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. 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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Bungalow Magazine, v. 2, no. 12, Dec. 1913
J.M. Waller home on Hunter Boulevard S. in Seattle featured on pages 13-21. Exact location unknown. Five Dayton Avenue bungalows featured on pages 29-38 of December 1913 issue including: Charles M. and Frances L. Simmons at 6727 Dayton Ave N Seattle, WA 98103; Jas. G. and Maude L. Pollock at 6723 Dayton Ave N Seattle, WA 98103; and Mrs. J.W. Seuss at 6713 Dayton Ave N Seattle, WA 98103.
Identifier: spl_bm_531811_1913_2_12
Date: 1913-12
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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_01002
Date: 1906
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Seattle-Tacoma Airport, ca. 1950
Transcribed from postcard: "The new $11,000,000 Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, now serving the United States, Alaska and the Orient."
Identifier: spl_pc_00407
Date: 1950
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Providence Hospital, ca. 1911
Between 1907 and 1912, Seattle's Providence Hospital built a large new brick building, at a cost of one million dollars. Designed by Somervell & Cote, it was a full-service hospital with six operating rooms and a nursing school.
Identifier: spl_pc_00904
Date: 1911
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Seattle's Civic Center, ca. 1930
Street view of the Frye Hotel, the L.C. Smith Tower and City Hall and Courthouse. 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. The Smith Tower was constructed in 1914 by 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_00405
Date: 1930
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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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Young Women's Christian Association at 5th Ave. and Seneca St.
Opened in 1914 and led by Mrs. Rees Daniels, the YWCA headquarters was a support center for young working women. The eight-story brick building still serves as the YWCA headquarters today.
Identifier: spl_pc_00500
Date: 1915
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Welsh Presbyterian Church, July 19, 1907
Transcribed from postcard: "Welsh Presbyterian Church-10th Ave. N. and John St., Seattle, Wash., J. Michael Hughes, Pastor." The first Seattle Welsh Presbyterian Church was originally built in 1893 on Olive Way. As the congregation expanded, they needed a larger space and soon built a new structure in 1907 at 10th Ave. N. and E. John Street. The postcard includes a photograph of J. Michael Hughes who served as the church's pastor between 1891-1894 and 1905-1912.
Identifier: spl_pc_00324
Date: 1907-07-19
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Olympic Hotel, ca. 1930
The Fairmont Olympic Hotel, originally the Olympic Hotel, was built in 1924. The hotel was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
Identifier: spl_pc_00809
Date: 1930
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