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Overview

This distinctive assembly hall, originally built by the Danish Brotherhood fraternal organization, has hosted an array of events for many ethnic groups since its opening in 1908. The building, with its distinctive scalloped gable on its front parapet, has had a particularly rich history of accommodating dramatic performances and musicians of all kinds during its long history.

Building History

Seattle architect Victor W. Voorhees (1876-1970) designed this building for the fraternal group, the Danish Brotherhood in America. It served as a settlement house for Danish male immigrants originally. Over the years, the building has served newcomers to Seattle of various ethnicities, becoming something of a community center for these diverse groups. Washington Hall itself said of its history: "From the start, the stage at Washington Hall has been in constant demand, hosting Danish and Yiddish theatrical productions in the 1910s, Filipino Youth Club dances in the 1930s, and even boxing matches in the 1950s. In the 1970s, the Hall became the official home to On the Boards, a non-profit arts organization that would stage contemporary works for the next 20 years. Local theater companies, like Nu Black Arts West Theatre, continue to stage original works at the Hall. Washington Hall is a place to incubate and be reborn." (See Washington Hall.org, "Washington Hall History," accessed 08/02/2023.)

This building has played an important part in Seattle's African-American history. Black entertainers performed here when they were unable to book larger, segregated night clubs, ballrooms, and auditoria. The list included Duke Ellington (1899-1974), Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996), Fats Domino (1928-2017), James Brown (1933-2006), Cab Calloway (1907-1994), Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970) and the great orator and civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., (1929-1968).

The Sons of Haiti, an African-American fraternal organization, bought the building in 1973, for $50,000, and sought to sell it to the highest bidder in 2008, hoping to raise $2-2.5 million. (It had been for sale as far back as 05/2007.) (They hoped to put the money into the renovation of a newer clubhouse in Renton, WA.) DKA Architecture hoped to purchase the building in order to demolish it for condominiums. As was typical in Seattle at this time, developers thought that the building had little value and could be commemorated fittingly with a plaque. The Central District Forum for Arts and Ideas wanted to collaborate with Historic Seattle to buy the historic structure and renovate it for use as its offices. The City of Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board considered the designation of the Washington Hall of Danish Brotherhood Building as a City of Seattle Historic Landmark on 01/07/2009

Building Notes

The building had a Northern European scalloped parapet (perhaps Danish in origin) and white-painted brick front facade. (Scalloped parapets, not greatly unlike this form, were common in Mission Revival Style buildings of the same period.) Over the years, various cultural and ethnic groups had used the hall to stage theatrical, musical and dance performances, prompting a Seattle Timesreporter to call it "Seattle's Cultural Ellis Island."

The building was known as the "Washington Hall Perfomance Gallery" c. 1990.

Alteration

The Danish-born architect Andrew C.P. Willatzen (1876-1974) supervised alterations to the Washington Hall made in 1918. (See Washington Hall.org, "Washington Hall History," accessed 07/12/2023.)

It has been altered over the years, and was, in 2008, in poor repair. By 2010, according a newspaper report in the Seattle Times, $600,000 had been invested in renovating the hall's roof, heating unit, and bathroom facilities. It was one of 25 buildings in the Puget Sound Region to compete for a $1 million Partners in Preservation Grant supervised by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the American Express credit card company.

PCAD id: 5371