It “Was” in the P-I

St. Patrick’s Day 2009 turned out to be unlucky for Seattle, this being the last day of business for the local Post-Intelligencer newspaper that started in 1863. There’ll be no more physical paper printed as the P-I moves to an on-line only existence.

P-I’s last issue

Moving to an all-digital format may be a sign of the times (though I’ll miss the morning ritual of collecting the paper in the driveway and the tangible feel of turning its pages), but to me the real loss is the decrease in stories – all of the unemployed reporters, editors and investigators who will no longer be informing us and telling our local stories.

Incidentally, during the last several weeks, the P-I has been printing a photo each day from their archives and last Saturday was this one showing family members being evacuated.

Though we’re inundated with devastating photos every day in the news, this photo is still surreal to me showing little kids in the back of a truck next to an armed soldier – and to think it all took place right here in Seattle.

Densho is also in the business of capturing, telling and preserving stories, and in an on-line format – indeed Densho was founded with the goal to be all digital. Let’s hope that the P-I will find a new sustainable life in the online world so more stories continue to be told and preserved.