Arctic Building facts for kids
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Arctic Building
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 Location in Seattle WA Downtown
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| Location | Seattle, Washington |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1916 |
| Architect | A. Warren Gould |
| Architectural style | Beaux-Arts |
| NRHP reference No. | 78002749 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 28, 1978 |
The Arctic Club Building is a cool, nine-story hotel in Seattle, Washington. It's located at Third Avenue and Cherry Street. This special building was finished in 1916. It was first built for the Arctic Club. This was a social group of rich people. They had made their money during the exciting Klondike Gold Rush in Alaska. The club used the building until 1971.
The building looks amazing! It's covered in creamy white terra cotta. This is a type of baked clay. It also has blue and orange-brown decorations. Look closely, and you'll see terra cotta walrus heads all along the third floor! There used to be a polar bear decoration too. It's one of the best examples of colorful terra cotta art in Seattle.
Today, the building has been fixed up. It's now a fancy hotel called the Arctic Club Seattle. It's part of the DoubleTree by Hilton family. The architect who designed it was A. Warren Gould. In 1978, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical place.
History of the Arctic Building
The Arctic Club was started in 1908. It was formed by people who had found success during the Klondike Gold Rush. This was a time when many people rushed to Alaska to find gold. The club was a place for businessmen with connections to the Gold Rush or Alaska.
In 1909, the Arctic Club was first located in the Morrison Hotel. This hotel was also known as the Arctic Club Building. But in 1914, the club decided to move. They had a disagreement with the owner of that building.
So, in 1916, the club members hired a famous Seattle architect. His name was A. Warren Gould. He designed the new Arctic Building. It was built in downtown Seattle at Third and Cherry. This new building would be the club's main headquarters. James Moses was the builder.
During the move, something funny happened. Members secretly took the bar from the old building. They hoisted it out one of the windows!
The Arctic Club building is 128 feet tall. It is built in the Beaux-Arts style. This is a grand and fancy style of architecture. The building is famous for its terra cotta walrus heads. These walrus heads are on the third floor. They are a nod to the club's name.
For a while, the City of Seattle owned the building. Later, it was sold to a company from Spokane. This company turned the building into a hotel. The hotel opened in 2008. It is now known as The Arctic Club of Seattle. It is a DoubleTree by Hilton hotel.
- Ochsner, Jeffrey Karl. Shaping Seattle Architecture: A Historical Guide to the Architects. Rev. ed. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1994. ISBN: 0-295-97366-8
