When you hear “The Roadhouse,” this might evoke thoughts of a glistening Patrick Swayze doing his own stunts while taming the Double Deuce in the 1989 cult movie of the same name, but roadhouses also have a diverse and storied past here in the Seattle area. From Aurora Avenue North and the Bothell Highway, to Seattle’s Central District and Jackson Street, to Georgetown and the Pacific Highway South, these places became the areas where people were pushed as redlining and the Temperance movement grew and eventually took hold in Seattle in the 1910s. Prohibition in Washington began in 1916 and went until 1933, pushing vice underground or further out of ‘respectable Seattle’ through speakeasies, bottle clubs and destinations for groundbreaking jazz, big band, and the late 50’s rock n’ roll Pacific Northwest scene.
In this episode, we explore the history of Roadhouses in the Seattle area with author, historian, and finder of Old Things, Brad Holden. When not out searching for local historical artifacts, Brad Holden enjoys writing about the more illicit side of Seattle’s past. You can reach Brad at @seattleartifacts on Instagram, and at www.Bradholden.org
We also connected with Eduardo Mendonça of The Roadhouse, a new performance space located at the Angle Lake Light Rail Station. He shares his journey from growing up in Brazil, to founding the first performance arts space in the United States housed in a transit hub, and paid for through municipal arts funding. The Roadhouse showcases music, art, and performances that reflect the fantastic cultural diversity of South King County. The Roadhouse, located on the Angle Lake Light Rail station plaza, is celebrating its first year on Saturday, October 19th from 4-6pm - all are welcome! You can learn about The Roadhouse performance space on Instagram at @roadhouseanglelakestation, and at www.theroadhouse.art
Show Notes:
The Spanish Castle episode cover art courtesy of Ron Edge
Vintage Camera Sound FX by Werra FreeSound.org
Evil Minded Blues by Virginia Liston 1926
Khu.éex' promo by Heartstone Studios -- Featuring Clarissa Rizal and Music by Khu.éex'
Decadent and Debaucherous Looking Back at Edmonds’ lost roadhouses
The Wailers Live at the Spanish Castle
Eduardo and Ana Paula Mendonça
The Roadhouse at Angle Lake Light Rail Station
Sound Transit Blog about The Roadhouse
Sound Transit Arts Program (STArts)
Cari Simson and Elke Hautala formed Invisible Histories to visually and viscerally connect the public to experiences from the past. Their Invisible Histories podcast unearths diverse local stories and forgotten places. www.invisible-histories.com
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