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Federal lawsuit aims at saving Seattle's National Archives building

State Attorney General Bob Ferguson says there wasn't enough public notice given regarding the plan to fast-track the sale.
Credit: Courtesy of National Archives

SEATTLE — Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson is filing a federal lawsuit aimed at saving Seattle's National Archives building that is slated to be sold.

Ferguson is being joined by 29 tribes and communities from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska as well as other organizations, historical preservations societies and museum, and the State of Oregon.

In December, Ferguson called the rapid sale "outrageous," saying there wasn't enough public notice given about an Oct. 1 meeting where federal officials fast-tracked the sale process.

The 10-acre site contains the history of 272 federally recognized tribes, including drafts of many tribal treaties and only a tiny fraction of the material has been digitized. 

Under an accelerated timeline, the property sale will happen by spring. The archives will be moved to facilities in California and Missouri.

RELATED: Why the potential closure of Seattle's National Archives is so controversial

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