We’ve seen a few similar angles in the past (one
here and a rendering
here), but never from the Monorail terminal itself. The photo must be post-1952, when Frederick & Nelson added
a number of stories.
Any other clues from the photo that would enable us to pin it down
? When did Weisfield’s go awa
y? The cars? Click for higher resolution.
 |
| A look down on busy Pine Street from the downtown Seattle Monorail Terminal affords an impressive view of Frederick & Nelson (department store), a division of Marshall Field & Co., and other fine stores. Color photo by Max R. Jensen. |
The Monorail opened March 24, 1962. This original station was removed in 1988, replaced by the new station, a block north, at Westlake Center Mall. Weisfield’s was purchased by Sterling in 1989. Sterling also bought Friedlander’s, started in 1886, in 1986.
From the ages of the cars that are visible, it would likely be very early 60s, possibly soon after the monorail opened.
I think it’s interesting how the silhouetted shelter roof becomes an art-deco male profile – the perspective-geometry of diminishing steps creates a clear face: forehead, nose, lip, lower lip, chin.
You can still see the sign for the Orpheum Theater to the left of the person standing next to the photographer. The Orpheum was torn down in 1967 to build the Westin, so this was before that.
Tangentially, Shannon’s comment reminds me that what is currently the Westin site had the Orpheum Theater on the southern end of the block and a hotel called the Ben Franklin on the northern part. When I first came to Seattle in 1971, the Orpheum had been torn down and replaced by the south tower of the Westin, but the Ben Franklin was still there and in use. I remember, more or less, when the north Tower of the Westin was built, but I cannot remember how long the Ben Franklin lasted — was it still a going concern right up until then?
The second card on the 12-07-07 VS link shows how distorted this wide angle view is, diminishing the size and tight proximity of Weisfield’s and F&N, and creating Deco Man from the scalloped top covering of the station.