HARD DRIVE TO THE KLONDIKE:
PROMOTING SEATTLE DURING THE GOLD RUSH
A Historic Resource Study
for the Seattle Unit of the
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park
CHAPTER SIX
Historic Resources in the Modern Era
Holyoke Building
| Property 4 | Holyoke Building 1018 First Avenue Seattle, WA |
Tax Parcel No.: 093900-0515 Legal Description: Lot 1, Blk. 12, Boren/Denny Add. National Register Status: Listed on June 3, 1976 |
Architectural Description
The five-story Holyoke Building is essentially Victorian in style. The building's emphasis on verticality evidenced in the tall narrow windows and closely spaced repeating piers is characteristic of Victorian buildings. It was framed with post and beam construction and clad in red brick. A continuous band of concrete runs across the top of the building and is repeated on the upper-stories in the form of interrupted concrete bands above each of the windows. These details off-set the strong vertical emphasis by providing distinct horizontal lines.
Concrete detailing compliments the gray-colored rusticated stone block first-floor facade. The Holyoke Building's principal facade faces First Avenue. Because the building is set into the hillside formed by Seneca Street, the stonework along this secondary street-facing facade is cut-off by the incline. The Holyoke Building's commercial store-fronts, complete with recessed doorways, kick plates, and large store-front windows are still intact. Few alterations have been made to the original design of this building.
Historical Significance
In 1890, lumberman Richard Holyoke constructed the Holyoke Building. Architects Thomas Bird and George Dornbach had planned the construction of the Holyoke Building prior to Seattle's 1889 fire. After the fire had occurred, the Holyoke Building was one of the first office buildings to be completed. [35]
This building represents the northward expansion of Seattle's downtown spreading out from Pioneer Square. In the late 1890s, the Klondike Gold Rush caused increased development activity resulting in the construction of hotels and commercial properties near the Holyoke Building. [36] During the gold rush, the Holyoke Building housed the Northwest Fixture Co. This company outfitted miners with electric motors and generators for mining and lighting. [37] This business was located in the Holyoke Building from 1894 until 1900. In the following years, the Northwest Fixture Co. moved to 313 First Avenue, where it was located until 1902. According to Seattle City Directories, it no longer existed after 1902. [38]
