Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Welcome to Mossback’s Northwest: Extended Cut, a YouTube exclusive featuring the full-length conversations we recorded in the Cascade PBS studio for the Mossback podcast. In this episode, co-hosts Knute Berger and Stephen Hegg explore the origin story of Seattle’s libraries.
Today, Seattle is a UNESCO City of Literature – and it’s been a literary city since its founding. In fact, the first library was created even before the city was officially incorporated! Mossback co-hosts discuss their own love of libraries, the earliest books on Seattle’s shelves, the lasting literary impact of early pioneers Sarah and Henry Yesler and the unconventional couple’s remarkable connection to Jack London.
Donate to Cascade PBS: secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/176149/donate/1
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Watch more episodes of Mossback's Northwest: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL18y1vgsGPLb3VLSg4y7E-PKU_A1uMu23
**
Listen to the Mossback podcast: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL18y1vgsGPLZKaystzJzeKwpZa2un63im
Follow Cascade PBS on Instagram: instagram.com/cascadepbs
**
Watch more from Cascade PBS: video.cascadepbs.org
**
Follow Cascade PBS online:
facebook.com/cascadepbs
instagram.com/cascadepbs
tiktok.com/@cascade_pbs
threads.net/@cascadepbs
To reach Knute Berger directly, drop him a line at knute.berger@cascadepbs.org (mailto:knute.berger@cascadepbs.org) . And if you’d like an exclusive weekly newsletter from Knute, where he offers greater insight into his latest historical discoveries, become a Cascade PBS member (secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/134265/donate/1?ref=cascadepbs.org) today.
Credits
Hosts: Stephen Hegg (cascadepbs.org/author/stephenhegg-crosscut-com/) , Knute Berger (cascadepbs.org/author/knute-berger)
Producer: Sara Bernard (cascadepbs.org/author/sara-bernard)
Story editors: Sarah Menzies (cascadepbs.org/author/sarah-menzies) , Adam Brown (cascadepbs.org/author/adam/)
Studio recording: Roger Basquette*
#history #seattle
Welcome to Mossback’s Northwest: Extended Cut, a YouTube exclusive featuring the full-length conversations we recorded in the Cascade PBS studio for the Mossback podcast. In this episode, co-hosts Knute Berger and Stephen Hegg explore the origin story of Seattle’s libraries.
Today, Seattle is a UNESCO City of Literature – and it’s been a literary city since its founding. In fact, the first library was created even before the city was officially incorporated! Mossback co-hosts discuss their own love of libraries, the earliest books on Seattle’s shelves, the lasting literary impact of early pioneers Sarah and Henry Yesler and the unconventional couple’s remarkable connection to Jack London.
Donate to Cascade PBS: secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/176149/donate/1
**
Watch more episodes of Mossback's Northwest: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL18y1vgsGPLb3VLSg4y7E-PKU_A1uMu23
**
Listen to the Mossback podcast: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL18y1vgsGPLZKaystzJzeKwpZa2un63im
Follow Cascade PBS on Instagram: instagram.com/cascadepbs
**
Watch more from Cascade PBS: video.cascadepbs.org
**
Follow Cascade PBS online:
facebook.com/cascadepbs
instagram.com/cascadepbs
tiktok.com/@cascade_pbs
threads.net/@cascadepbs
To reach Knute Berger directly, drop him a line at knute.berger@cascadepbs.org (mailto:knute.berger@cascadepbs.org) . And if you’d like an exclusive weekly newsletter from Knute, where he offers greater insight into his latest historical discoveries, become a Cascade PBS member (secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/134265/donate/1?ref=cascadepbs.org) today.
Credits
Hosts: Stephen Hegg (cascadepbs.org/author/stephenhegg-crosscut-com/) , Knute Berger (cascadepbs.org/author/knute-berger)
Producer: Sara Bernard (cascadepbs.org/author/sara-bernard)
Story editors: Sarah Menzies (cascadepbs.org/author/sarah-menzies) , Adam Brown (cascadepbs.org/author/adam/)
Studio recording: Roger Basquette*
#history #seattle
