The Land Grab That Built Seattle’s West Side
In 1890, a powerful syndicate led by George M. Van Doren bought up the entire Verier Addition in Kent and began aggressively marketing West Seattle lots to speculators, setting the stage for the city's explosive real estate boom.
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.
The most important recent event is the purchase of the Verier First addition to Kent and three farms by Mr. James H. Titus by the Washington Central Improvement Company, a strong organization of which George M. Van Doren of Seattle is president and A. F. Van Doren of Kent vice president and general manager. A. A. Allen, auditor of J. J. & W. T. Van Doren Co. of Seattle, secretary.
The company has already advertised for lots to clear the entire Verier addition. They offer very liberal inducements to any wishing to engage in any commercial enterprise. Some two or three plans are about to be located here, comprising various names. There is a most excellent hotel, a first-class store and a blacksmith shop.
Messrs. Morrill & Jones are building a large store on First St. with a complete stock of general merchandise. They are a new firm.
Mr. J. C. Campbell has the contract for the new court house building and will open a general notion store.
The Odd Fellows have called for bids for the erection of a hall 32x50, two stories of 10 feet each. This will be a fine building, fitted for the Odd Fellows and Masons on the second story and for a public hall on the ground floor. There will be a stage, dressing rooms and large lobby.
The Kent Water & Light Company expect to have the mains into the town by April 1.
Over 160 acres will be planted to hops in the immediate vicinity of the town.
Mr. L. A. Kadeau, superintendent of the Puget Sound Railroad Company, was in the village yesterday. Mr. Kadeau is making many much-needed improvements, making the service better and the people of the valley correspondingly happy.
This 1890 report on the Washington Central Improvement Company’s acquisition of land in Kent and West Seattle illustrates how early corporate syndicates shaped Seattle’s geography. The aggressive marketing of 'liberal inducements' and speculative lots by figures like George M. Van Doren laid the groundwork for the city's recurring cycles of real estate booms, busts, and the concentration of land ownership that continues to influence housing affordability today.
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