Seattle’s Pioneer Building, a cornerstone at the intersection of 1st Avenue and James Street, stands as the inaugural landmark in a trio of enduring structures erected by Seattle’s visionary founder, Henry Yesler (1810-1892), following the devastating Great Seattle Fire of 1889. Masterfully conceived by Elmer H. Fisher (1840-1905), the building encapsulates the architectural shift from Victorian aesthetics to the Romanesque Revival style, a defining characteristic of Seattle’s commercial edifices rebuilt in the fire’s aftermath. Facing the iconic Pioneer Square, formerly known as Pioneer Place, the Pioneer Building became a symbol of the 1960s historic preservation movement, culminating in the establishment of the Pioneer Square Historic District in 1970. Rehabilitated in the early 1970s by the Theta Corporation and architect Ralph Anderson (d. 2010), the building today serves as a tribute to Henry Yesler, a Seattle entrepreneur, and by extension, to Seattle’s pioneers. It stands as a functional testament to Victorian craftsmanship, thoughtfully adapted to the 1889 building codes and the prevailing Romanesque Revival architectural trends for commercial buildings. Renowned for its lavish ornamentation and design, both internally and externally, the Pioneer Building remains a cherished historical treasure in Seattle, earning its place, alongside the Pioneer Square Historic District, on the National Register of Historic Places.
Henry Yesler: Pioneer Builder and a Phoenix from the Flames
By 1889, Henry Yesler had dedicated 37 years to Seattle, nurturing his Puget Sound sawmill, established in 1852-1853, and contributing significantly to Seattle’s urban development. His initial sawmill, strategically positioned where Yesler Way meets Post Avenue today, was then on the water’s edge. Yesler’s wharf extended westward into the bay. In 1852, a cookhouse, constructed from hewn logs, was built on Commercial Street (now 1st Avenue S) between Yesler Way and Washington Street. After a fire in July 1866 destroyed the first cookhouse, it was rebuilt at the southeast corner of Commercial Street and Yesler Way, later known as Yesler Hall. In 1868, Yesler expanded his sawmill operations westward, reaching deeper waters using fill from the original mill site. The original mill was demolished, and a series of single-story buildings were erected in its place, housing the post office and various commercial ventures. By 1870, Yesler’s Hall was partitioned into office spaces, and the half-open pavilion at the southeast corner of Cherry Street and 1st Avenue, initially built in 1865 for a Fourth of July ball, was enclosed to become the new Yesler Hall.
July 26, 1879, marked another pivotal moment with a significant fire originating in the American House, a hotel on Yesler Way, east of what is now Alaskan Way. The Seattle Sawmill, Yesler’s second mill, was consumed by flames, along with numerous other businesses. Undeterred, Yesler commissioned J. M. Colman to rebuild the sawmill on the tide lands approximately half a mile south. In 1882, Yesler established another mill on his wharf where Railroad Avenue was later constructed. During 1882-1883, he engaged William E. Boone (1830-1921) of Boone & Meeker to erect a refined Victorian commercial building (made of wood) at the northwest corner of Yesler and 1st Avenue. This structure occupied land that included the contentious “bump” between Commercial Street and Front Street (now 1st Avenue), which was impeding traffic flow between the Maynard and Denny plats. This became known as the Yesler-Leary Building. Subsequently, he commissioned Boone, the leading Seattle architect of the time, to design a new residence for him—then the largest in the city—which opened in 1884, spanning the entire block from James to Jefferson, and 3rd to 4th streets (it was destroyed by fire in 1901). The Yesler family had resided at the northeast corner of Front and James since the 1850s. In 1888, Yesler Hall was repurposed into a photography studio, offices, and storage.
By 1889, Yesler was ready to commence construction on the Pioneer Building, envisioned as the pinnacle of his Seattle career. For this ambitious project, he enlisted Elmer H. Fisher, a recently arrived architect. The initial plan was for a building half the size, located solely on the corner of Front and James streets. Excavation had already begun when the Great Fire of Seattle erupted on June 6, 1889, reducing the entire early commercial district to ashes, from Madison Street south to the waterfront near Jackson Street, and from Elliott Bay eastward to approximately today’s 4th Avenue. Henry Yesler’s house miraculously survived, along with a few stone buildings, but at the corner of Front and James and Commercial streets, only the excavation site for the Pioneer Building remained. Remarkably, Elmer Fisher’s architectural drawings also survived, preserved in a safe he had acquired; many are now part of the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.
Yesler had already established a new sawmill outside the city limits on Union Bay and had diversified his financial interests, serving as a Wells Fargo agent, postmaster, and host. He had held public office and invested in water infrastructure and real estate. Post-fire, Yesler, along with many others, was committed to rebuilding with stone and brick, embracing more fire-resistant construction methods. Heeding the advice of civic leaders who hired Reginald M. Thomson (1856-1949) to redesign 1st Avenue, fill and regrade the old commercial district, and, reluctantly, to sell the corner lot at Front and James and Commercial streets to the city for a park, ensuring continuous traffic flow on 1st Avenue. Negotiations for the park extended for some time, delaying the construction of Yesler’s three new buildings surrounding it for over a year. Consequently, Yesler himself, who passed away in 1892, did not witness the complete realization of all three buildings and the park.
Following the Great Fire, the City enacted a new building ordinance (No. 1147, July 1889), dictating the reconstruction of the commercial district. Elmer Fisher, the preeminent architect in the commercial area, adapted by integrating Romanesque Revival elements into his familiar Victorian designs. The Pioneer Building, initially conceived before the fire and the new building ordinance, exemplifies the evolution in Fisher’s and other contemporary architects’ designs, transitioning from Victorian to Romanesque Revival styles.
Pioneer Basements and Architectural Legacy
The transition from Victorian to Romanesque Revival in buildings like the Pioneer Building wasn’t merely about adopting a national trend; it was also about finding practical architectural solutions for masonry commercial structures within the new building constraints (Oschner and Anderson, Seattle, 67). The Pioneer Building, alongside the Bank of Commerce Building (now Yesler Building) and the ground floor of the Mutual Life Building (formerly the Yesler Block), collectively showcase this architectural evolution. While the Pioneer Building leans towards Victorian design, the Mutual Life Building, completed last by various architects, represents a more refined interpretation of Romanesque Revival commercial architecture, influenced by John Wellborn Root (1850-1891), a leading Chicago architect from Burnham and Root. Interestingly, the design considerations extended even to the pioneer basements of these buildings, ensuring they were functional and integrated into the overall structure.
The Pioneer Building’s exterior presents a symmetrical façade today, yet its original design was for a narrower 67-foot structure. The tower, intended as the central feature on Front Street (1st Avenue), was initially planned for the building’s northwest corner. Post-fire, the design was expanded to fill the entire lot in two sections, separated by a firewall. The tower above the main entrance on Front Street was removed after damage from the 1949 earthquake. The three bays—at the front, corner, and James Street entrance—were constructed from cast iron and remain visible. The exterior walls feature Bellingham Bay gray sandstone at the ground level and red brick on the upper floors. The street-facing façades are divided into vertical bays, characteristic of Victorian design. Romanesque Revival influences are evident in the arched entrances and the alternating wide and narrow stone courses on the ground floor. Costing $250,000, the Pioneer Building was the most expensive structure of its time. Built on the historic site of Henry and Sarah Yesler’s residence, the Pioneer Building was intended as a lasting legacy for the city and a tribute to its early pioneers.
Internally, the building was bisected by a firewall, situated just left of the main Front Street entrance, with arched openings on each floor connecting the two sections. Elevators and a staircase were accessible from the main lobby. Each side of the building featured a central skylit atrium extending from the second floor to the roof. Natural light from these skylights illuminated the 185 office rooms through corridor windows, with the glass in these windows and door windows further diffusing light throughout the five-story open space. The ground floor was designed to be more enclosed, accommodating banks and retail spaces. Notably, the pioneer basement, originally housing Von Dungen & Crahlman’s barber shop, had a street-level entrance, reflecting the building’s functional design extending below ground.
Original Occupants of the Pioneer Building, Including Pioneer Basements
The 1891-1892 city directory provides a snapshot of the Pioneer Building’s initial tenants. The Puget Sound National Bank of Seattle occupied the street level, with its corner entrance at Front and James streets. The second floor housed businesses owned by E. F. Wittler, J. D. Lowman, and W. H. Lowman, including the Union Trunk Line (cable car company). Mc Mullen-Winsor Lumber Company and the King County Medical Society, which held bi-monthly meetings in their office, were also located on the second floor. The Grays Harbor Land and Improvement Company in rooms 230-231 further hosted the King County Fair and Agricultural Association.
A. D. Cochrane (advertising) and F. A. Wood (accounting) also maintained second-floor offices. The third floor accommodated the New England Northwestern Investment Company, G. A. Pidduck (advertising), and the Seattle Street Car Advertising Co. The Washington Realty Co. and architect Timotheus Josenhans were on the fourth floor. The fifth floor was occupied by the Sidney Improvement Company, Central West weekly publication, and Duncome & Bates. Artist C. E. Baldwin had his studio on the top floor. While the directory details the occupants of the main floors, the pioneer basements, like many in the era, likely served essential but less glamorous functions such as storage and service areas, in addition to the prominent barber shop.
Downtown Reshaping and the Pioneer Basements
Seattle’s rapid recovery post-Great Fire was astonishing. “Thirty days after the fire eighty-eight brick palaces, to cost over $5,000,000 are either under way or projected. . .” (Austin and Scott, Tacoma, 4). The rebuilt commercial district, predominantly in stone and masonry, prioritized commercial buildings and hotels. Wharves were quickly rebuilt to facilitate the arrival of necessary building materials by sea. Reconstruction proceeded so swiftly that street regrades and utility replacements occurred after most new buildings were already erected.
Commercial Street, early Seattle’s main thoroughfare, vanished under the regrade in the early 1890s. This regrading impacted the ground floors and adjacent sidewalks of many newly constructed post-fire buildings. Street grades in the vicinity of Yesler Way and southward were raised from one to 35 feet—the latter height at 3rd S and Jackson Street. Structures were built to retain the fill along the streets, and paving covered both the fill and the old sidewalks, creating what are now known as “areaways” or “underground Seattle.” Sophie Frye Bass described it:
“Commercial Street, now a forgotten street, had the name of First Avenue wished upon it in 1895. It stretches far out over made land where sea-gulls once swam and the unwary chee chacko (newcomer) who did not understand the ways of tides would be left in his canoe on a bed or ooze, not daring to walk, waiting for hours in the sun or rain – waiting for the turn of the tide to release him” (Bass, Portland, 25).
The rebuilding phase slowed with the financial panic of 1893, which persisted in Seattle until the Portland arrived in July 1897 with Klondike gold. Seattle then experienced another boom. By the end of the Klondike gold rush, the rebuilt commercial core proved inadequate. New wealth spurred businesses to construct newer, larger buildings uptown, adopting modern steel-frame construction and contemporary architectural styles. Over time, the post-fire buildings in the old commercial area were gradually vacated. Some sustained damage in the 1949 earthquake, and others were simply left unrepaired. By 1950, five of the Pioneer Building’s six floors were vacant, remaining so until 1974. The pioneer basements, however, remained a silent testament to the original street level, soon to be rediscovered.
Preservation, Parking, and Pioneer Basements Rediscovered
In the early 1960s, architects and developers began to recognize the historical value of the Pioneer Square area. Ralph Anderson and Alan Black were among the pioneers of renovating several properties. Victor Steinbrueck, in his 1962 Seattle Cityscape sketchbook, conveyed the enthusiasm for historic preservation with sketches, including one of the Pioneer Building. Steinbrueck noted:
“Rich and flavorsome old buildings associated with the pioneers stand proudly even though they are neglected at present. A fresh look at the interesting details and fine masonry is rewarding and suggests possibilities for sympathetic restoration” (Steinbrueck, Seattle, 53).
A broad coalition of architects, developers, students, and the public became captivated by the potential of restoring and appreciating this neglected architectural heritage. Contrasting this preservationist sentiment, the Central Association proposed razing Pioneer Square and replacing it with parking garages as part of “urban renewal.” Allied Arts of Seattle, a non-profit preservation organization, championed restoration instead. The debate highlighted the area’s precarious future, but ultimately paved the way for rediscovering not only the buildings above ground, but also the hidden history within the pioneer basements.
Underground Tours: Exploring Pioneer Basements and Excellent Dining
William (Bill) C. Speidel Jr. (1912-1988) and his wife Shirley discovered Pioneer Square in the 1950s. Already fascinated by Seattle’s history, Bill, known for his guidebooks, You Can’t Eat Mt. Rainier and You Still Can’t Eat Mt. Rainier, and the Seattle Guide weekly, heard rumors of underground passageways beneath the old commercial district sidewalks—possibly even an underground city. Bill explored and confirmed the existence of underground sidewalks and the original ground floors of 1890s buildings, remnants of the street regrading. Public interest surged, and tours were highly anticipated. Bill recognized the potential to leverage this interest to petition against turning the area into parking lots.
“Then in May, 1965, when the Junior Chamber of Commerce held its ‘Know Your Seattle Day,’ they persuaded us to conduct tours for one day at a buck a head.” On the first public tour day, Pioneer Place Park “was packed with people holding dollar bills. We took 500 people on tours that day.” The Speidels soon established regular public tours. The Pioneer Building became the home of Underground Seattle Tours. The pioneer basement level and the surrounding underground walkways became the starting point for tourists journeying back in time, exploring the subterranean sidewalks created by the city’s regrading of the original commercial downtown.
Shortly after the underground tours began, a petition with 100,000 signatures was presented to the mayor. In May 1970, the Seattle City Council designated 20 square blocks in Pioneer Square as a Historic District (undergroundtour.com).
In 1969, Julia and Francois Kissel revitalized the Pittsburgh Lunch on the Pioneer Building’s ground floor into the Brasserie Pittsbourg Amadeus, offering exquisite French cuisine that delighted locals and tourists. “Some consider it the start of the neighborhood’s commercial renaissance” (Humphrey, Charlotte, 48). The Brasserie indeed sparked a culinary renaissance throughout the city. In 1970, the Pioneer Square — Skid Road District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (Number 70000086). The revitalization of the area, spurred by the rediscovery of the pioneer basements and the architectural beauty above ground, was in full swing.
Rehabilitating the Pioneer Building and Pioneer Basements
Architect Ralph Anderson (1924-2010) had already renovated several Pioneer Square buildings, including the Union Trust and Grand Central buildings, before undertaking work on the Pioneer Building in 1973 for the Theta Corporation. Larry Kreisman described the extensive project:
“Although the structure was reasonably sound, roof leaks had seriously damaged the northwest corner of the building, requiring internal bracing and new supporting columns. The roof was completely redone, rotting floors and joists were replaced, the skylights were rebuilt, and the sheet metal cornice was completely reconstructed. The original hydraulic elevator shaft, turned into vaults for tenant use when the city’s first electric elevators were installed, was used to conceal the building’s new heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems. The two open-cage elevators were adjusted to accommodate safety glass enclosures to meet fire codes. Other work on the building to meet fire and seismic code requirements included installation of a sprinkler system, fire stairs, and a safety glass smoke relief panel in the skylights, tying back of parapet walls, reinforcing floors, and using metal tie rods to connect exterior walls to floors. Façade cleaning, patching, and repainting, terra-cotta repair, window replacement, new storefronts, and stripping and refinishing of doors, wainscoting, and staircase balusters turned the derelict building into the city’s premier example of restoration” (Kreisman, Seattle, 90-91).
This comprehensive renovation preserved the unique internal design of office floors illuminated by rooftop skylights through two atria within the stone and brick structure, ensuring the building’s historical integrity from its roof down to its pioneer basements.
In 1977, Polk’s Seattle Street Directory listed occupants throughout the building, indicating near full tenancy. Metro (Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle) occupied the entire fifth floor. Government agencies’ leases in historic buildings contributed to downtown revitalization. The first floor housed restaurant offices, the Metro information office, and Brasserie Pittsbourg. William Speidel, Seattle Guide Inc., and Nettle Creek Publishing were on the third floor, along with Metro’s water quality planners. Metro’s long-term engineering consultants, Brown & Caldwell, were on the second floor. Various professionals occupied other offices, though the fourth and sixth floors appeared vacant, possibly still under renovation. The Pioneer Building, Pergola, and Totem Pole were designated a National Historic Landmark (77001340).
Today, the Underground Tour offices are located in the Pioneer Building, adjacent to Doc Maynard’s, east of the Pioneer Square totem pole and pergola on 1st Avenue. Pioneer Square Antiques & Collectables occupy the former Brasserie Pittsbourg space. Law offices are situated in the old bank site at the corner of 1st Avenue and Yesler Way. Nearby are Viajes Azteca travel agency and Mercela’s, offering New Orleans-style cuisine. Offices in the top-floor atria house lawyers, therapists, an economist, and an alternative health practitioner. The pioneer basements, now part of the celebrated Underground Tour, continue to draw visitors, making the Pioneer Building a vibrant historical landmark that bridges Seattle’s past and present.
Sources:
Jeffrey Karl Ochsner and Dennis Alan Andersen, Distant Corner: Seattle Architects and the Legacy of H.H. Richardson (Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2003); Lawrence Kreisman, Made to Last: Historic Preservation in Seattle and King County (Seattle: Historic Seattle Preservation Foundation and University of Washington Press, 1999), 85, 90-92; Thomas W. Prosch, A Chronological History of Seattle From 1850 to 1897, typescript dated 1900 and 1901, Seattle Room (10th floor, downtown), The Seattle Public Library, Seattle; Lisa Mighetto and Marcia Montgomery, Hard Drive to the Klondike; Promoting Seattle During the Gold Rush (Seattle: University of Washington Press and Northwest Interpretive Association, 2002), 2-4; Sophie Frye Bass, Pig-Tail Days in Old Seattle (Portland: Binfords & Mort, 1937), 25; Victor Steinbrueck, Seattle Cityscape (Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1962), 52-53; Maureen R. Elenga, Seattle Architecture: A Walking Guide to Downtown (Seattle: Seattle Architecture Foundation, 2007), 21-23; Walt Crowley with Paul Dorpat, National Trust Guide Seattle; America’s Guide for Architecture and History Travelers (New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1998), 36-41; C. W. Austin and H. S. Scott, The Great Seattle Fire of June 6, 1889, (Tacoma, Puget Sound Printing [1889] 1965); Clark Humphrey, Vanishing Seattle (Charleston, SC: Arcadia Pub., 2006), 48; Corbett’s 1891-92 Seattle City Directory, (Seattle: Corbett & Co., 1892); Polk’s Seattle City Directory, (Seattle: 1974-1977); “History,” Seattle Underground Tours website accessed January 15, 2009 (http://www.undergroundtour.com/about/history.html); “Pioneer Building,” City of Seattle, Department of Neighborhoods, Historic Preservation, Historical Sites website accessed December 19, 2008 (http://web1.seattle.gov/dpd/historicalsite/QueryResult.aspx?ID=-1119623451); Pioneer Building website accessed December 19, 2008 (http://www.pioneer-building.com); “History of Pioneer Square,” City of Seattle, Department of Neighborhoods, Historic Preservation website accessed January 14, 2009 (http://www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/preservation/pioneersquare_history.htm); Craig S. Bower, “Ralph Anderson,” Seattle Homes and Lifestyles website accessed January 15, 2009 (http://www.seattlehomesmag.com/Seattle-Homes-and-Lifestyles/February-2008/Ralph-Anderson/); Dean Stahl, “Taking the Long View,” Pacific Northwest Magazine, The Seattle Times, July 29, 2007 (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/); Friends of Francois website accessed January 24, 2009 (http://www.friendsoffrancois.com); HistoryLink.org online Encyclopedia of Washington State History, “Underground Tours of Pioneer Square begin in August 1964” (by Walt Crowley), and “Fisher, Elmer H. (ca. 1840-1905)” (by Heather Macintosh), and Mutual Life Building Seattle (by Dotty DeCoster) http://www.historylink.org (accessed January 21, 2009).
