traffic
When the NHL comes to Seattle (and when the Sonics return), could the Monorail be used to manage the inevitable traffic snarl?
As plans move forward for the makeover of Key Arena figuring out how to get to and from hockey, basketball games and concerts is crucial. The Seattle Times recently ran an editorial underscoring the importance of getting people in cars to and from events. That is, and will be, a challenge. The so-called Mercer Mess…
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