Capitol Hill in Seattle in King County, Washington — The American West (Northwest)

George Ward House

Seattle's Oldest Bulding

Photographed by Rob Ketcherside, August 24, 2011

1. George Ward House Marker

Inscription.
Two markers are side-by-side on this house:
(Marker 1)
Ward House
Seattle's Oldest Building
1882
Seattle Landmark (Marker 2) George Ward House
520 E Denny Way
has been placed on the
National Register
of Historic Places
by the United States
Department of the Interior
1882

Erected by Leen & O'Sullivan.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1882.

Location. 47° 37.117′ N, 122° 19.452′ W. Marker is in Seattle, Washington, in King County. It is in Capitol Hill. It is on East Denny Way near Belmont Avenue East, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 520 East Denny Way, Seattle WA 98112, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Washington’s Puget Sound Region.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast,

in the Pacific Northwest,

and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor.

Globally, it is in North America,

in the Cascade

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Range,

in the Inside Passage,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Pantages House (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Broadway Performance Hall (approx. ¼ mile away); Broadway High School (approx. ¼ mile away); Chrysler Building (approx. 0.3 miles away); Supply Laundry Building (approx. 0.4 miles away); Seattle First Baptist Church (approx. 0.4 miles away); Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (approx. half a mile away); Rainier Chapter House (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Seattle.

More about this marker. This is a private residence. Please respect their privacy.

Also see . . . The Ward House.

The Ward House is noted for its handsome Italian villa style tower, square bay windows, decorative window crowns, and eave brackets.

Historic Seattle’s Role:

The 1882 house, built for building contractor George Ward, is one of Seattle’s oldest extant buildings. Originally situated at 1025 Pike Street and
Photographed by Rob Ketcherside, August 24, 2011

2. George Ward House NRHP Plaque
then rotated so that the front faced Boren Avenue (1427 Boren Avenue), the deteriorated building was slated for demolition.

In 1986, Historic Seattle (public development organization) facilitated the relocation of the house to its present site (520 E. Denny Way) and its conversion into professional offices.

Historic Seattle holds a preservation easement on the property.

(Submitted on May 7, 2025, by Luci j Baker Johnson of Seattle, Washington.)

George Ward House and Markers image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Rob Ketcherside, August 24, 2011

3. George Ward House and Markers

The markers are visible mounted on the wall to the left of the entrance door.

Credits. This page was last revised on May 17, 2025. It was originally submitted on April 7, 2017, by Rob Ketcherside of Seattle, Washington. This page has been viewed 994 times since then and 40 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 9, 2017, by Rob Ketcherside of Seattle, Washington. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.