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Building History

Between 1922 and 1930, the State Museum occupied the former Forestry Building on the University of Washington Campus.

Building Notes

According to the Tyee, the University of Washington Yearbook for 1910, the Forestry Building "...will be the largest log house ever built, and about the front of the structure will be 124 logs each forty feet high and five feet in diameter. The weight of each one of the these great logs is estimated at 50,000 pounds. The logs used in the exterior of the building are being left in the rough, while those used in the interior will have the bark removed. The structure is 320 feet long. It reverts to the University for use by the School of Forestry." (See "The Exposition Architecturally," Tyee, 1910, p. 380.) The Forestry Building had a large gazebo erected in front of it.

The building's interior contained various displays: "A display showed timber and lumber manufactuering stages as well as a fish hatchery, aquarium and collection of taxidermied animals." (See Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI), "Forestry Building, ca. 1912," accessed 04/30/2015.)

An article appeared in the Yakima Herald in 03/1909 that solicited "freak trees" to be exhibited in the Forestry Building: "Alex Dickinson, director of the forestry department of the A.-Y.-P. fair has written to the [Yakima] Commercial club here that his department is looking for freak tree growths to show to an amazed public at the big show in Seattle this summer. All citizens having anything in the freak forestry line are requested to communicate with Mr. Dickinson in Seattle. Exhibits contributed will be well taken care of and returned to the exhibitors." (See “Freaks of the Forest,” Yakima Herald, 03/10/1909, p. 7.) This note indicates that a part of the fair's displays followed in the sideshow tradition of displaying "freaks" to fascinate the public.

Demolition

The AYPE Forestry Building was razed in 1930.

PCAD id: 8167