Photos: Seattle's Biggest Protest? How the Women's March Compares to Past Protests

SEATTLE, WA - Was last weekend's Women's March on Seattle the biggest the city has ever seen?

Organizers say that some 175,000 people converged on downtown Seattle last Saturday to protest everything from Donald Trump to the treatment of indigenous people. The protest was so large, it stretched the entire 3.6 miles from Judkins Park to the Seattle Center.

But Seattle has a long protest tradition, so Patch.com asked the Museum of History and Industry to lend us photos of past demonstrations in Seattle for comparison. We uncovered images of a number of massive-looking protests from previous decades. Saturday's march may be the biggest, some others certainly give it a run for its money.

Here are some of the images we found:

Taking over highways isn't a recent phenomenon. This photo from May 1970 shows a massive number of protesters blocking I-5 near Eastlake. If you look to the left of the photo, it appears there are more protesters coming.

In 1943, Boeing workers took to the streets. It's hard to tell how many were in attendance, but the protest appears to go up the block out of view of the camera. One of the signs says, "Remove inequalities and watch productivity soar."

These protesters, crossing Spring Street on First Hill, were protesting the construction of a highway through Seattle in 1961. The line of marchers appears to extend far down the street.

This 1970 anti-war protest took place on the steps of the Federal Courthouse along 5th Avenue. The main Seattle Public Library now stands in the block at the bottom right corner of the photo.

In 1964, protesters marched underneath the Monorail in favor of open housing laws.

Was this the original Women's March on Seattle? These pro-choice protesters were photographed boarding a bus in Seattle.

In 1934, longshoremen went on strike at Pier 40.

A 1965 civil rights march in Seattle.

For comparison, here are more photos of Saturday's Women's March on Seattle:

The protesters staged the march in Judkins Park. This photo is looking southwest toward Beacon Hill.

Many who couldn't make it to Judkins Park - perhaps because it was too full - lined up along the march route. This photo looks west down Jackson Street.

The beginning of the protest heading west down Jackson Street.

Marching through the International District.

Onlookers seated on Henry Moore's "Vertebrae" sculpture at Safeco Plaza.

Looking south down 4th Avenue from Westlake Park.

Looking down on the beginning of the march from a parking garage at 4th and Virginia.

Images via Patch.com, MOHAI