Signs of the Times

Bad Boys of Early Seattle

Over the many years that I have explored Seattle on foot, I have long been enchanted by street names embedded in sidewalks. They come in a variety of styles including blue and white tiles, large metal, and small metal. Some are fairly recent, such as the lettering on downtown streets and some old, dating from the early 1900s. I had little clue as to their origin until I read a story by Feliks Banel about Susanna Ryan, the author of two splendid books about urban exploring, Secret Seattle and Seattle Walk Report.

In 1902, the city adopted Resolution No. 387, which declared “that all concrete sidewalks laid in the City of Seattle shall have the names of the streets countersunk in plain letters at the street intersections…” Two months later an article in the Seattle Times reported that R.H. Thomson, chair of the Board of Public Works, wanted “red cement [to] be used to fill the lettering so that a very pretty effect can evidently be had.” I have not been able to locate any red street names so suspect that no pretty effect was had.

Seattle Star, January 30, 1902

This is all I knew until Susanna told Feliks about Harry Collins, who opened a tile and mantel store in 1889. She had also been interested in street tiles, particularly the blue and white ones along E. Madison St. Reading old newspapers, Susanna discovered that Harry got the contract to install street tiles in 1904, which led to the ones on Madison. Success was fleeting, however, and by the end of the year, a snippet appeared in the Seattle P-I in which the city’s street committee noted that “such signs are considered worthless.”

Susanna suspects that the reason was visibility. A September 1903 article had reported that the city planned to install 750 metal street signs fastened to street poles. They would be more conspicuous, wrote the author, particularly to those traveling at the high speeds of the ever-growing trolley system. Never missing an opportunity to tout the greatness of Seattle, the author added that the signs would be “the equal of any used by metropolitan cities throughout the country.” Of course, they would.

Seattle P-I, June 28, 1905.

Susanna made a further point about street signs in Seattle. Miscreants, in the form of small boys, regularly vandalized them. One reporter noted that Superintendent Youngs of the municipal lighting plant “believes that 50 percent of the youngsters in Seattle think it necessary to demonstrate their prowess [at hurling small stones] on…street signs.” He sought a city measure to fine the little thugs. It failed to pass but Youngs did find some satisfaction when two rock-throwing punks were caught and there was a “liberal application of punishment on the spot where it was calculated to do the most good.” (I am tickled by the ambiguity of this line. Was the punishment on the bum, as in a good swatting, or near the street sign, or both?)

Eventually Seattle’s fine leaders settled on the street signs we see today, which are generally visible on street corners, though I regularly see (or actually don’t see) signs hidden by vegetation. But if you take the time to slow down and look down you can still find those old signs, put in place when the world moved at more of a human pace.

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A quick reminder that I, and Liz Nesbitt, my co-author of Spirit Whales and Sloth Tales, along with 23 other amazing local authors, will be at the Holiday Bookfest Phinney Center, on Saturday (11/18) from 2 to 4pm signing books. It’s always a fun event that you don’t want to miss.

And, if you want to buy the book directly from, here’s a link. Cost is $29, which includes tax, shipping, and signature.

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If you are interested in seeking out said signs for yourself, here’s a list I have compiled.

1 - Blue and white tiles.
Look for the one with a spelling perhaps by a wee child. Here are the locations of the Madison Street tiles.

• Madison & East Thomas (between 26th & 27th)
• E. Lee St. (at E. Madison St.) [near 37th]
• 28th Ave. N (Now Ave. E. – Madison Valley)
• 29th Ave. N. (at E. Madison St.)
• E. Madison St. (at 32nd Ave. E.)
• 32nd Ave. N. (at E. Madison St.)
• 33rd Ave. N. (at E. Madison St.)
• E. Madison St. (at 37th Ave. E.)
In addition, the corner of 12th Ave. NE and NE 52nd St., in the University District, bears tiles of this style. I don’t know of any others in the UDistrict

If you want to see more blue and white tiles, go to Ballard, which has the most by far. Here is a map of them.

2 - Downtown Seattle
Several streets have names embedded in the sidewalk. Instead of tile, the names are large bronze letters. Most of the ones I have seen are along Third Avenue between Seneca and Pine streets, though there’s at least one at Fifth and Union.

3 - Random
• Several bronze names are embedded in sidewalks along South Massachusetts Street between 12th Avenue South and 14th Avenue South.
• Small bronze names at 11th Avenue East and East Republican Street.
• SW corner First Avenue South and South King Street, font is sans serif, unlike other bronze ones
• The letters O and K in front of 2209 First Avenue. This used to be the Hotel Scargo. No idea when the letters went in or what they stand for.
• 17th Avenue E. and Marion Street, small lettering as in other parts of Capitol Hill and Beacon Hill.
• W. Garfield St. and Fourth Avenue W. in Queen Anne, small lettering as in other parts of Capitol Hill and Beacon Hill.
• Sixth Avenue W and W. Blaine St. in Queen Anne, small lettering as in other parts of Capitol Hill and Beacon Hill.
• Seventh Avenue W and W. Blaine St. in Queen Anne, small lettering as in other parts of Capitol Hill and Beacon Hill.
• NW corner of Terry Avenue and Spruce St, small lettering as in other parts of Capitol Hill and Beacon Hill.

A twofer…metal and tile!

I am sure that there are more out there so let me know of any others you know. And, thanks to Susanna for sharing some of her sources with me.