From Two Rooms to a Building Fund: The YMCA’s Early Expansion in Seattle
Three years after arriving in Seattle, Secretary George Carter reflects on the YMCA’s transformation from a struggling group in a pair of rented rooms to a city institution with grand building ambitions.
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 been secretary of the Seattle branch of the Young Men's Christian Association for just three years to-day,” said Mr. George Carter to a reporter yesterday. Since Mr. Carter came here from Victoria three years ago, the Young Men's Christian Association has made wonderful strides. When he came here, the association occupied two rooms in the upper story of the Colman building, on the corner of Marion and Front streets. There were but eight members, and the receipts were but $40 per month. The association had been in existence for eight years before, and was in a most languishing condition. For six months after Mr. Carter's arrival, the Marion and Front street quarters were occupied. Then the association moved to its present quarters at 1191 Front street. Now, the association numbers 150 members and the receipts are $2,500 per annum. The society has a lot worth $10,000, has $17,500 subscribed to a building fund, and has a library, piano, organ and fixtures worth $2,500, making its assets $30,000. It will soon move into a $30,000 building and is doing good work for the young men of the city. Secretary Carter modestly attributes the increase in wealth, membership and usefulness of the association to the increase of the population and material interests of the city; but his many friends are of the opinion that it is in a great measure due to his energy and general worth.
“When he came here the association occupied two rooms in the upper story of the Colman building... There were but eight members, and the receipts were but $40 per month.”
This 1889 report captures the rapid, aggressive civic building phase of early Seattle, mirroring the way modern non-profits and institutions still race to expand their physical footprint alongside the city’s explosive population growth.
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