Field Notes

HistoryLink
  • 5.0 (7)
  • History
  • Series

In HistoryLink’s Field Notes podcast, we journey with users ‘in the field’ to experience Washington state history through a curated selection of HistoryLink articles.

  1. Episode 1

    Open 24 Hours

    Season two of Field Notes kicks off at the legendary Twede's Cafe in North Bend, where our host and special guest dive into the lore of some of Washington State’s iconic diners. Pull up a chair as we journey through time, highlighting the stories and cultural moments from diners of yore; a love letter to diner culture and the places and spaces that feel like a home away from home. This episode is hosted by Tony Williams and features guest Cynthia Brothers. Curated HistoryLink article set for this episode includes: First Twin Peaks Festival commences in North Bend on August 14, 1992. by Antonia KelleherDog House: The Last Call: A Reminiscence by Floyd WatersonThe Igloo — Lost Landmark of Seattle's Auto-Tecture by Alan J. Stein Additional HistoryLink resources for this episode: The Igloo Restaurant, a Vancouver diner famed for its burgers and shakes, opens on August 1, 1948. by Rita CipallaTwin T-Ps Restaurant, early roadside attraction, opens on March 13, 1937. by Walt Crowley For more from Cynthia Brothers and Vanishing Seattle, check out: www.vanishingseattle.org For more Field Notes episodes and other HistoryLink podcasts, visit the: HistoryLink.org Podcast Page

  2. Episode 2

    The Country Doctor Rambles

    Uncover the story of Seattle’s Country Doctor Community Clinic, from its formation by anti-war social justice activists to its role as one of Seattle’s first healthcare clinics to welcome HIV+ patients, and its lasting legacy as a patient-centered, community-based healthcare clinic. This episode is hosted by Tony Williams and features guest Tom Byers with an appearance by Tim Burak. Curated HistoryLink article set for this episode includes: Country Doctor Community Clinic (Seattle) by Rita CipallaBlack Panther Party's Seattle chapter opens the Sidney Miller Free Medical Clinic (now the Carolyn Downs Family Medical Center) on December 1, 1969. by Nick RoussoHIV/AIDS in Western Washington by Rosette Royale Additional HistoryLink resources for this episode: Black Panther Party's Seattle chapter opens the Sidney Miller Free Medical Clinic (now the Carolyn Downs Family Medical Center) on December 1, 1969. by Nick RoussoLifelong AIDS Alliance (Seattle) by Nick RoussoAntiwar protesters block Interstate 5 in Seattle on May 5, 1970. By Walt Crowley For more information about Seattle Roots Community Health, visit: www.seattleroots.org For more Field Notes episodes and other HistoryLink podcasts, visit the: HistoryLink.org Podcast Page

  3. Episode 3

    Sincerely Yours, Roy Gardner

    Dive into the fascinating story of Roy Gardner, a notorious American outlaw known, among many things, as the last great American Train Robber in the Roaring Twenties. From his gunrunning days during the Mexican Revolution to his famous escape from the McNeil Island Federal Penitentiary near Steilacoom in 1921, Gardner is widely regarded as “King of the Escape Artists.” Content Warning: This episode contains descriptions of violence, incarceration, or suicide and may be alarming to some listeners. This episode is hosted by Tony Williams and features guest Casey McNerthney. Curated HistoryLink article set for this episode includes: Roy Gardner, king of escape artists, flees McNeil Island Penitentiary on September 5, 1921.by Duane Colt Denfeld, Ph.D.McNeil Island and the Federal Penitentiary, 1841-1981 by Daryl C. McClaryMcNeil Island Corrections Center, 1981-present by Daryl C. McClary For more information about Roy Gardner, check out Casey’s Post-Intelligencer article: Roy Gardner's great McNeil Island escape For more Field Notes episodes and other HistoryLink podcasts, visit the: HistoryLink.org Podcast Page

  4. Episode 4

    The Patron Saint of Light Rail

    This week, we ride along with our host and featured guest on the 1 Line as they unpack decades of regional transit history: from the early Link light rail concept in the 1980s to its 1996 inception under Sound Transit to its expansion into a multi-regional rapid transit system across the Puget Sound Region. Hop aboard and hold on, you’re in for a ride! This episode is hosted by Tony Williams and features guest Bruce Englehardt. Curated HistoryLink article set for this episode includes: Sound Transit (King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties) by Josh CohenEarl, Joni (b. 1953) by Jim KershnerSound Transit begins Link light-rail service to Capitol Hill and the University of Washington from downtown Seattle on March 19, 2016. by Jim Kershner Additional HistoryLink resources for this episode: Seattle Transportation: From Trolleys to Monorails, A Timeline by Walt CrowleyKing Street Station (Seattle) - HistoryLink.org by John CaldbickKing County Metro Transit by Jim KershnerInterurban Rail Transit in King County and the Puget Sound Region - HistoryLink.org by Walt Crowley For more information about Link light rail and Sound Transit, visit: www.soundtransit.org For more Field Notes episodes and other HistoryLink podcasts, visit the: HistoryLink.org Podcast Page

  5. Episode 5

    A New Statue for Sadako

    In this week’s episode, we explore the history, mystery, and legacy of the Sadako and the Thousand Cranes bronze sculpture in Seattle’s Peace Park. The sculpture honors Sadako Sasaki, a Japanese girl who survived the 1945 Hiroshima atomic bombing at age two and later died from radiation-induced leukemia at age 12, and who has since become a worldwide symbol of peace through her paper crane folding. Content Warnings: This episode contains descriptions of theft, violence, and war, and may be alarming to some listeners. This episode is hosted by Tony Williams and features guest Saya Moriyasu. Curated HistoryLink article set for this episode includes: Seattle Peace Park is dedicated on August 6th, 1990. by Kit OldhamUnited States Drops Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. by Greg LangCity of Seattle's Civic Art Collection (Part 1) by Traci Timmons Additional HistoryLink resources for this episode: Schmoe, Floyd W. (1895-2001) by Kit OldhamWorld War II Japanese American Incarceration — Seattle/King County by David TakamiJapanese American Resettlement in Washington After World War II by Jonathan van HarmelenRichland residents discover the truth about what they were producing at Hanford upon U.S. bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. by Jim Kershner To learn more about Saya’s work, visit: www.sayamoriyasu.com For more Field Notes episodes and other HistoryLink podcasts, visit: HistoryLink.org Podcast Page

  6. Episode 6

    How Seattle Was Made

    In this live season-two finale recorded at MOHAI, our host and guest dig into how Seattle was made, from tectonic plates and the Ice Age to the glaciers that deposited our city’s hills, to how land-speculating settlers shaped the ground beneath the city by regrading Denny Hill and creating the Lake Washington Ship Canal. Tune in for a fascinating conversation about deep time, terraforming, and how understanding history can deepen our relationship with, and sense of belonging to, the place we live. This episode is hosted by Tony Williams and features guest Vikram Prakash. Curated HistoryLink article set for this episode includes: Denny Regrade (Seattle) - HistoryLink.org by David B. WilliamsVashon glacier begins to melt and recede from Puget Sound region and Columbia Basin around 16,900 years ago. - HistoryLink.org by Jennifer OttHarvey Pike starts to dig a canal connecting Seattle's Union and Portage bays in the 1860s. by David B. Williams Additional HistoryLink resources for this episode: Lake Washington Ship Canal (Seattle) - HistoryLink.org by David B. WilliamsSeattle City Council passes ordinance for first large-scale grading of a Seattle street on June 8, 1876. by David B. Williams Check out ArchitectureTalk, a podcast hosted by today's guest, Vikram Prakash, that explores issues in contemporary architecture and architectural thinking: www.architecturetalk.org For more Field Notes episodes and other HistoryLink podcasts, visit: HistoryLink.org Podcast Page

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About

In HistoryLink’s Field Notes podcast, we journey with users ‘in the field’ to experience Washington state history through a curated selection of HistoryLink articles.

Information

  • Creator
    HistoryLink
  • Episodes
    13
  • Seasons
    2
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 HistoryLink
  • Show Website
    Field Notes

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