The Price of Building Seattle
An 1876 notice reveals the commodification of local clay as Seattle's rapid expansion begins to reshape the landscape.
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.
I have leased the Brick Yard known as the Plummer yard, for a term of four years, with the intention of supplying the market at reduced rates. I will be prepared to furnish bricks in January next. — C. McAllister. March 27, 1876, Seattle.
“I have leased the Brick Yard... with the intention of supplying the market at reduced rates.”
This brief notice captures the era of 'brick and mortar' expansion that physically created the downtown we recognize today. It echoes current anxieties about construction costs and the supply chain constraints that continue to define the economics of Seattle development.
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