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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Seattle Country Club, ca. 1907
Location and identity of the country club depicted is unclear. The postcard possibly shows the Seattle Golf Club (then called the Seattle Golf and Country Club) which moved from a location near Gasworks Park to Laurelhurst in 1904. In 1908 the club moved to their current location on Richmond Beach Road and changed their name to Seattle Golf Club.
Identifier: spl_pc_00568
Date: 1907?
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King Street Station, ca. 1906
During the early 1900's, 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_01014
Date: 1906?
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Smith Tower, ca. 1915
Transcribed from postcard: "Second Ave and the 42 Story L.C. Smith Bldg. Seattle. U.S.A. Eight elevators-two serving the tower. Six hundred Offices. Six stores. Telegraph office on first Floor. Barber Shop, Restaurant, Buffet in Basement, Thirty-fifth Floor furnished in Washington."
Identifier: spl_pc_00217
Date: 1915?
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New York Block, ca. 1907
The New York Block, constructed between 1890 and 1892, was located at the corner of Cherry Street and Second Avenue.
Identifier: spl_pc_00230
Date: 1907
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Seattle waterfront, ca. 1915
Transcribed from front of postcard: "Seaport of Seattle, showing the 42 Story L.C. Smith Building and central portion of Water Front." Transcribed from back of postcard: "42- Story L.C. Smith Building Seattle. Great View from Observation Floor and Balcony."
Identifier: spl_pc_00211
Date: 1915?
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Unidentified residential street, April 7, 1911
Image of unknown residential street and houses. Similar postcards from this time period depict Capitol Hill homes.
Identifier: spl_pc_00603
Date: 1911-04-07
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Union Station, ca. 1911
Transcribed from postcard: "This new depot is 145 x 185 fet. and cost, with its switching yards, $1,000,000 for construction. It is the most northern "out post" of the Harriman system of 13,000 miles of railroads, the greatest in the world." During the early 1900's, 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 was constructed in 1906 and can be distinguished by its tower. Union Station (which is depicted in this postcard) was constructed in 1911 and originally known as the Oregon and Washington Station. (Alternative names for Union Station include the Union Depot and the Northern Pacific Great Northern Depot.) The back of this postcard describes the station as "This new depot is 145x185 ft. and cost, with its switching yards, $1,000,000 for construction. It is the most northern "out post" of the Harriman system of 13,000 miles of railroads, the greatest in the world." 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_01010
Date: 1911
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Olympic Hotel, ca. 1925
The Fairmont Olympic Hotel, originally the Olympic Hotel, was built in 1924 and listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
Identifier: spl_pc_00814
Date: 1925?
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St. James Cathedral, ca. 1928
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_00310
Date: 1928?
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Carroll's Fine Jewelry, ca. 1970
Transcribed from postcard: "Carroll's Fine Jewelry. Thomas J. Carroll founded his store in Seattle in 1895 during the Gold Rush days. Through the years, four generations of the Carroll family have served the jewelry needs of their many customers and friends with integrity and pride in the jewelers art. This stately green and gold street clock, a landmark in Seattle, stands at the doorway of the store still owned and operated by Carroll family members."
Identifier: spl_pc_00233
Date: 1970?
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