Smith Tower photograph and ephemera collection, approximately 1913-1941
Table of Contents
Overview of the Collection
- Title
- Smith Tower photograph and ephemera collection
- Dates
- approximately 1913-1941 (inclusive)19131941
- Quantity
- 1 folders, (2 photographs, 6 pieces of ephemera)
- Collection Number
- PH1635
- Summary
- Photographs and ephemera of the construction and early operations of the Smith Tower in Seattle, Washington
- Repository
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University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu - Access Restrictions
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No restrictions on access.
- Languages
- English
Historical Note
Syracuse-based firearms and typewriter manufacturer, Lyman Cornelius Smith, purchased a plot of land at the northeast corner of Yesler Way and Second Avenue in 1899. While visiting Seattle in 1909, he first planned to build a 14-story building, but was persuaded by his son, Burns Lyman Smith, to build a skyscraper to rival those in New York City. B.L. Smith oversaw the project as his father's health declined. After Lyman Smith's died in 1910, B.L. Smith designed the building with the help of the Gaggin & Gaggin architectural firm.
The final blueprints for the building had it standing at 467 feet tall with 42 stories made up of a steel frame and a concrete structure. The L.C. Smith Building, as it was first known, began construction in 1911. The builders completed construction in 1913, before and the tower opened to the public on July 3rd, 1914. It offered 540 offices as well as an observation floor built in the style of a Chinese temple, known as the Chinese Room or Temple. The room's furnishings were a gift from the last Empress of China to L.C. Smith.
The building itself is shaped in a "mounted tower" form. Popular at the time, this style combines a broad base topped with a narrow tower with a pyramid cap. The exterior of much of the building is made from white terracotta, giving it a distinctive look. It is a landmark of the Seattle skyline to this day.
In 1929, B.L. Smith changed the building's name to the Smith Tower. The Smith Tower has changed ownership many times. As of 2025, it is an office building with a bar and historical exhibit on its observation floor.
Content Description
The collection contains photographs and ephemera relating to the construction and early operations of Smith Tower.
Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Use
Status of creator's copyrights is unknown; restrictions may exist on copying, quotation, or publication. Users are responsible for researching copyright status before use.
Administrative Information
Return to TopDetailed Description of the Collection
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Smith Tower photographs and ephemera
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Description: Photograph of Smith Tower during construction
Written on the verso: Combliments [sic] of your si[ster?] Alice.
Dates: 1913Container: Folder PH1635 OSVM 8, Item 1 -
Description: E.E. Davis Construction Co. workers posed on the steel frame of Smith Tower
Caption: E.E. Davis Construction Co. Seattle, Vancouver, and Portland Above the Clouds on the L.C. Smith Bldg Feb 14, 1913.
Photographer: J.J. Kneisle
Dates: Februrary 14, 1913Container: Folder PH1635 OSVM 8, Item 2 -
Description: Rental brochure for Smith Tower offices with floorplans
Printed on front: Forty-Two Story L.C. Smith Building Seattle. Highest Office Building in the World outside of New York City. Printed on verso: Seattle the Seaport of Success.
Dates: approximately 1914Container: Folder PH1635 OSVM 8, Item 3 -
Description: Seattle tourism brochure featuring illustration of Smith Tower
Printed on front and on verso: Seattle The Gateway to Alaska and the Orient
Dates: approximately 1914Container: Folder PH1635 OSVM 8, Item 4 -
Description: Directory book for Smith Tower offices and businesses
Printed on front: Everything to Furnish the World Complete--Can be Bought Under this Roof. Printed on verso: The 42-Story L.C. Smith Building Seattle.
Dates: approximately 1920Container: Folder PH1635 OSVM 8, Item 5 -
Description: Advertising letter for the Chinese Temple with photograph on reverseDates: approximately 1930Container: Folder PH1635 OSVM 8, Item 6
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Description: Ticket to Smith Tower Observatory and Chinese TempleDates: undatedContainer: Folder PH1635 OSVM 8, Item 7
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Description: Leaflet with information regarding Smith TowerDates: approximately 1930Container: Folder PH1635 OSVM 8, Item 8
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Description: Smith Tower brochure
Printed on front: Seattle's Observatory. Smith Tower. 42-Stories.
Dates: approximately 1941Container: Folder PH1635 OSVM 8, Item 9
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Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Visual Materials Collections
Geographical Names
- Seattle
