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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Benjamin Franklin Hotel, ca. 1929
The Benjamin Franklin Hotel was built in 1929. It was designed by architect Gardner J. Gwinn and featured 14 stories with 359 rooms. It was demolished in 1980 to make way for the second tower of the Westin Hotel.
Identifier: spl_pc_00801
Date: 1929?
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Union Station interior, ca. 1915
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 (the interior of 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. Confusingly, both stations were sometimes referred to as "union stations" or "union depots" 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_01008
Date: 1915?
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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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Frederick & Nelson, ca. 1965
Transcribed from postcard: "Frederick & Nelson, Fifth at Pine, Seattle. Ten floors of modern beauty! Popular rendezvous for Seattleites and visitors to the city. Eighth floor Tea Room overlooks downtown area. Two smart suburban stores: Bellevue and Aurora Village."
Identifier: spl_pc_00223
Date: 1965?
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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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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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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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A Vista from Pergola of Hotel Lincoln, Seattle, Wash., ca. 1909
Hotel Lincoln was constructed in 1900 at the intersection of 4th Avenue and Madison Street. The hotel was destroyed by fire in 1920.
Identifier: spl_pc_00819
Date: 1909?
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Alaska Building, ca. 1905
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_00225
Date: 1905?
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Hotel Seattle at James St. and Yesler Way, 1903
Located in Pioneer Square at the intersection of Yesler Way, James Street and First Avenue, Hotel Seattle was constructed in 1890. It replaced the Occidental Hotel which burned down in the fire of 1889. In 1891, the building served as home to the Seattle Public Library. Around the time of the construction of the nearby Smith Tower in 1914, Hotel Seattle was converted from hotel use to an office building. By 1961, the building was abandoned and later torn down and replaced with a parking garage. This instigated a historic preservation movement in the Pioneer Square area to preserve other historic buildings before they could be demolished.
Identifier: spl_pc_00821
Date: 1903
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