Building No. 105, Boeing Airplane Company
historic place
Building No. 105, known as the 'Red Barn,' is a historic place in Seattle, Washington, located in King County. The building was constructed in 1909 as a balloon frame structure. In 1910, William Boeing purchased it for yacht construction. By 1916, William Boeing's focus shifted to aviation. His Pacific Aero Products Company converted the Red Barn into its engineering offices and manufacturing plant. The company assembled its first airplane, the Boeing and Westervelt (B&W) aircraft, here that same year. In 1917, the firm changed its name to the Boeing Airplane Company. Engineers later working in the Red Barn designed the B-17 and B-29 bombers. In 1970, Boeing sold Building No. 105 to the Port of Seattle. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. It was then restored and reopened as the Museum of Flight in 1983. This building documents the early origins of a major airplane manufacturer.