On Monday we had a look at
this sepia toned 1950 shot and today we have another sepia toned snapshot from further back.
Exactly when is anyone’s guess as the Washington State Digital Archives
did not have a date on this one.
It’s an interesting window into the early days of Seattle and its wooden structures. Click for high res.
Photo of part of Seattle with many wooden homes and other buildings, including two large buildings with cupolas.
One building has “Steam Laundry” written on it and another has signs that say “Chas. Louch” and “Cigars Tobacco Groceries and Provisions.” Photo by Warner and Davis.
Image courtesy Washington State Digital Archives.
Looks like it was taken from second avenue, midblock between pike and pine.
Three landmarks give us the earliest date it could be:
Territorial University at 4th & University: built in 1861
Providence Hospital at 5th & Madison: built in 1881
Mcnaught Mansion at 4th & Madison: built in 1883
The lack of the big old courthouse at 8th & Alder would seem to bracket the latest date, since it was constructed in 1890.
Based on sparse development, seems like this would have to be earlier rather than later.
Wild guess: 1885.
I think it’s taken from First. Second is the street running through the middle. I believe the old Denny homestead is at far right, between First and Second on the South side of Union…you can just see the corner of one of the buildings.
UW has a different version of the same photo. It provides more of the when and where also.
http://content.lib.washington.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/imlsmohai&CISOPTR=3469&CISOBOX=1&REC=7
Scott was right on the money. It looks so modern, (other than no cars.) Neat to see a good shot of the four columns of the Territorial University building as originally intended – it sure was an imposing building in its day. I wonder what the Louches are doing now.
This picture was featured in one of Paul Dorpat’s Books “Seattle Now & Then”. I’m not sure which volume.
I would have put it around 1890 from the telegraph pole structure, the lack of objects in the shot other than the buildings (no people, horses clouds etc) show a long exposure camera of the type that made it exceedingly difficult to capture people in such scenes.
For comparison, the current view (actually a bit closer, since you have to get closer to get past the tall buildings):
http://preview.tinyurl.com/22m7gb2
What was the light colored house at the far end of the intersection is now Benaroya Hall.
Colin – it’s in Seattle Now and Then Volume III. According to the write-up, English immigrant Charles Louch hired the photographer in 1888 to shoot across the roof of his grocery store to the neighborhood he served. He promoted his creation of 1888 Hams and Bacon that were “universally used by nine-tenths of the citizens of this city” on these postcards he handed out to customers.
His success was furthered by the 1889 which burned down a lot of his competitors. He took his Seattle fortune when he retuned to England in 1903.
Taken from the present site of Pike Street Market
If this was photographed in 1888, I wonder how much of it burned down in the fire of 1889? I’m not clear on how far north that fire reached.
I’ve seen some interesting photos from the late 1970′s showing the current First Avenue, built above the remnants of some old brick buildings, from the perspective of a big pit, west of First Ave., from Seneca to University, so you could see “under” First Avenue.
Nice picture from the distant past of Seattle, makes me think how much simpler things must have been back then.
I’ve smoked for 39 years and I have to say that I’ll never quit. I know its really bad for me, but I’ve come this far and done all the harm to my body that I can already do. I wished I would of had good information like on this site when I started smoking and maybe I would not of ever begun in the first place.