Adams in Seattle in King County, Washington — The American West (Northwest)
Hansen Building
Ballard Avenue Landmark District
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, August 29, 2021
1. Hansen Building Marker
Built by Swan Hansen, the president of the Horse Shoe Mining Company, this elegant brick structure was home to the Henry Brothers Saloon (Charles and Lewis). By 1908 the Pederson and Olsen Bar took up residence on the ground floor and stayed until Prohibition. During the dry years, Walter Forrester operated the Ballard Hand Laundry, which was reputedly a speakeasy. The laundry remained in business until the 1950s. In 1971 the owners began restoring the building, which sparked the preservation movement on Ballard Avenue.
This historic marker was funded by a generous donation from
Roger and Laurie Lohrer and a grant from the City of Seattle
Erected by Ballard Historical Society.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Washington, Ballard Historical Society series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1905.
Location. 47° 39.867′ N, 122° 22.864′ W. Marker is in Seattle, Washington, in King County. It is in Adams. It is at the intersection of NW Dock Place and Ballard Avenue NW on NW Dock Place. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5101 Ballard Avenue NW, Seattle WA 98107, 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 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.
this page online
Regarding Hansen Building. According to Marques Vickers' 2017 book, The Architecture of Seattle's Historic Prostitution Trade: Seattle Vice and the Sweet Painted Lady Commerce, " Eight rooms sharing a single bathroom on the second floor accommodated a known brothel enterprise. "
Also see . . . Summary for 5101 Ballard Ave. Details about the building and its past by the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods. (Submitted on September 10, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
via NPS, unknown
2. Ballard Avenue Historic District
National Register of Historic Places Digital Archive on NPGallery website entry
Click for more information.
Click for more information.
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, August 29, 2021
3. Hansen Building Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 10, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 489 times since then and 34 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on September 10, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 2. submitted on March 3, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 3. submitted on September 10, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
