Seattle Launches “Month of Nisqually Earthquake” 25th Anniversary Event Series with Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI)

Public events begin at MOHAI with a History Café focused on earthquake risk and the dangers of unreinforced masonry buildings

SEATTLE – As Seattle approaches the 25^th anniversary of the 2001 Nisqually earthquake, the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) is partnering with the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI), Historic South Downtown, and the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) to kick off a month of public conversations about earthquakes, resilience, and the future of Seattle’s built environment.

The first event, MOHAI History Café: The Nisqually Quake and Fixing the Bricks, will take place on January 21 at MOHAI at 6:30 PM. The program brings together scientists, government officials, historians, and community leaders to reflect on the lasting impacts of the Nisqually earthquake and the urgent lessons it continues to offer today.

In parallel with this public conversation, SDCI continues its ongoing work with stakeholders to evaluate policy options that address seismic risks posed by unreinforced masonry buildings while balancing safety, affordability, and historic preservation.

Why Unreinforced Masonry Buildings Matter

Unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings—typically brick structures built before modern seismic codes—are among the most dangerous building types in earthquakes. Because they lack internal steel reinforcement, URMs are prone to cracking, collapsing, or shedding heavy masonry during seismic shaking, posing serious risks to occupants and people on nearby sidewalks and streets.

Many of Seattle’s historic neighborhoods still contain URM buildings constructed after the Great Fire of 1889, when brick was widely used for fire resistance long before earthquake safety was well understood. The Nisqually earthquake exposed these vulnerabilities, and recent earthquakes around the world have reinforced the life-safety risks posed by unretrofitted URMs.

MOHAI provides a powerful and tangible setting for this conversation. The museum houses what remains of a van crushed during the Nisqually earthquake, a stark reminder of seismic forces. Nearby, the Seattle Fire exhibit traces how post-1889 rebuilding shaped the city’s brick landscape—and the seismic challenges that legacy created.

A unique element of the event will be Native storytelling, with a representative of the Chehalis Tribe sharing myths, folklore, and ancient stories on earthquakes and natural forces, grounded in generations of experience in the Pacific Northwest.

The discussion comes as seismic safety continues to be examined at the state level. House Bill 1810, currently awaiting a hearing in the House Appropriations Committee, addresses unreinforced masonry buildings by supporting efforts to better identify the nearly 33,000 URM structures statewide and exploring approaches to improve earthquake resilience.

Some material in this release was generated using ChatGPT 4.0 and reviewed for accuracy prior to publication.

Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections/Helping people build a safe, livable, and inclusive Seattle. www.seattle.gov/sdci