Pioneer Square in Seattle in King County, Washington — The American West (Northwest)

Mutual Life Building

1897

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, September 16, 2011

1. Mutual Life Building Marker

Inscription. This modified Romanesque Revival building of brick and terra cotta complements the nearby Pioneer Building. It has been home to such varied businesses as a speakeasy (1920s), elegant cigar store (1930s), and ice cream parlor. Site of Henry Yesler’s Cookhouse (1854-66) and First National Bank (1882).

Erected by Assistance League of Seattle.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1897.

Location. 47° 36.119′ N, 122° 20.061′ W. Marker is in Seattle, Washington, in King County. It is in Pioneer Square. It is at the intersection of 1st Avenue and Yesler Way on 1st Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 605 Ist Avenue, Seattle WA 98104, 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. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Pioneer Square Pergola (within shouting distance of this marker); How Did Fire Forge the City? (within shouting distance of this marker); Pioneer Building (within shouting distance of this marker); What do you need to rush for gold? (within shouting distance of this marker); Merchant’s Cafe (within shouting distance of this marker); Schwabacher’s Store

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(within shouting distance of this marker); What was Yesler’s Way? / How did a parking garage spark a preservation movement? (within shouting distance of this marker); Pioneer Square Hotel (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Seattle.

Also see . . . Mutual Life Building, 601-607 First Avenue, Seattle, WA (Historic American Buildings Survey). (Submitted on November 9, 2016.)

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, September 16, 2011

2. Mutual Life Building Marker

Mutual Life Building image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, September 16, 2011

3. Mutual Life Building

Mutual Life Building Front Entrance image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Col. James F. Jamison, USMC (Ret), May 31, 2018

4. Mutual Life Building Front Entrance

The Nearby Pioneer Building image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Richard E. Miller

5. The Nearby Pioneer Building

As seen from 1st Avenue across Pioneer Square Park

<i>Mutual Life Building, 601-607 First Avenue...</i> image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Kenneth Grossman, 1983

6. Mutual Life Building, 601-607 First Avenue...

Significance: The Mutual Life Building is an example of Victorian Romanesque architecture typical of the buildings in Seattle's historic Pioneer Square. Designed to two prominent Seattle architects, Elmer Fisher and James E. Blackwell, it was constructed after the great Seattle fire of 1889. The site of the building is significant in Seattle's history as that of Henry Yesler's cookhouse, the city's first restaurant and public space. The building's location across from Pioneer Square and its pergola make it a prominent part of the historic fabric of the district. - Historic American Buildings Survey

Mutual Life Building - Wide View image. Click for full size.

October 24, 2016

7. Mutual Life Building - Wide View

Credits. This page was last revised on February 24, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 9, 2011, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 1,034 times since then and 42 times this year. Last updated on February 23, 2026, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 9, 2011, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. 4. submitted on May 31, 2018, by Col. James F. Jamison, USMC (Ret) of Coronado, California. 5. submitted on September 16, 2009, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. 6, 7. submitted on November 9, 2016. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.