The Dream of Palatine Hill: A Late 1880s Real Estate Pitch
A historical advertisement promises affordable suburban lots near the Ross Station, marketing a vision of homeownership to the working class of the rapidly expanding Seattle area.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Palatine Hill Addition. Lots 40, 50, and 60x110 feet, only $100 to $150 per lot. The best located, most desirable and cheapest suburban property on the market today. It is situated within three and a half miles of the city of Seattle on the Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railway, and within 10 minutes' easy walk of Ross Station on that road. Four minutes' walk to the electric street car line. This beautiful locality is particularly suited for the location of homes. As it is within easy reach of Seattle center by rail or car, and with the numerous manufactories already situated there, and the various ones that have secured sites to locate there within the next few months, there will be constant demand for the services of machinists, carpenters, masons, and in fact all kinds of skilled and unskilled laborers. Ross Post Office is soon to be established, as is also a general merchandise store, which will add much to the value, and a great advantage is that there is a schoolhouse on the ground for the children. Liberal terms offered: Payments shall be made as follows: one-third down, half the balance in three months, and the remainder in six months at 8 per cent. These payments may be made previous to maturity if the purchaser desires. We also offer 10 per cent discount for complete cash payment. Builders of homes: We offer to all builders of homes worth not less than $250 each within three months after purchase, their lots at from $75 to $100 each according to location. Remember, our lots are selling at from $100 to $150 per lot, thus making this the cheapest property on the market. For sale by George F. Fay, Agent, Room 13, Butler Building, corner Second and James streets.
“Remember, our lots are selling at from $100 to $150 per lot, thus making this the cheapest property on the market.”
This 1880s ad for the 'Palatine Hill' development (likely near today's Fremont or Phinney Ridge) highlights how the promise of affordable land has been a cornerstone of Seattle's growth since its infancy. While the transit-oriented development promised here eventually transformed these neighborhoods, the tension between proximity to the city core and the cost of building a home remains a defining struggle in modern Seattle.
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