Seattle Hatchcovers

In 1975 twenty-five hatchcovers were cast into bronze for City Light. They were designed by Anne Knight featuring a map of the waterfront and downtown areas, with the city seal inset into Elliott Bay.

The concept of using artist designed hatchcovers originated with arts patron Jacquetta Blanchett after she visited the city of Florence, Italy, in the 1950s. It was Blanchett who donated funds for the new City Light covers to be made. Her support of the arts included serving on the Municipal Art Commission in the1960s.

A whale design by Chilkoot-Tlingit artist Nathan Jackson was commissioned in 1976, with 32 additional covers cast in iron from his original design carved in wood. Finally, nine other hatchcovers, weighing 350 pounds each, were made from a third design by artist Garth Edwards.

This approach of artist designed hatchcovers public art has continued on with various projects; The Web, by Ellen Sollod in 2014 being the most recent.