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| Sunset on Mount Rainier as viewed from Queen Anne Hill, Seattle, Washingt on. Lights from the city center and waterfront enhance the beauty of this evening scene.. Ektachrome by Bob and Ira Spring. |
From Queen Anne Hill
June 5th, 2009 @ 12:38 am by Cliffe | Sorted Photo Exposure |
Here’s a shot of downtown and Rainier from Queen Anne Hill. It isn’t dated, but I’d have to guess late 50′s or early 60′s — looks to be pre-Space Needle. There’s the Armory in the middle left. Click for higher res.
That’s the armory, not the Civic Auditorium. Or the Center House these days.
Wow, it just doesn’t seem like Seattle without the needle!
Exactly what I came to say, Gavin. That’s the armory which is now the Center House. The Civic Auditorium was farther left, out of camera range. It was transformed into the Opera House for Century 21, and the site is now McCaw Hall.
I’m not sure if any of the original “guts” of the Civic Auditorium remain in McCaw…anybody know?
Cool photo, Jess. I think Gavin is correct about the building. The Civic Auditorium and the Armory (Center House) looked very similar. The Armory had those windows on the sides that made it look like a big parking garage.
I wonder about that string of lights trailing off toward Mt. Rainier. That wouldn’t be I-5, since it wasn’t built yet, was it? Hmm…maybe part of Beacon Hill?
Love the colors! That main street that is lighted would be Rainier Ave (or Highway 99), wouldn’t it? Both were main north-south arterials before the interstate was put in.
Must be mid-50s because it has the Archstone Belltown on the left which was built for the Teamsters in 1952.
The string of lights might be Beacon Avenue.
Beacon Ave, definitely. YOu can see how it goes flat/south at the top of the hill.
My mistake. Corrected.
I am curious about the radio / TV tower visible above the Center House/Armory building. It does not appear to be one of the current towers up on Queen Anne hill itself. It is kind of hard to see in the picture, but it almost looks like the base of the tower would be abour where the Space Needle is now. I have never seen a view of Seattle with a radio/TV tower there….
The highrise on the middle left is the Archstone Belltown at 500 Wall St. It was originally called the Grosvenor House.
Forgive my ignorance of many things south of Seattle but what’s the building that appears all by its lonesome under Mt. Rainier?
Looks like the VA, which opened in 1951.
That string of lights can’t be Beacon Avenue in the northern part of the hill, because Beacon heads down the western slope and becomes Holgate. Looks like the 12th Avenue (now Jose Rizal) Bridge, then Golf Drive S., then either 14th or 15th Avenue S. to where they intersect with Beacon, then Beacon.
Present day view:
http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/3448953.jpg
Taken from Kerry Park
@Ben, I thought that might be the 12th Avenue Bridge, but the old red Vet hospital is too far to the left for that to be the case. I think the Western side of the hill is exactly where that string of lights is.
I am also curious about the antenna tower. It is located about where the KOMO TV studios are now (Fisher Plaza). I wonder if this used to be the KOMO antenna?
The armory, Center House…but it’ll always be the Food Circus to me…. : D