You’re invited to color your way through the history of Everett.
Historic Everett is holding its first-ever coloring contest — meant to be a stay-at-home activity for all ages — featuring pages from its “Coloring History” coloring book. Winners will receive a $50 gift card.
Everett artist Rosemary Jones was commissioned to illustrate the book. “Coloring History” features eight illustrations of notable architecture, such as Everett High School and the Rucker Mansion. Each page includes a short description of the building’s historical significance to the city.
“Historic Everett made a list of potential places they’d like to see illustrated,” Jones said. “We narrowed it down to the top eight — the ones we thought would be the most interesting for folks to color.”
Jones, who works out of her home studio in Everett’s Delta neighborhood, specializes in hand lettering, greeting cards, posters and tattoo design.
Andrea Tucker, a past president of Historic Everett, hired Jones to illustrate the historical coloring book. Tucker has been a member of Historic Everett since 2006.
“I thought a coloring book would be an artistic way of reaching out about Everett’s history,” said Tucker, who now serves as co-chairwoman of membership. “It’s for all ages — but I’ve always wanted more children to be interested in history.”
Each page of the coloring book includes a short description of the building’s historical significance to the city. Here is an illustration from the book of the Rucker Mansion. (Historic Everett)
All of the architecture featured in the coloring book still stands. Tucker said it was key that they can still be visited today.
“We have a lot of buildings that were demolished at some point in time — but maybe they’ve been to Grand Avenue Park and they may have seen the bust of Sen. Henry M. Jackson. They can relate to it that way.”
The contest is divided into four ages categories: 5 and younger, 6-9, 10-13 and 14 and older.
Five winners will be selected — one from each age group plus an overall winner. Each winner will receive a $50 gift card to J. Matheson Gifts in Everett.
“We support J. Matheson because they support us,” Tucker said. “They sell our calendars.”
(Next year’s Historic Everett calendar will be available in October for $20 each. If you’d like the 2020 calendar, too, you can pick one up at J. Matheson Gifts for $5.)
If you’ve never been to J. Matheson’s — yes, the store offers an array of toys and games for children.
The coloring book was illustrated by Everett artist Rosemary Jones. Here is an illustration from the book of Cope Gillette Theatre. (Historic Everett)
“Coloring History,” made possible by a $5,000 donation to Historic Everett, was published around the time the coronavirus hit Snohomish County. Without the coloring contest, Jones said few would know about it.
“It’s a great opportunity for the coloring book to circulate, and for folks to learn about it who may not have known already,” she said.
If you’d like to enter the contest, request a coloring page by calling 425-870-6699 or emailing historiceverett@gmail.com. Or purchase the coloring book at J. Matheson Gifts at 2615 Colby Ave. Cost is $10.
The deadline is Sept. 15 — but it may be extended if there is overwhelming interest. Write your name, age and phone number on the back of the illustration of your choice.
Submit your entry by turning it in to J. Matheson Gifts, 2615 Colby Ave., Everett; or by mailing it to Historic Everett, 2112 Rucker Ave. No. 8, Everett, WA 98201; or by emailing it to historiceverett@gmail.com. Winners will be announced Sept. 30.
Go to www.historiceverett.org for a complete list of contest rules.
Sara Bruestle: 425-339-3046; sbruestle@heraldnet.com; @sarabruestle.
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