Tag Archives: Bohemian Beer

Seattle Now and Then

Seattle Now & Then: Fourth and Pike

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(click to enlarge photos)

THEN: This rare early record of the Fourth and Pike intersection was first found by Robert McDonald, both a state senator and history buff with a special interest in historical photography. He then donated this photograph - with the rest of his collection - to the Museum of History and Industry, whom we thank for its use. (Courtesy MOHAI)
THEN: This rare early record of the Fourth and Pike intersection was first found by Robert McDonald, both a state senator and history buff with a special interest in historical photography. He then donated this photograph – with the rest of his collection – to the Museum of History and Industry, whom we thank for its use. (Courtesy MOHAI)
NOW: Westlake was cut through from Fourth and Pike to Denny Way in 1906-7. The Seaboard Building (1907-9) replaced the small storefronts on the northeast corner.
NOW: Westlake was cut through from Fourth and Pike to Denny Way in 1906-7. The Seaboard Building (1907-9) replaced the small storefronts on the northeast corner.

Through the 1890s Pike Street was developed as the first sensible grade up the ridge, east of Lake Union before the ridge was named Capitol Hill by the real estate developer, James Moore.  As a sign of this public works commitment, Pike Street was favored with a vitrified brick pavement in the mid-1890s.  As can be seen here, Fourth Avenue was not so blessed.  The mud on Fourth borders Pike at the bottom of this anonymous look north through their intersection and continues again north of Pike beyond the pedestrians, who in this scene are keeping to the bricks and sidewalks.

Fourth Avenue between Pine and Pike Streets begins, in this "birdseye" from Denny Hill, to the right of the Lutheran church with the steeple, far left, right to the intersection with Pike, which is just right-of-center. The structures on the east side of Fourth Avenue seen here in the 1890s match those in the feature photo. The Methodist Protestant church, on the right, is at the southeast corner of Third Ave. and Pine Street. The larger light brick building, left of center, is named for its builders/owner, Otto Ranke.
(CLICK to ENLARGE)  Fourth Avenue between Pine and Pike Streets begins, in this “birdseye” from Denny Hill, to the right of the Lutheran church with the steeple, far left.  Fourth continues to the right, reaching the intersection with Pike, which is just right-of-center. The structures north of Pike and on the east side of Fourth Avenue seen here in the 1890s match those in the feature photo. The Methodist Protestant church, on the right, is at the southeast corner of Third Ave. and Pine Street. The larger light brick building, left of center, is named for its builders/owner, Otto Ranke.  Its west facade appears upper-right in the featured photo at the top.
While the northwest corner of Fourth Ave. and Pike Street is hidden in this early 20th Century look east on Pike from Second Ave, the west facade of the Ranke Building at the northwest corner of 5th and Pike does show.
While the northwest corner of Fourth Ave. and Pike Street is hidden in this early 20th Century look east on Pike from Second Ave, the intersection sits immediately above the subject’s center.  Standing on both of the trolley tracks, a team and wagon are heading north (to the left) on Fourth.  The nearly new Seattle High School (Broadway Hi) is at the center  horizon.  First Hill is on the right and Capitol Hill on the left.   They are, of course, parts of the same ridge.

At the intersection’s far northeast corner dark doors swing beside the Double Stamp Bar’s sign, which pushes Bohemian Beer at five cents a mug. The first storefront to the right (east) of the bar and its striped awning is the Frisco Café, Oyster and Chop House, whose clam chowder can be had for a dime and “oysters in many styles” for a quarter.  Far right on the sidewalk at 404 Pike, a general store sells both new and used, and advertises a willingness to barter with cash-free exchanges.  Its merchandise is a mix of soft and hard: hanging buckets and baskets are seen through the windows, as well as a pile of pillows.  These storefronts and two more are sheltered in five parallel, contiguous sheds, modest quarters that are given stature with the top-heavy false façade they share above the windows.

This Times clipping from 1910 suggests that the Frisco Bar found a new home near First and University. The classified also offers up its bar furniture for sale, which is not a good sign.
This Times clipping from 1910 suggests that the Frisco Bar found a new home near First and University. The classified also offers up its bar furniture for sale, which is not a good sign.

The bookends here are the Ranke Building, far right, and the Carpenter’s Union Hall, far left.  Otto and Dora Ranke were the happy German-born and wed builders who staged plays and light operas in their home and performed in them, too.  When the Ranke’s built their eponymous big brick building. it featured a hall and stage for productions of all sorts, including musicals.

The Ranke home at the northwest corner of Pike and 5th. A past feature about this Peiser photograph is attached below near the top of the string of the relevant links.
The Ranke home at the northwest corner of Pike and 5th. A past feature about this Peiser photograph is attached below near the top of the string of the relevant links.

In 1906, beginning at this intersection, an extension of Westlake Avenue was cut and graded through the city grid to Denny Way, where it joined the ‘old’ Westlake that is now ‘main street’ for the south Lake Union Allen-Amazon Neighborhood. As part of this Westlake cutting, Carpenter’s Hall was razed, and a landmark, the Plaza Hotel, took its place in the new block shaped by Fourth Avenue, Pine Street and the new Westlake Avenue.  The Carpenters moved one block north on Fourth Avenue where they built a new brick union hall.  Then in 1907 Fourth Avenue was continued for two blocks north from Seneca Street, through the old territorial university campus, to Union Street.  As a result of these two regrades, in less than two years the crossing of Pike Street and Fourth Avenue developed into one of the busiest intersections in the city.

The Plaza Hotel underconstruction during the 1906 paving of the then brank new Westlake. The view looks north from 4th and Pike. On the left, Fourth Avenue still climbs Denny Hill.
The Plaza Hotel underconstruction during the 1906 paving of the then brank new Westlake. The view looks north from 4th and Pike. On the left, Fourth Avenue still climbs Denny Hill.
On the left Fourth Avenue still climbs Denny Hill ca. 1908 - but not for long. (Courtesy, THE MUSEUM of HISTORY and INDUSTRY "also known as" MOHAI)
On the left Fourth Avenue still climbs Denny Hill ca. 1908 – but not for long. (Courtesy, THE MUSEUM of HISTORY and INDUSTRY “also known as” MOHAI)
The American Hotel at the northeast corner of the new Fourth Ave. and Pike Street configuration. Building on the future Seaboard building soon resume with many floors added above these five.
The American Hotel at the northeast corner of the new Fourth Ave. and Pike Street configuration. Building on the future Seaboard building soon resume with many floors added above these five.

WEB EXTRAS

Anything to add, Paul?  Again and again – thru ten clicks – one may proceed with Ron Edge’s pulls, this week, of appropriate links to past features at and/or near Fourth Avenue and Pike Street.  Following those we may find a few more fitting ornaments at these by now late hours allow.

THEN: We are not told but perhaps it is Dora and Otto Ranke and their four children posing with their home at 5th and Pike for the pioneer photographer Theo. E. Peiser ca. 1884. In the haze behind them looms Denny Hill. (Courtesy Ron Edge)

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THEN: While visiting Seattle for some promoting, silent film star Wallace Reid shares the sidewalk at 4th and Olive with a borrowed Stutz Bearcat. (Courtesy, Museum of History & Industry)

THEN: Built in 1888-89 at the northeast corner of Fourth Avenue and Pine Street, the then named Norwegian-Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church marked the southeast corner of Denny Hill. Eventually the lower land to the east of the church (here behind it) would be filled, in part, with hill dirt scraped and eroded from North Seattle lots to the north and west of this corner. (Courtesy, Denny Park Lutheran Church)

THEN: Sometime between early December 1906 and mid-February 1907 an unnamed photographer with her or his back about two lots north of Pike Street recorded landmarks on the east side of Third Avenue including, in part, the Washington Bar stables, on the right; the Union Stables at the center, a church converted for theatre at Pine Street, and north of Pine up a snow-dusted Denny Hill, the Washington Hotel. (Used courtesy of Ron Edge)

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NEARBY ON PIKE

A troublesome hydrant at the corner of 6th Ave. and Pike Street on March 3, 1920.
A troublesome hydrant at the corner of 6th Ave. and Pike Street on March 3, 1920.
This first appeared in Pacific on Jan 19, 1997.
This first appeared in Pacific on Jan 19, 1997.

 THREE SECURE HYDRANTS in WALLINGFORD taken during my “Wallingford Walks” between 2006 and 2010.

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The Northeast corner of Meridian and 45th Avenue.
The Northeast corner of Meridian and 45th Avenue.
Framed by "Chenical Hill" at Gas Works Park Sept. 10, 2006.
Framed by “Chenical Hill” at Gas Works Park Sept. 10, 2006.

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ANOTHER LEAK ON PIKE

3. Trolley-flood-on-Pike web

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First appeared in Pacific on Jan 29, 1995
First appeared in Pacific on Jan 29, 1995

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TWO PIKE PAGES OF SIX in PIG-TAIL DAYS

Below we have pulled Sophie Frye Bass's description of Pike Street - the first two of six pages on pioneer Pike. The reader is encourage to find the other four, and then to read all of this well-wrought book by a daughter of the pioneers.
Below we have pulled Sophie Frye Bass’s description of Pike Street – the first two of six pages on pioneer Pike. The reader is encourage to find the other four, and then to read all of this well-wrought book by a daughter of the pioneers.

Pike-St.-Pigtail-Days-p70-71-(of-6)WEB

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Now up the stairs to nighty-bears.  We will re-read and proof tomorrow.