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

Birthplace of United Parcel Service

Photographed by Don Morfe, September 13, 2009

1. Birthplace of United Parcel Service Marker

Inscription. In August 1907, in a 6 by 17 foot office under the original sidewalk here, a few messenger boys began the business which their many thousand successors extended throughout the vast regions of our country covered by United Parcel Service today. Exemplifying the opportunities open to private citizens under the Constitution of the United States of America, this plaque was placed in January 1967, with the cooperation and appreciation of the Seattle Historical Society.

Erected 1967 by Seattle Historical Society.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Communications • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical month for this entry is January 1967.

Location. 47° 36.005′ N, 122° 19.908′ W. Marker is in Seattle, Washington, in King County. It is in Pioneer Square. It is on 2nd Avenue. The marker is located at the Waterfall Garden Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: 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: UPS - Celebrating 100 years of Service (here, next to this marker); How Big Was Japantown? (within shouting distance of this marker); Who built Seattle? (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Why was “The Tenderloin” the first LGBTQ+ neighborhood in Seattle?

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

(about 400 feet away); What makes a thriving village? (about 400 feet away); Lou Graham’s Sporting House (about 400 feet away); Salvation Army Site (about 500 feet away); The White Chapel District (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Seattle.

Other markers no longer nearby. Site of the Smaller Fort (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been confirmed missing); Information Booth (was about 300 feet away but has been permanently removed); Pioneer Square Historic District (was about 400 feet away but has been permanently removed).

Also see . . . United Parcel Service (UPS).

United Parcel Service (UPS), the international package delivery company, grew out of a messenger service established in Seattle in 1907 by an enterprising 19-year-old named James E. "Jim" Casey and his friend, Claude Ryan. Beginning with two bicycles, one phone, a tiny office in the basement of a saloon, and $100 borrowed from Ryan's uncle, the two lay the foundation for what became a multi-billion dollar corporation involved in the flow of goods, funds, and information around the world.

Photographed by Don Morfe, September 13, 2009

2. Birthplace of United Parcel Service Marker

Waterfall Garden Park

(Submitted on February 25, 2026, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon.)

Photographed by Don Morfe, September 13, 2009

3. Birthplace of United Parcel Service Marker

Waterfall Garden Park

Photographed by Don Morfe, September 13, 2009

4. Birthplace of United Parcel Service Marker

Waterfall Garden Park

Photographed by Don Morfe, September 13, 2009

5. Birthplace of United Parcel Service Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on March 5, 2026. It was originally submitted on December 12, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 3,094 times since then and 137 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on December 12, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.