Federal Office Building, Seattle
historic place
The Federal Office Building in Seattle, Washington, is a historic place located in King County. This Art Deco style building was constructed between 1931 and 1933. James A. Wetmore, from the Office of the Supervising Architect, designed it. The site itself has a long history in Seattle. Local tradition holds that in 1851, city founders A. A. Denny, William Bell, and C. D. Boren first landed their boat here. Decades later, on June 6, 1889, the Great Seattle Fire started at this location, devastating much of the city's commercial district. Following the fire and Seattle's growth, the federal government needed a central office. Congress approved funding in 1928. The completed Federal Office Building was the first in Seattle built specifically for federal government agencies. It opened in early 1933, housing 52 federal groups. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. This building connects directly to Seattle's early settlement and its recovery from a significant historical fire.