There was a time, a little over 50 years ago, that the Pike Place Market almost fell to the wrecking ball of developers. Out-of-towners had their own ideas about the land underneath the Market and saw a hotel and parking lot take its place.

The timeframe was the late 1960s. The Pike Place Market was showing signs of years of neglect. The Market had several challenges in the decades since WWII leading to its downfall as a mercantile destination for city dwellers. The introduction of the interstate freeway system in the 1950s made it possible to distribute fresh produce far and wide. Selling direct to the customer was not lucrative or competitive in the marketplace with the advent of the “Supermarket.” Also, a significant number of farmers stopped selling at the Market after the end of WWII, namely the Japanese farmers who made up the largest population of farmers and were sadly and unjustly removed from their homes and farms and placed into internment camps during the war. Sadly, after the war ended, their farmland confiscated, the Japanese farmers lost much of what they had and subsequently did not return to the business of farming and consequently did not return to the Market.

The once vibrant Pike Place Market fell into abandon and decay. By 1949 only 53 market stalls remained, down nearly 90 percent from a decade earlier. (Source: Seattle Times.)

The lackluster draw at the market nearly got it raised. Thank goodness it didn't happen.

Fast forward to Now.

The Market not only exists, it persists! And this year, the Pike Place Market celebrated its 117th anniversary on August 17, 2024. The fact that the Market is here today is due to a group called "The Friends of the Market," a volunteer civic organization formed in 1963 under the wing of Allied Arts of Seattle and "dedicated to saving and renewing the historical Pike Place Market and district through a program of community planning."

In 1968, "Friends of the Market" led a city-wide initiative at the ballot box to save the Market from the developer's dreaded wrecking ball. As President of "Friends of the Market," Victor Steinbrueck, architect and active in historic preservation in Seattle back in the day, is wildly credited with saving the Pike Place Market from demolition. Because of Steinbrueck's leadership and advocacy, the initiative passed by popular vote in the City of Seattle and the Pike Place Market was designated with historic status in 1971.

"The Pike Place Market deserves to live on, as a link with Seattle's past, a meaningful and much-loved part of its present, and a place of unlimited possibilities for its future."
--Victor Steinbrueck, Architect and member, Friends of the Market.

**JANUARY** “Public Market Center, Main Entrance, Pike Street.”

We can experience a very old part of Seattle by visiting the Pike Place Market first opened in 1907. Most of its collection of interconnected buildings were constructed by 1929. They haven't changed a bit. They still serve the same function: to host farmers to sell their wares.

Here is the Main Arcade entrance to the Market on Pike Street, under the famous signage that greets over 10 million visitors a year, the historic Public Market Center & Clock. This historic neon sign was created circa 1928. It is believed to be one of the first uses of neon in the Market.

"Always a busy scene of shoppers and trucks, the world of the market begins here for most people.“ Victor Steinbrueck, Market Sketchbook (1968.)

The Hill Climb takes one from Western Avenue behind the Pike Place Market to the Seattle Waterfront. There are a lot of small businesses that line the northern side of the Hill Climb as well as below.

The Hill Climb actually has an interesting history stemming from before the Denny Regrade that removed much of the land known as Denny Hill -- essentially large mound of earth that took up 62 city blocks rising over 100 feet in the area now bounded by Pike Street and Denny Way and First and Fifth Avenues -- from this area of Seattle between 1902-1911.

The current Hill Climb zig zag stairs made of cement were built in 1977 replacing the old wooden zig zag stairs that were becoming hazardous.

The turquoise Post Alley sign arches over the passageway known as Post Alley. In this composition, we are looking north to Pine Street.

Victor Steinbrueck Park is named for the visionary who led the effort the save the Pike Place Market.

**JULY** “Market Front-View Overlook Walk”

**SEPTEMBER** “Public Market, Pine Street”

In this composition is Public Market, one of the iconic neon signs in the Pike Place Market.

The “Public Market” sign at the foot of Pine Street was installed in the late 1920’s, predating its more famous counterpart further south that was installed in 1937.

Facing west from Pine Street and First Avenue, the Public Market sign looms over the Market day stalls at Pine Street. In this composition, there are produce tents set up outside selling fresh produce and hot apple cider in the fall.