Identity elements
Reference code
Name and location of repository
Level of description
Title
Mayor Mike Parker Papers
Date(s)
- 1972 - 1985 (Creation)
Extent
19 boxes, 1 bound item
(19 cubic feet)
Name of creator
Biographical history
Mike Parker was born in Renton, Washington on May 23, 1947. He became the youngest legislator in Washington state history when he was elected to the State House of Representatives at age 26. He ran for U.S. Congress in 1976, but lost to fellow Democrat Norm Dicks in the primary. The following year, he launched his mayoral campaign. On November 8, 1977, he defeated state senator Lorraine Wojahn to become the youngest Mayor ever elected in Tacoma at age 30. Parker is most known for his role in developing plans and gathering support for the Tacoma Dome. He also played a key role in establishing a Tacoma Police Department motorcycle fleet and successfully lobbying the state Department of Transportation to include Tacoma in signage and branding for the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. After his term as Mayor, he ran to become the first Pierce County Executive, but lost to Booth Gardner. He went on to pursue a career in the broadcast industry. At the time of his death in 2019, he was survived by his wife Maria and children Michael, Jr. Jeffrey, David, Dianna, and Sara along with seven grandchildren.
Content and structure elements
Scope and content
Includes correspondence, newspaper clippings, reports, and photographs related to Mike Parker's political career as Mayor of Tacoma and as a member of the Washington State House of Representatives. Extensive subject files were established by Parker's office and contain correspondence, studies, newspaper clippings, and reports on topics of relevance to his work. Also included are correspondence, photographs, newspaper clippings, and legislative documents.
System of arrangement
Materials are arranged into several series. The Subject Files have mostly retained the headings and organizational structure established by Parker's office prior to transfer. These have been arranged alphabetically. In some cases, files with the same headings were combined or loose papers related to that subject were added. Other series are arranged chronologically or by subject.
Conditions of access and use elements
Conditions governing access
Technical access
Conditions governing reproduction
Languages of the material
Scripts of the material
Language and script notes
Finding aids
Acquisition and appraisal elements
Custodial history
Immediate source of acquisition
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information
Duplicates and materials determined to have low research value (including receipts, blank forms, and empty notebooks) were removed during processing.
Accruals
An accrual of six cubic feet was received in 2001.