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Pike Place Market 1908

June 1st, 2009 @ 1:19 am by Cliffe | Sorted Photo Exposure |
I believe I haven’t seen this Pike Place Market photo before. It dates back to 1908, showing the direct-to-consumer market we all know well. Couple things of note. What is that castle-like building in the upper left? Were the streets tamped dirt or asphalt? The 1920 shot has the familiar brick. Early ad placement on the umbrella, wow. Maybe the only thing worse than a viaduct blocking your way to the water is a railroad yard. Then again, there weren’t many things to do on the dock back then except work. Click for super high-res.
 pikeplace_1908
Photo shows long narrow roofed structure with tables loaded with produce, many vendors, and horse-drawn wagons filled with crates. Nearby buildings are labeled “Virginia Street Dock and Warehouse Company” and “Pier 9.” An umbrella says “The Bon Marche sells for less” and “Seattle’s Largest Store The Bon Marche”. Photo courtesy Washington State Digital Archives.

11 Responses to “Pike Place Market 1908”

  1. ChrisA says:
    June 1, 2009 at 2:06 am

    I believe the castle-like building was the Seattle Armory. I think it was torn down in the late 60′s after a fire.

  2. Aja West says:
    June 1, 2009 at 2:27 am

    By upper left you mean upper right, correct?

  3. RPH says:
    June 1, 2009 at 6:02 am

    The street appears to be wood, a boardwalk.

  4. Greg B says:
    June 1, 2009 at 7:06 am

    Fantastic that Olympia Beer was using that “It’s the Water” slogan all the way back in 1908.

  5. Matt the Journeyman says:
    June 1, 2009 at 9:01 am

    @Greg B,
    I logged on to say the exact same thing. Thanks a lot, I could have stayed in bed. ;)

  6. Matt the Journeyman says:
    June 1, 2009 at 9:03 am

    Actually, I could note that the pier numbering seems strange to me. The wharf marked Pier 9 here is now like 60-something, no?

  7. Ben Lukoff says:
    June 1, 2009 at 10:25 am

    Yep, that’s the Armory, now the site of Victor Steinbrueck Park. Burned in 1962, demolished in 1965. Here’s a good picture of it from the Seattle Municipal Archives: http://bit.ly/i2RBN

  8. Shannon says:
    June 1, 2009 at 10:55 am

    Indeed it was the Seattle Armory:

    http://content.lib.washington.edu/cdm-desmo/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/imlsmohai&CISOPTR=2931&CISOBOX=1&REC=4

  9. Matt the Journeyman says:
    June 1, 2009 at 11:39 am

    @shannon, that image me up, a little “motorcar” zipping along below a medieval-styled fortress. Reminds me of Bannerman Island in the Hudson River (http://www.hudsonvalleyruins.org/yasinsac/bannerman/bannerman.html), which has similar ramparts. Did people expect that they’d be needing to shoot at invaders from between the parapets on Lenora?

  10. Shannon says:
    June 1, 2009 at 11:42 am

    Or to shoot at fruit & veg thieves at the farmers’ market!

  11. Jana says:
    June 1, 2009 at 9:26 pm

    Great find!

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