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Overview

In the 1890s, various businesses, investment companies, and legal firms regarded the Hinckley Block as one of the most prestigious business addresses in Seattle's central business district. The influential Clise Investment Company, for example, had its offices here before moving to the Boston Block in 1894-1899 Pacific Building in 1900 and then to the Globe Building in 1901.

Building History

Illinois-born settler Timothy D. Hinckley (1827-1914) worked as an early miner in CA and rancher in the Puget Sound Region. He arrived in Seattle in 1853, but moved to Port Madison and Port Orchard working as an engineer, but returned to Seattle, where he began to buy land. He was the first Justice of the Peace in Seattle, WA, and developed extensive real estate holdings in what became Downtown Seattle in the 1880s. He directed the design of the Hinckley Block beginning in 1889. According to historian Clarence Bagley, the Hinckley Block was "...one hundred and twenty by one hundred eight feet, and five stories and basement in height. This proved a paying investment and he retained the ownership of the property until his death." (See Clarence Bagley, "Timothy D. Hinckley." in History of Seattle from the Earliest Settlement to the Present Time, Volume 2, [Chicago, The S.J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1916], p. 789.) The Seattle Times eulogized the Hinckley Building: "It was one of the first permanent structures built after the fire in 1889 and at that time was considered the last word in modern building construction. For years, the Hinckley Building housed the leading pioneer business and professional firms of Seattle and was in the center of the city's business activities." (See "Old Block Torn Down," Seattle Times, 07/19/1925, p. 14.)

Building Notes

Numerous architects operated offices in the Hinckley Block, such as Josenhans and Allen, c. 1900-1913; the Hinckley Building stood on the southwest corner of 2nd Avenue at Columbia Street. The building contained about 77,760 gross square feet, including basement.

According to the University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections division, the Bikur Cholim synagogue had its first meeting in the Hinckley Building in 1892. (See University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections Division, "Bikur Cholim synagogue at Hinckley block where the congregation first met, 1892," accessed 11/16/2021.)

Demolition

The Hinckley Block was razed in 07/1925 to make way for another building. According to the Seattle Times, the succeeding business block would be built incrementally: "Only the first unit of the new building, basement and two stories above Second Avenue, will be constructed this year, and four additional stories will be added later. The building will be of concrete, Class A construction." (See "Old Block Torn Down," Seattle Times, 07/19/1925, p. 14.) This next building was later removed and the Millenium Tower Condominium took its place, built in 2000, covering King County Parcels 5530500000 and 5530510000. The Hinckley Block occupied all or part of Parcel 5530500000.