Hull Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Hull Building
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The building's exterior in 2018
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 Location in Washington (state)
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| Location | 2401-2405 1st Avenue, Seattle, Washington |
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| Built | 1889 |
| Architect | Elmer H. Fisher |
| Architectural style | Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 83003340 |
| Added to NRHP | 1983 |
The Hull Building is a very old and important building in the Belltown area of Seattle, Washington. It's also called the A-1 Laundry Building. A famous architect named Elmer Fisher designed it. The building was finished in 1889. A Seattle leader named Alonzo Hull built it to make money.
The Hull Building is so special that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. This means it's officially recognized as a historic landmark. You can find it right next to the south entrance of the Battery Street Tunnel.
Contents
Building the Hull Building
The Hull Building was built in 1889 by a man named Alonzo Hull (1843-1929). He was born in Pennsylvania and fought in the American Civil War. Alonzo Hull came to Seattle in 1888. He quickly started buying land.
Alonzo Hull's Role in Seattle
Alonzo Hull was very active in Seattle's local government. He was part of the Republican Party. He served on the Seattle City Council during the 1890s. As a council member, he helped create Seattle's water system. He was key in making sure the Cedar River watershed became Seattle's main water source. A watershed is an area of land where all the water drains into a single river or lake.
In February 1889, Hull bought the land for the building for $13,000. This was a lot of money back then! He bought it from Dr. E.C. Kilbourne. The land was at the corner of 1st Avenue and Battery Street. Dr. Kilbourne suggested that Hull hire architect Elmer Fisher. Fisher then designed the three-story brick building. Construction started in the spring of 1889.
Design and Early Use
The Hull Building was finished in January 1890. It cost about $30,000 to build. It was one of the first big brick buildings in the Belltown area.
Building Style and Features
The building has a simple but elegant Victorian style. It features exposed brickwork and decorative metal trimmings. The storefronts on the first floor have strong cast iron columns. This style was typical of Elmer Fisher's work just before the Great Seattle Fire. The Great Seattle Fire happened in June 1889 and destroyed much of the city.
What Was Inside?
The Hull Building had three shops on the first floor facing First Avenue. The upper floors were used as apartments. Many different kinds of people lived there. There were cooks, office workers, ship captains, and clerks. Even the owners of the shops downstairs lived in the apartments.
One of the first shops was Barnes & Co. Pharmacy. Drug stores stayed in that corner spot for most of the early 1900s. Belltown didn't develop much more after the early 20th century. This helped keep the building's original look. Over time, the upper apartments became empty. They have stayed empty until today. The building's decorative tops (cornices) were replaced with new ones that look almost exactly the same. Other than that, the building has not changed much.
Recent History
The Eng Family bought the Hull Building in 1958. They ran a business called A-1 Laundry from the first floor and basement. They operated the laundry for 58 years! In 2016, A-1 Laundry closed, and the building was put up for sale. It was then bought by a company called Hull Building LLC.
