Pioneer Building (Seattle) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pioneer Building |
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| Record height | |
| Tallest in Seattle and Washington state from 1892 to 1904 | |
| Surpassed by | Alaska Building |
| General information | |
| Type | Commercial offices |
| Location | 600 First Avenue Pioneer Square, Seattle, Washington 98104 |
| Coordinates | 47°36′08″N 122°20′01″W / 47.60222°N 122.33361°W |
| Construction started | 1889 |
| Completed | 1892 |
| Cost | US$250,000 |
| Owner | Novel Coworking |
| Management | Novel Coworking |
| Height | |
| Roof | 28.04 m (92.0 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 6 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Elmer H. Fisher James Wehn |
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Pioneer Building, Pergola, and Totem Pole
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival: Richardsonian Romanesque |
| Part of | Pioneer Square–Skid Road District (ID70000086) |
| NRHP reference No. | 77001340 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | May 5, 1977 |
| Designated NHL | May 5, 1977 |
| Designated CP | June 22, 1970 |
The Pioneer Building is a historic building in Seattle, Washington. It is made of stone, red brick, and terra cotta. You can find it in Seattle's Pioneer Square District. This building was finished in 1892. It was designed by architect Elmer Fisher. He designed many new buildings after the Great Seattle Fire of 1889.
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Where is the Pioneer Building?
For many years, the spot where the Pioneer Building now stands was the home of Henry Yesler and his family. They even had an orchard there! Henry Yesler was a very important person in early Seattle. His home was a central place for social gatherings.
As Seattle grew in the 1880s, Yesler moved to a new house. He decided to build a large office building on his old property. He started planning it in 1888. People in Seattle were very excited about the plans. They said it would be one of the best buildings in the country.
Work began in early 1889. But then, the Great Seattle Fire happened. It destroyed 32 blocks of downtown Seattle. After the fire, Yesler continued with his plan. He wanted to build the Pioneer Building even bigger and better.
Building Design
The Pioneer Building is about 94-foot-tall (29 m). Its outside walls are made of gray sandstone at the bottom. The upper five floors are made of red brick. It also has special decorative parts made of terra cotta.
The building mixes two old styles: Victorian and Romanesque Revival. You can see Victorian ideas in the straight lines and grid patterns. The round arches over the windows and entrances show the Romanesque Revival style.
The building's outer walls help hold it up. Inside, it has strong iron columns and steel beams. When it was first built, it had 185 office rooms. People could rent one or more rooms for their businesses. There are two open areas inside, called atria, which let in lots of light.
The Pioneer Building cost about $270,000 to build. It was seen as one of Seattle's best new buildings after the fire. It stands next to Seattle's Pioneer Place Park, making it very noticeable.
Originally, the Pioneer Building had a tall tower on its roof. This tower made the building 110 ft (34 m) tall. But the tower was damaged in an earthquake in 1949 and had to be removed.
History of the Building
When it was new, the Pioneer Building quickly became a popular place for businesses. During the Klondike Gold Rush in 1897, many mining companies had their offices here. There were 48 different mining companies in the building!
Later, during a time called "Prohibition," when certain activities were not allowed, the Pioneer Building was home to a secret "speakeasy." This was a hidden place where people could gather.
By the 1950s and 1960s, the Pioneer Square area became old and run-down. Many buildings were empty. Some people wanted to tear them down to build parking lots. But citizens fought to save the area. They wanted to protect these historic buildings.
Because of their efforts, the Pioneer Square area was saved. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1977, the Pioneer Building became a National Historic Landmark. This means it is a very important historical site. Two other nearby landmarks, a pergola and a totem pole, also share this honor.
Today, the Pioneer Building is still a busy place. It has a nightclub called Doc Maynard's. You can also buy tickets there for the popular Seattle Underground Tour. This tour takes you to see parts of old Seattle that are now underground. The tour even ends with a gift shop on the building's ground floor.
Many other businesses and offices are also located inside the Pioneer Building.
Current Use
In 2015, a company called Novel Coworking bought the Pioneer Building. They have updated the inside of the building. Now, it offers private offices and shared workspaces for small businesses.
Images for kids
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The Pioneer Building stands behind the totem pole. Both are important historic landmarks.
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First Avenue in 1916. You can see the Pioneer Square pergola and totem pole. The Pioneer Building is on the right.
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The Pioneer Building in 2007. Other buildings like the Smith Tower are also shown.
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The building's fancy decorations are still there, even though the original tower is gone.
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A view of the south side of the Pioneer Building.
- Andrews, Mildred Tanner, editor, Pioneer Square: Seattle's Oldest Neighborhood, University of Washington Press, Seattle and London 2005.
- Ochsner, Jeffrey Karl, and Andersen, Dennis Alan, "After the Fire: The Influence of H. H. Richardson on the Rebuilding of Seattle, 1889-1894," Columbia 17 (Spring 2003), pages 7–15.
- Ochsner, Jeffrey Karl, and Andersen, Dennis Alan, Distant Corner: Seattle Architects and the Legacy of H.H.Richardson, University of Washington Press, Seattle and London 2003.
- Ochsner, Jeffrey Karl, and Andersen, Dennis Alan, "Meeting the Danger of Fire: Design and Construction in Seattle after 1889." Pacific Northwest Quarterly 93 (Summer 2002), pages 115-126.
(hardcover; ISBN: 0-914890-06-9 paperback)
Speidel provides a substantial bibliography with extensive primary sources.
