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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St. James Cathedral, ca. 1909
Transcribed from postcard: "St. James Cathedral. One of the most imposing and costly sacred edifices west of New York. The towers can be seen from any part of the city."
Identifier: spl_pc_00301
Date: 1909
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Bow Lake Trailer Town, ca. 1960
Transcribed from postcard: "18050 32nd Ave., So. Ch 4 4755. Across U.S. 99 from Sea-Tac International Airport. Mobile living as its best. The only 5 star park in the northwest."
Identifier: spl_pc_00101
Date: 1960
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First Hill, ca. 1910
First Hill neighborhood depicting St. James Cathedral at the top of the hill. The photo used as the basis for the card was likely was taken from the top of King Street Station.
Identifier: spl_pc_00302
Date: 1910
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Smith Tower at night, ca. 1928
Transcribed from postcard: "This great building with 600 offices with exterior trim of bronze and interior of steel, finished to resemble highly grained mahogany. Besides possessing every convenience required in the business day, has a Chinese Room adjoining and opening onto the observation balcony. This magnificent room is highly decorated in heavy and finely carved Chinese Teakwood, wrought by native workmen, embellished with myriads of porcelain panels in varying designs, replicas of those in ancient Chinese Temples. No room in America is more gorgeous, visited each day by thousands who are afforded a beautiful vista of Seattle, the bay and lakes and the snow capped mountain ranges, with Mount Rainier and Mount Baker in the distance."
Identifier: spl_pc_00201
Date: 1928
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Medical Dental Building, ca. 1925
The Medical Dental Building was constructed in 1925 and expanded in 1950. Initial plans for expansion during the 1930s were put on hold due to the Great Depression. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006
Identifier: spl_pc_00901
Date: 1925
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Scottish Rite Cathedral at Broadway and Harvard Ave., ca. 1911
Street view of the Scottish Rite Cathedral which was once located at the corner of Broadway and Harvard. Building construction cost $65,000 and was completed in 1911 under the supervision of architect Frank Allen. The building served as a meeting place for freemasons in the Seattle area. The Scottish Rite group moved to a new building in the 1960's at 1155 Broadway East but that building has since also been demolished.
Identifier: spl_pc_00315
Date: 1911
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Westward Motel & Gift Shop, ca. 1965
Street view of the Westward Motel and Gift Shop located on Aurora Avenue in Shoreline. Owned and operated by Bill and Mildred Rother.
Identifier: spl_pc_00813
Date: 1965
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Colman Building, ca. 1907
The Colman Building, located at 811 1st Ave., was constructed by James M. Colman (1832-1906) in 1889 and expanded in 1906. Colman was a leading figure in the development of Seattle who was also responsible for the construction of the Colman dock along the waterfront. In 1972, the Colman Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It also received landmark status from the City of Seattle in 1990.
Identifier: spl_pc_00232
Date: 1907
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Collins Field House, ca. 1910
Transcribed from postcard: "Four of Seattle's playgrounds have been provided with these Field Houses containing Libraries, Club Rooms, Assembly Halls, and Gymnasiums." The Collins Field House, located at the east end of Collins park on between 14th and 16th Avenues S., was one of three recreation centers built by the city in the early 1900's. It followed the center at Hiawatha Park and the Ballard Field House. The Collins Field House was torn down in 1975.
Identifier: spl_pc_00702
Date: 1910
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White and Henry Buildings., ca. 1915
Located at 1318 4th Avenue, the White-Henry-Stuart Building actually consists of three buildings constructed by the Howells and Stokes architecture firm during the period between 1908 and 1915. It was part of the Metropolitan Tract plan which provided office and retail space for the downtown area in the space formerly occupied by the University of Washington's downtown campus. The building was torn down in 1974 to make way for the Rainier Square complex.
Identifier: spl_pc_00221
Date: 1915
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