The County Courthouse That Wasn't: King County Sells Its Own Home
In a bizarre twist of civic bureaucracy in January 1891, King County is forced to auction off the very building housing its courts because the new one isn't finished yet.
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.
NOTICE OF SALE OF REAL ESTATE.
Notice is hereby given that on Tuesday, the 10th day of February, A. D. 1891, the following described real estate, situated in the city of Seattle, county of King, state of Washington, will be sold at public auction at the door of the county court house, in said city, to the highest and best bidder therefor, to-wit:
Fractional lots one, four and five in block thirty-eight, in C. D. Boren's plat of an addition to the city of Seattle.
Said property has the following frontage, viz., on the south, Yesler avenue, 141 31-100 feet; on the west, Third street, 92 79-100 feet; on the north, Jefferson street, 120 feet; on the east, the alley in block thirty-eight aforesaid, 167 39-100 feet.
The above described real estate being the property of King county, and now being used by said county for county courthouse purposes. The property will be sold subject to occupation by King county for county purposes until such time as the new county building, now in process of construction, shall be ready for use, provided such time of occupation shall not extend beyond the first day of April, A. D. 1891.
Terms of sale will be one-third down at the time of sale, balance to be paid on execution and delivery of deed conveying the property.
By order of the Board of County Commissioners of King county, Washington. FRED G. ASCHE, Chairman.
It is difficult to imagine a modern government selling its own headquarters while still using it, but in 1891 Seattle, bureaucratic delays and construction overruns were common enough to force such a spectacle. This auction highlights the chaotic growth of King County's infrastructure during the post-fire rebuilding era, where civic institutions often lagged behind the city's explosive population boom.
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