5 historic buildings in Seattle

Denny Hall was the first building constructed on the current University of Washington Campus in 1895. It’s a beautiful example of the French Renaissance Revival style that stands apart from much of the rest of the University's Collegiate Gothic style. Sit on a nearby bench and imagine what it was like to see this building standing alone 130 years ago.

Carnegie grants built 1689 libraries across the U.S. and more than 30 still stand in Washington state. This particular building doesn’t serve as a library anymore, but it’s still fun to pop into Kangaroo & Kiwi, the Australian and New Zealand-themed bar that occupies the first floor.

This ‘residential Victorian carpenter Gothic’ home on Capitol Hill is one of the oldest structures in the city of Seattle. It was built in 1882, though it has moved locations since its original build.

Originally known as The Fir Lodge, this building was erected in 1904 as a residence and transitioned to a restaurant in the 1950s. A fire in 2009 put the building at risk of being lost forever, but thankfully it’s been refurbished and is now the home of Il Nido, a spectacular Italian restaurant worth visiting.

The William Grose Center for Cultural Innovation, which opened its doors in summer 2022, is housed in this historic Fire Station in Seattle’s Central District. Preservation of the fire station has been a community effort for a decade, as gentrification has threatened this historically Black neighborhood in Seattle. The center is focused on engaging, empowering, and uplifting Seattle’s Black community.