Seattle Historic Postcard Collection
Preview up to 100 items from this collection below. Highlights of early 20th century Seattle, as depicted through our historic postcards. Cards include images of buildings, attractions and events from the 1900s to the 1960s along with messages between friends and family.
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Alaska Building, ca. 1910
The Alaska Building, constructed between 1903 and 1904, was the first building in Seattle to be built with a steel frame. At 14 stories high, it was the tallest building in Seattle until the construction of the Hoge Building in 1911.
Identifier: spl_pc_00206
Date: 1910
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King Street Station., ca. 1906
During the early 1900s, there was increasing interest in connecting railroads with Seattle. The high demand and competition between railways resulted in two railway stations being built directly next to each other at 4th Avenue and Jackson Street. King Street Station (which is depicted in this postcard) was constructed in 1906 and can be distinguished by its tower. Union Station, originally known as the Oregon and Washington Station, was constructed in 1911. (Alternative names for Union Station include the Union Depot and the Northern Pacific Great Northern Depot.) The postcard captioning can be confusing because both stations were sometimes referred to as "union stations" due to the fact that multiple railroad lines were shared within the same terminal. For a good example of the differences between Union Station and King Street Station see spl_pc_01011 where Union Station appears in the foreground and King Street Station appears in the background.
Identifier: spl_pc_01019
Date: 1906
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Villa Academy, ca. 1977
Sacred Heart's Villa. Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart. Currently called Villa Academy.
Identifier: spl_pc_00303
Date: 1977
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Elk's Hall at 4th Ave. and Spring St., ca. 1912
Street view of Elk's Hall on Fourth Ave. and Spring Street.
Identifier: spl_pc_00503
Date: 1912
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City Hall Park, Frye Hotel and Smith Tower, ca. 1915
Street view of City Hall Park, Frye Hotel and Smith Tower. The Frye Hotel was constructed in 1911 and designed by the architects Charles H. Bebb and Louis L. Mendel. The project was funded by Seattle pioneer George F. Frye and his wife Louisa Frye (originally of the Denny family). The hotel was converted to low income housing in the 1970s. Smith Tower was constructed in 1912 under the supervision of the architecture firm Gaggin and Gaggin. It was the tallest building in Seattle until the construction of the Space Needle in 1962.
Identifier: spl_pc_00219
Date: 1915
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King Street Station, ca. 1911
During the early 1900s, there was increasing interest in connecting railroads with Seattle. The high demand and competition between railways resulted in two railway stations being built directly next to each other at 4th Avenue and Jackson Street. King Street Station (which is depicted in this postcard) was constructed in 1906 and can be distinguished by its tower. Union Station, originally known as the Oregon and Washington Station, was constructed in 1911. (Alternative names for Union Station include the Union Depot and the Northern Pacific Great Northern Depot.) Confusingly, both stations were sometimes referred to as "union stations" due to the fact that multiple railroad lines were shared within the same terminal. For a good example of the differences between Union Station and King Street Station see spl_pc_01011 where Union Station appears in the foreground and King Street Station appears in the background.
Identifier: spl_pc_01013
Date: 1911
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Frederick & Nelson
In Seattle, Christmas isn't Christmas without a Day at Frederick & Nelson. Seattle's most beautiful department store had rolled out the red carpet for its friends and neighbors this Christmas. The scene shows one of the First floor aisles.
Identifier: spl_pc_00224
Date: 1955
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Residences on Capitol Hill, ca. 1905
Street view of residences on Capitol Hill.
Identifier: spl_pc_00606
Date: 1905
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Come by Sail, Rail, or Hit the Trail! The Golden Potlatch, June 14, 1911
Postcard advertising the Golden Potlatch Festival, featuring three images on front showing the Seattle waterfront, a forest road and King Street Station. Transcribed from postcard: "A Hot Time in a Cool Place - Come! Seattle's Great Carnival Week of July 17th, 1911 Welcome!" Printed on back of postcard: "51. July 17, 1897, the steamer Portland arrived in Seattle bringing $500,000 in gold dust, the first proof of the rich strikes in the North. Within twenty-four hours the greatest gold rush of modern time was under way."
Identifier: spl_pc_36038
Date: 1911-06-14
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St. James Cathedral interior, ca. 1910
Bishop Edward O'Dea purchased the land for St. James Cathedral's First Hill site in 1903 after successfully petitioning the Pope to relocate the episcopal see from Vancouver, Washington to Seattle. The cornerstone for the building was laid in 1905 with more than 5,000 people in attendance and the cathedral officially opened on December 15, 1907.
Identifier: spl_pc_00309
Date: 1910
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