Seattle Historical Sites

Summary for 300 E Pine ST E / Parcel ID 8725600160 / Inv # PP001

Historic Name: Butterworth Mortuary Common Name: Butterworth Mortuary Style: Beaux Arts - Neoclassical Neighborhood: Pike/Pine Built By: Charles Haynes Year Built: 1922   Significance In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the National Register of Historic Places. In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Ordinance. In the opinion of the survey, this property is located in a potential historic districe (National and/or local). This mortuary building stands at the gateway to the Pike/Pine neighborhood and is one of the community's best-known landmarks. It was the home of Butterworth Mortuary from its construction in 1922 until 2000, when the building became offices. The Butterworth mortuary was initially located on First Avenue, in a building that still stands in the Pike Place Market Historic District. In 1922, the firm built these modern, larger quarters and moved away from the crowded downtown area to the edge of the rapidly growing Capitol Hill neighborhood. In 2000 they relocated to another facilty on Queen Anne. Charles Haynes established a Seattle architectural office, Haynes and Cantin, in 1907, He remained in practice in Seattle and Aberdeen, with various partners, until his death in 1940. Butterworth Mortuary is probably his best known design, but he was also responsible for many revival style houses, commercial buildings and apartment buildings in the two cities.   Appearance This striking building acknowledges the prominent corner location with a rounded corner featuring a large clock in an elaborate surround with a floral motif, sitting above a pair of 10-light French doors. The concrete building is topped with a simple cornice below a parapet. The tops of the shallow pilasters provide the only ornament on the parapet. Below the third floor windows is a more prominent dentillated cornice. There are two main entries, on the south and west elevations. They are generally similar, with the one on the south being slightly larger in scale. Each entry has two pairs of Corinthian columns in front of pilasters, flanking oak-and-glass doors with sidelights. The columns support a balustraded balcony over each entry. Windows are mostly eight-light casements in pairs, or French doors Some, especially on the third floor, have been replaced with fixed pane sash. First floor windows are topped by heavy cornices; above these are large concrete window boxes below the second floor windows. The west elevation has a small shell niche,which is empty. Stairs flanked by two gas lights access this entry. At the southeast corner is a garage entry with a balustraded porch above.

Detail for 300 E Pine ST E / Parcel ID 8725600160 / Inv # PP001

Status: Yes - Inventory Classication: Building District Status: Cladding(s): Stucco Foundation(s): Roof Type(s): Flat Roof Material(s): Unknown Building Type: Funerary - Mortuary Plan: Rectangular Structural System: Concrete - Poured No. of Stories: three Unit Theme(s): Commerce Integrity Changes to Plan: Intact Changes to Original Cladding: Intact Major Bibliographic References King County Property Record Card (c. 1938-1972), Washington State Archives. Ochsner, Jeffrey Karl, ed. Shaping Seattle Architecture, A Historical Guide to the Architects. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1994.

Photo collection for 300 E Pine ST E / Parcel ID 8725600160 / Inv # PP001

Photo taken Aug 29, 2001