Don't want to wait for me to write about a building that interests you? Here's a boilerplate to get you started.
- Search for your building's name or address on the Pacific Coast Architecture Database or Seattle's Department of Neighborhoods database for Historical Sites and/or King County's online parcel viewer.
These sites will typically tell you the date of construction and some
info about the architect, contractor, and the style of architecture
used. The latter two will give the parcel number.
- Call the Puget Sound branch of the WA State Archives and schedule a
visit to view the tax roles for the parcel number of your building.
These will reveal chain of ownership up through 1941 and will likely
include photographs dating back to 1937 and other info about the
building.
- Once you have found the original owner's name, go to the King County
Archives to look at microfilm records of property deeds detailing terms
of sale.
- Call or email the microfilm department at the Seattle Department of
Planning and Development and give them the address of your property to
see if they have any permits and architectural drawings. If they do,
plan a visit to view and print copies. You can also try asking them for
a property abstract listing a more detailed chain of ownership, but you
really have to pester them for it.
- Between visits to the above sites, scour online sources. I find that the digitized Seattle Times is the best and can be viewed for free anytime, anywhere as long as you have a Seattle Public library membership and internet connection. Chronicling America is another good source for digitized newspapers also free, but no membership required. Lastly, try google. You'd be surprised what you might find.
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