Historic Seattle History

The architecture that arose in Seattle took its cues from the forms that were popularized in East Coast and Midwest cities, including Romanesque brick and stone commercial buildings in the 1890s, steel frame skyscrapers sheathed with brick and terra cotta facades in the first decades of the 20th century, graceful set-back skyscrapers in the modernistic style in the late 1920s, and International Style modern curtain-wall office buildings in the 1960s and 1970s. Residential design was modeled after historically derived English, French, Italian, and Colonial American prototypes. New ground was broken in the work of important local designers such as Carl Gould, R.C. Reamer, Ellsworth Storey, and Paul Thiry.

The establishment of historic districts beginning in 1970 and an ordinance permitting the designation by the city of individual landmarks in 1973 protected significant buildings, objects, and sites from demolition. The establishment of Historic Seattle in 1974 created a means by which historic properties that are threatened can be restored, recycled for new uses, and maintained for the enjoyment of future generations. Despite these efforts, older buildings continue to be fragile bits of real estate as landowners face pressures for economic returns on increasingly valuable property. For additional information on Seattle's architectural history, review our Recommended Books page or visit historylink.org.

The bottom line is that preservation is everybody's business. With each demolished historic building, we lose a piece of the past and a reminder of who we are and how we got here. We also lose an intrinsic piece of our unique Seattle soul. Please join Historic Seattle and help make a difference in preserving our architectural past for the future.