Seattle’s Pioneer Building, prominently situated at the northeast corner of 1st Avenue and James Street, stands as the inaugural testament to the vision of Seattle pioneer Henry Yesler (1810-1892) in the aftermath of the Great Seattle Fire of June 1889. Conceived by architect Elmer H. Fisher (1840-1905), this iconic structure encapsulates the architectural shift from Victorian aesthetics to the Romanesque Revival style, which subsequently defined the commercial landscape of Seattle. Facing Pioneer Square, formerly known as Pioneer Place, the Pioneer Building became a symbol of the historic preservation movement in the 1960s, culminating in the establishment of the Pioneer Square Historic District in 1970.
Rehabilitated in the early 1970s by the Theta Corporation under the guidance of architect Ralph Anderson (d. 2010), the Pioneer Building today honors the entrepreneurial spirit of Henry Yesler and the pioneering ethos of Seattle. It remains a functional edifice, handcrafted in the Victorian tradition yet compliant with the 1889 building ordinance and reflective of national Romanesque Revival architectural trends for commercial constructions. Celebrated for its lavish ornamentation and design, both internally and externally, the Pioneer Building endures as one of Seattle’s most cherished historical landmarks. Both the building itself and the Pioneer Square Historic District hold esteemed positions on the National Register of Historic Places.
Henry Yesler: From Sawmill Pioneer to Urban Builder
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, located at the present intersection of Yesler Way and Post Avenue, was originally at the water’s edge. Yesler’s Wharf extended westward from the mill into the waters of Elliott Bay. In 1852, a cookhouse constructed from hewn logs was erected for the mill on Commercial Street (now 1st Avenue S), between contemporary Yesler Way and Washington Street. Following a fire in July 1866, the cookhouse was rebuilt at the southeast corner of Commercial Street and Yesler Way, later becoming known as Yesler Hall.
In 1868, Yesler expanded his industrial footprint by constructing a new sawmill to the west of the original, extending into deeper waters on land reclaimed from the initial mill operations. The original sawmill was then demolished, and its site was repurposed for a series of single-story buildings housing the post office and various commercial establishments. By 1870, Yesler Hall was converted into office spaces, and the half-open pavilion built in 1865 at the southeast corner of Cherry Street and 1st Avenue for a Fourth of July ball was enclosed to become the new Yesler Hall.
Pioneer Place and vicinity, Seattle, circa 1890. This image provides a historical context of Pioneer Place, the area surrounding the Pioneer Building, around the time of its construction.
A significant fire in July 26, 1879, originating from the American House hotel on Yesler Way, east of what is now Alaskan Way, resulted in the destruction of Yesler’s second sawmill, along with numerous other businesses. Undeterred, Yesler commissioned J. M. Colman to rebuild the sawmill on tide lands approximately half a mile to the south. In 1882, Yesler further expanded by building another mill on his wharf, where Railroad Avenue was later established. Between 1882 and 1883, he also engaged William E. Boone (1830-1921) of Boone & Meeker to construct an elegant Victorian commercial block (made of wood) at the northwest corner of Yesler and 1st Avenue. This structure, the Yesler-Leary Building, addressed the traffic bottleneck caused by the awkward junction between Commercial Street and Front Street (now 1st Avenue). Subsequently, Yesler commissioned Boone to design a new, grand residence, which became the largest in town upon its completion in 1884, occupying the entire block from James to Jefferson and 3rd to 4th streets, though it tragically burned down in 1901. The Yesler family had resided at the northeast corner of Front and James since the 1850s. In 1888, Yesler Hall was repurposed once more into a photography gallery, offices, and storage.
By 1889, Henry Yesler was poised to commence construction on the Pioneer Building, envisioned as the pinnacle of his Seattle career. For this landmark project, he enlisted the newly arrived Elmer H. Fisher as architect. The initial design was conceived for only half the site, specifically the corner of Front and James streets. Excavation had begun when the Great Fire of Seattle erupted on June 6, 1889, devastating the entire early commercial district from Madison Street south to approximately Jackson Street, and from Elliott Bay eastward to about 4th Avenue. While Henry Yesler’s residence was spared, and a few stone buildings survived, the excavation site for the Pioneer Building was all that remained at the corner of Front, James, and Commercial streets. Miraculously, Elmer Fisher’s architectural drawings survived, having been stored in a recently acquired safe; many of these drawings are now preserved in the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.
Having already established a new sawmill outside of town on Union Bay, Yesler had long diversified his business interests, including roles as a Wells Fargo agent, postmaster, and investor in water supply and real estate. In the aftermath of the fire, Yesler, along with many others, was committed to rebuilding with more durable materials like stone and brick, embracing fire-resistant construction methods. He also heeded civic leaders who appointed Reginald M. Thomson (1856-1949) to redesign 1st Avenue, regrade and fill the old commercial district, and, after considerable deliberation, sell the crucial corner at Front, James, and Commercial streets to the city for a park. This park was intended to facilitate continuous traffic flow on 1st Avenue. Negotiations for the park acquisition extended over a year, delaying the construction of the three new Yesler buildings surrounding it. Consequently, Henry Yesler, who passed away in 1892, did not live to see the completion of all three buildings and the park.
Following the Great Fire, Seattle adopted Building Ordinance No. 1147 in July 1889, outlining new construction standards for the commercial district’s reconstruction. Elmer Fisher, a prominent architect in the area, adapted by integrating Romanesque Revival elements into his familiar Victorian architectural style. The Pioneer Building, originally conceived before the fire and the new ordinance, exemplifies this transitional phase in Fisher’s designs and those of his contemporaries, moving from Victorian towards Romanesque Revival styles.
Pioneer Building: An Enduring Legacy
Architectural historians Oschner and Anderson suggest that this stylistic transition might have been less about adhering to a national trend and more about “an appropriate architectural solution within these constraints to the design of masonry commercial architecture” (Oschner and Anderson, Seattle, 67). The Pioneer Building, along with the Bank of Commerce Building (now Yesler Building) and the ground floor of the Mutual Life Building (formerly Yesler Block), collectively illustrate this architectural evolution. The Pioneer Building exhibits primarily Victorian design elements, while the Mutual Life Building, completed last by various architects, represents a more refined Romanesque Revival commercial building style, influenced by John Wellborn Root (1850-1891) of the renowned Chicago firm Burnham and Root.
Externally, the Pioneer Building presents a symmetrical façade. However, the original design was for a narrower structure, only 67 feet wide. The tower, intended as the central feature on Front Street (1st Avenue), was initially planned for the 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 damaged in the 1949 earthquake and subsequently removed. The three bays—at the front, corner, and James Street entrance—were constructed from cast iron and remain visible today. 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, a hallmark of Victorian design. Romanesque Revival influences are evident in the arched entrances and the alternating broad and narrow courses of stone on the first floor. At a cost of $250,000, the Pioneer Building was the most expensive construction project of its time. Built on the site of Henry and Sarah Yesler’s long-time residence, the Pioneer Building was intended as a lasting legacy to Seattle and a tribute to its early pioneers.
Pioneer Building at the southwest corner of First Avenue and James Street in 2008. This modern photograph captures the Pioneer Building as it stands today, highlighting its architectural features and corner location.
Internally, the building was bisected by a firewall just to the left of the main Front Street entrance, with arched openings on each floor connecting the two sections. Elevators and a staircase served the main lobby. Each side of the building featured a central skylit atrium extending from the second floor to the roof. The 185 office rooms were illuminated by skylight-diffused light through corridor windows, with glass in these and door windows further enhancing the illumination within the five-story open space. The street-level floor was more enclosed, designed for banks and retail purposes. The basement, originally housing Von Dungen & Crahlman’s barber shop, had a separate street entrance.
Original Occupants of a Landmark Building
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 entrance at the corner of Front and James streets. The second floor hosted 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 convened bi-monthly, were also located on the second floor. The Grays Harbor Land and Improvement Company, in rooms 230-231, also provided space for the King County Fair and Agricultural Association.
A. D. Cochrane (advertising) and F. A. Wood (accounting) also maintained offices on the second floor. The third floor housed 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 occupied the fourth floor. The fifth floor was home to the Sidney Improvement Company, Central West weekly publication, and Duncome & Bates. Artist C. E. Baldwin had his studio on the top floor.
Reshaping Downtown Seattle
The rapid recovery of Seattle post-Great Fire is remarkable. As noted in Austin and Scott’s Tacoma, “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, characterized by stone and masonry constructions, prioritized commercial buildings and hotels. Wharves were quickly rebuilt to facilitate the influx of building materials by sea. The pace of reconstruction was so swift that street regrades and utility replacements followed the erection of most new buildings.
Commercial Street, early Seattle’s main thoroughfare, vanished beneath regrades in the early 1890s, along with the ground floors and adjacent sidewalks of many recently built post-fire structures. Street grades in the Yesler Way vicinity and southward were elevated by one to 35 feet, the latter at 3rd S and Jackson Street. Structures were built to retain fill along streets, and both fill and old sidewalks were paved over, creating today’s “areaways” or “underground Seattle.” Sophie Frye Bass described this transformation:
“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).
Rebuilding efforts in the old commercial district were halted by the financial panic of 1893, which persisted in Seattle until the arrival of the Portland in July 1897, carrying “a ton of gold” from the Klondike. This influx initiated another Seattle boom. By the peak of the Klondike gold rush, the rebuilt commercial core was insufficient. New wealth spurred businesses to construct uptown, adopting modern steel-frame construction and new architectural styles. Over time, the post-fire buildings in the old commercial area were gradually vacated. Some suffered 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.
Preservation Versus Parking: A Neighborhood’s Revival
In the early 1960s, architects and developers began to rediscover the Pioneer Square area. Ralph Anderson and Alan Black were among the pioneers of renovating properties in the district. Victor Steinbrueck, in his 1962 Seattle Cityscape sketchbook, captured the burgeoning enthusiasm for historic preservation with sketches, including one of the Pioneer Building. Steinbrueck commented:
“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).
This vision resonated with hundreds of people, including architects, developers, students, and the public, who became captivated by the potential of restoring and appreciating this neglected architectural heritage. Conversely, during the “urban renewal” era of the early 1960s, the Central Association proposed demolishing Pioneer Square to build parking garages. Allied Arts of Seattle, a non-profit preservationist organization, advocated for restoration.
Underground Tours and Culinary Renaissance
William (Bill) C. Speidel Jr. (1912-1988) and his wife Shirley played a pivotal role in Pioneer Square’s revival, beginning in the 1950s. Already enthusiasts of Seattle 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, investigated rumors of underground passageways beneath the sidewalks of the old commercial district. His explorations confirmed the existence of underground sidewalks and the original ground floors of 1890s buildings, now subterranean due to street regrading. Public interest surged, with many eager to tour these hidden levels. Bill recognized the potential to leverage this interest to galvanize support against the parking garage proposal.
“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 that 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, and the Pioneer Building became the headquarters for Underground Seattle Tours. Today, the Pioneer Building serves as the starting point for visitors journeying into Seattle’s underground past.
Pioneer Square totem pole with the Pioneer Building in the background, 2008. This image situates the Pioneer Building within Pioneer Square, showing its relationship to other landmarks like the totem pole.
The petition initiated by public interest garnered 100,000 signatures and 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 transformed the Pittsburgh Lunch on the Pioneer Building’s ground floor into Brasserie Pittsbourg Amadeus, a French restaurant that quickly became a culinary landmark, heralding a commercial resurgence in the neighborhood. As Charlotte Humphrey noted, it was considered by some as “the start of the neighborhood’s commercial renaissance” (Humphrey, Charlotte, 48). Brasserie Pittsbourg indeed catalyzed a broader culinary uplift across Seattle. In 1970, the Pioneer Square-Skid Road District was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places (Number 70000086).
Restoration of the Pioneer Building: A Premier Example
Architect Ralph Anderson, already renowned for rehabilitating other Pioneer Square buildings like the Union Trust and Grand Central buildings, undertook the restoration of 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 meticulous renovation preserved the building’s distinctive internal design, featuring office floors open to natural light from rooftop skylights through internal atria within its stone and brick framework.
By 1977, Polk’s Seattle Street Directory indicated a high occupancy rate in the Pioneer Building. Metro (Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle) occupied the entire fifth floor, reflecting a trend of government agencies leasing space in historic downtown buildings to support their revitalization. The ground floor housed restaurant offices and a Metro information office, alongside Brasserie Pittsbourg. William Speidel, Seattle Guide Inc., and Nettle Creek Publishing were located on the third floor, along with Metro’s water quality planners. Brown & Caldwell, Metro’s long-term engineering consultants, occupied the second floor. Various professionals tenanted most other offices, though the fourth and sixth floors appeared to be vacant, possibly still undergoing renovation. In 1977, the Pioneer Building, Pergola, and Totem Pole were collectively designated a National Historic Landmark (77001340).
Today, the Pioneer Building continues to house the Underground Tour offices, adjacent to Doc Maynard’s, east of the Pioneer Square totem pole and pergola on 1st Avenue. Pioneer Square Antiques & Collectables now occupies the former Brasserie Pittsbourg space. Law offices are situated in the old bank site at the corner of 1st Avenue and Yesler Way. Nearby, a travel agency, Viajes Azteca, and Mercela’s restaurant offering New Orleans-style cuisine thrive. Offices in the upper-floor atria host a diverse range of professionals, including lawyers, therapists, economists, and alternative health practitioners, ensuring the Pioneer Building remains a vibrant part of Seattle’s contemporary urban landscape, rooted deeply in its pioneering past.
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).
