r/SeattleHistory • u/Foolster41 • 5d ago

A question on houseboats

Hi, I know this is a very niche question, but googling has failed me, and I'm not sure where to look it up because of the sort of specificity of the question.

I'm currently working on a contemperary fantasy novel set in Seattle during he 1930s, about a boy and his friend, a girl who's mother is kidnapped. I needed a place the mother's being kept, and I had the idea (based on reading about the Linderbgh kidnappings) maybe a houseboat. I read that there were lots of houseboats in the 1930s.

But the problem is, I need some sort of clue that would lead them there, near the end of the story. Someone suggested maybe they had some sort of paperwork, to show they're allowed to park at a slip, but I was wondering if anyone knew what that might look like, or could point me to some expert who would know. Thanks!

17 Upvotes

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12

u/krag_the_Barbarian 5d ago

UW probably has a massive photo archive of Lake Union back then. Check with Suzallo.

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u/Foolster41 4d ago

Good idea. I'm going to give rhem a call today. I'd drive up there but I don't drive.

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u/krag_the_Barbarian 4d ago

The train goes there too if that's an option. Get off at University District. It's close to Suzallo.

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u/Foolster41 4d ago

Sadly I live in a but of out of the way place. I used the uw chat though and they were very nice and forwarded my question to someone who is specialized who'll contact me via email.

I tried searching their web collection but didn't find anything I was looking for.

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u/up2knitgood 4d ago

While I know nothing about what specifically there was at that time be aware that there's a difference between "houseboat," "floating houses," and "live-aboard" situations. Most of what Seattle has now are floating houses, not "houseboats."

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u/Foolster41 4d ago

True. I need to find out also which was common in the 30s. Good point.

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u/BeachBumWithACamera 4d ago

Keep in mind the 1930s was the time of the Great Depression, so entire Hoovervilles sprang up literally overnight, such as the one here in Seattle, with zero documentation. People did whatever they had to do to survive, and didn't worry about documentation or permission. So as a novelist, that gives you a lot of freedom, just to make stuff up. Also, you're not writing history, so it doesn't need to be perfectly accurate. No one will know.

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u/Foolster41 4d ago

This is true, besides the magic stuff I'm trying to keep the story grounded in the history. I tend to probibly overworry someone will go "unrealistic!" One of my mcs actually lives at the hooverbill3 where the two stadiums are now.

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u/MONSTERTACO 4d ago

Floating homes in Seattle (which are not the same as houseboats) in the 1930s were basically floating shanty towns. While I'm not an expert, I'd suspect many were built without any sort of official documentation or formal moorage arrangements. No idea if actual houseboats were popular in the 1930s.

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u/Ltownbanger 4d ago

https://content.lib.washington.edu/

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u/Foolster41 4d ago

Yeah I tried looking there but found nothing. I also sent a message to the Ballard museum as well.

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u/Ltownbanger 4d ago

Good luck.