Western Washington isn’t exactly known for brutal winters. In fact, many transplants to the Puget Sound area cite the region’s mild seasons as a factor in their decision. That said, when cities like Seattle do receive snow, they’re often unprepared, leading to events known locally as “snowpocalypses.” The biggest snowstorm in Washington history occurred in 1916 and almost cost Seattle one of its most iconic buildings!

You’ll want to bundle up for this dive into the Evergreen State’s past.

Many locals will remember when a February cold front deposited 20 inches of snow on Seattle in 2019. The city was briefly— and for some, blissfully— frozen in time. Residents of all ages got a chance to test out their snow paraphernalia on neighborhood streets temporarily transformed into ski slopes.
Gemini Connect/Youtube
But while it may have happened the same month, 1916's Big Snow wasn't half as much fun for locals. Thirty-eight inches descended on the Emerald City in an unrelenting, 24-hour deluge. To make matters worse, the winter had already been bitterly cold, with two feet of snow already on the ground.
University of Washington/Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
With thoroughfares incapacitated, there was little for locals to do but grab shovels and help excavate roads and sidewalks.

Their main complaint? Well, according to local write-ups, it was the lack of legal boozin'. January marked the start of Prohibition, so cold Seattleites counting on a hot-toddy warm-up after a long day of shoveling found themselves out of luck.
University of Washington/Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

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In a year off to a bad start, there was a silver lining. First Hill's St. James Cathedral, easily one of Seattle's most architecturally significant buildings, suffered catastrophic damage when its iconic dome collapsed.
Town Traveller/Google Reviews
By a stroke of good fortune, however, it seemed none of the city's residents fancied praying for better weather, with a local bishop declaring no one had been in the building at the time.
University of Washington/Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
It's worth visiting the cathedral today. Knowing this chapter of its history provides a layer of appreciation for its impressive narthex.
TT/Google Reviews
Though survivors of modern snowpocalypses may have difficulty believing it, the Big Storm of 1916 remains unmatched in winter mayhem, earning it a spot of infamy in Washington State history. And, for today's locals, it's worth remembering that our mild-mannered climate can still bite.
University of Washinton/Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

I’m not above complaining about the cold if it dips below freezing. Amid my grumbling, I’m reminded of the biggest snowstorm in Washington history, 1916’s Big Storm, and suddenly, my cold toes don’t seem so bad.

What are some of your favorite chapters of Evergreen State history?

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