The Real Estate 'Boom' of 1889
As Seattle sprawled rapidly during the late 19th century, land speculators flooded the newspapers with ads promising prime lots on the city's hills, shaping the geography of a growing metropolis.
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.
Messrs. Wm. Evans and E. Blewett, the well-known capitalists from Fremont, Nebraska, who are already largely interested in Seattle realty, will soon place upon the market another fine addition to the city of Seattle, they having bought the forty acres in North Seattle known as the Davidson tract. The whole 40 acres is being cleared, platted, and transformed into one of the finest additions to the city as fast as money and muscle can do it. Lying as it does on the top of the hill, on the very brow of the plateau, this addition has a double advantage: the magnificent view of the grand waters of the Sound and the surrounding additions below, and the lots at the same time being perfectly level, requiring no grading whatever. The avenues and streets will conform with the adjoining additions. The size of the lots will be 30x120 feet, with 16-foot alley, and the first few lots will be placed on the market at the very low price of $300 each for inside lots and $350 for corners. Terms: one-third cash, one-third three months, one-third six months, at 10 per cent interest.
“The whole 40 acres is being cleared, platted, and transformed into one of the finest additions to the city as fast as money and muscle can do it.”
This 1889 advertisement highlights the roots of Seattle's 'boom-and-bust' development culture. The promise of leveling hills and creating 'fine additions' for distant investors reflects the early stages of a housing market pressure that remains a central conflict in Seattle today, as developers continue to reshape the city's topography for modern density.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.