The movement that scorned Seattle's global ambitions

Knute Berger

Knute Berger Jul 7, 2025

Feb 18, 2019

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                <h1>The movement that scorned Seattle's global ambitions</h1>
                <h2><p>In the years after World War II, civic boosters undertook an effort to put Seattle on the map. They called the campaign Greater Seattle and rolled out the red carpet for transplants and tourists, promoting the transformation of the city into a global destination. Meanwhile, another kind of civic booster</p></h2>
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               <p>By <a href="/author/knute-berger-crosscut-com/">Knute Berger</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Feb 18, 2019</time></p>
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            <figure class="kg-card kg-embed-card"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="100%" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://player.pbs.org/partnerplayer/C8nf-2d2uBlenC3Hmuc24w==/?start=0&amp;end=0&amp;topbar=false&amp;autoplay=true&amp;endscreen=true" width="100%"></iframe></figure><p>In the years after World War II, civic boosters undertook an effort to put Seattle on the map. They called the campaign Greater Seattle and rolled out the red carpet for transplants and tourists, promoting the transformation of the city into a global destination. Meanwhile, another kind of civic booster was arising in the shadow of Greater Seattle. Operating under the banner Lesser Seattle, these Seattleites sought to keep Seattle from changing its character. They loved the rain and did not love Californians. What became of this movement? Mossback explains.</p>
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In the years after World War II, civic boosters undertook an effort to put Seattle on the map. They called the campaign Greater Seattle and rolled out the red carpet for transplants and tourists, promoting the transformation of the city into a global destination. Meanwhile, another kind of civic booster was arising in the shadow of Greater Seattle. Operating under the banner Lesser Seattle, these Seattleites sought to keep Seattle from changing its character. They loved the rain and did not love Californians. What became of this movement? Mossback explains.

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By Knute Berger

Knute “Mossback” Berger is an editor-at-large and host of "Mossback’s Northwest" at Cascade PBS. He writes about politics and regional heritage.