Photo shows aerial view of the Denny Regrade neighborhood in Seattle and the recently opened Orpheum Theater, 1928. Image courtesy Washington State Digital Archives.
Triangulating The Denny Regrade 1928
August 26th, 2010 @ 12:18 am by Cliffe | Sorted Photo Exposure |
Check out this 1928 aerial shot showing a regraded Denny area with then new Orpheum Theater front and center. It’s a lot of fun to compare this super- high res 1.8meg file with the modern bird’s eye. Look up on 7th and Westlake — you can see Hotel Larned and the triangular building next door survive. The Orpheum was torn down in 1967 and (according to HistoryLink) took longer than expected to demolish due to its “sturdy construction.” Yeesh. Click for the high res.
Photo shows aerial view of the Denny Regrade neighborhood in Seattle and the recently opened Orpheum Theater, 1928. Image courtesy Washington State Digital Archives.
Photo shows aerial view of the Denny Regrade neighborhood in Seattle and the recently opened Orpheum Theater, 1928. Image courtesy Washington State Digital Archives.
I’ve never come across the term “photoplay” before, surprisingly. Is that just a synonym for “silent movie” or is it something else?
That dark patch of forest in the center becomes the site of Denny Park, although you can still see a cliff here that was eventually dealt with, so this is not perhaps the final shape of things.
The parts of Denny Hill as yet unremoved in this photo have little trails on them. I would love to hear somebody tell of what it was like to run around these streets as children and have these steep and bizarre remnants of the mountain to play on. Talk about your neighborhood game of King of the Hill!
When they started to tear down the Orpheum, the wrecking ball bounced right off of it. I remember distinctly that they interviewed the architect about it – he was in his 90s then – and he said: “Well, we built it to last.”
The Music Hall was the same way. I went by it almost every day when they were tearing it down. It seemed as though it took 2 or 3 hits with the wrecking ball to do what would normally take only one strike.
Beautiful picture. I have postcards of the 3rd and Madison Orpheum but not that one.
It’s a shame comparing it to the new photo. It looks like most of the beautiful old buildings (that were apparently built to last) have been replaced by hotels and parking lots. And we all know how many more of those we need.
“Eclipse Neckwear Mfg. Co.” That’s the building that collapsed into the street recently! I also noticed the still-standing-but-horribly-remodeled parking garage under construction just behind that handsome apartment building on the left with the gables. Now a parking lot.
There is a giant weird thing on 9th Ave N past Denny Way (top right). It looks sort of like a water tower, but I’m guessing it’s the Seattle Lighting Co Gas Plant shown on 1920 Kroll Map of Seattle (which they still sell today).
The Kroll map also shows that the 6th Ave was unpaved at the time which I think this photo confirms!
I love the design of the Orpheum. Offices and retail surrounding a theatre. Theatres don’t need windows, but offices do as does retail. Theatres will have most of their foot and car traffic in the evenings and weekends, when offices are empty. Talk about a great opportunity for mixed-use!
I believe the Weston Hotel now stands where the Orpheum stood.