National Register of Historic Places

King Street Station

Seattle, King County, Washington
Listed
April 12, 1973
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
73001877

About this property

King Street Station is a train station in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is served by Amtrak's Cascades, Coast Starlight, and Empire Builder, as well as Sounder commuter trains run by Sound Transit. The station also anchors a major transit hub, which includes Link light rail at International District/Chinatown station and Seattle Streetcar service. It is located at the south end of Downtown Seattle in the Pioneer Square neighborhood, near the intersection of South Jackson Street and 4th Avenue South, and has four major entrances. It is the 15th-busiest station on the Amtrak system, serving as the hub for the Pacific Northwest region. Opened on May 10, 1906, it served as a union station for the Great Northern Railway and the Northern Pacific Railway, both owned by James J. Hill. The station was designed by Reed and Stem and incorporated elements from various architectural styles, including a prominent clocktower inspired by St. Mark's Campanile in Venice. A second city terminal, Union Station, was built one block to the east and opened in 1911. As passenger train service declined in the mid-20th century, King Street Station fell into disrepair and was renovated several times to conceal interior elements in the name of modernization. It was selected as Amtrak's sole Seattle station in 1971 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places two years later. Commuter rail service began in 2000 from a new platform and pedestrian bridge at South Weller Street. King Street Station was acquired by Seattle's city government in 2008 and renovated in 2013 at a cost of $55 million, restoring its original fixtures. The current station consists of ten tracks and four platforms, including one that is used by Sounder commuter trains and connected via a pedestrian bridge on South Weller Street. The remaining platforms, accessed from the station's waiting room, are used for Amtrak services and special event trains.

Location

3rd St., S. and S. King St.
Seattle, King County, Washington
47.59881, -122.33066

Categories

TRANSPORTATION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about King Street Station

This page lists King Street Station. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your King Street Station report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Union Station
Civil War
0.1 mi
Queen Anne Post Office and Regional Headquarters
Industrial
0.2 mi
Pioneer Square-Skid Road District
Listed
0.2 mi
Pioneer Square-Skid Road District (Boundary Increase)
Listed
0.2 mi
New Richmond Hotel
Industrial
0.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Puget Sound War — Battle of Seattle (January 26, 1856)
1856Indian Wars
0.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was King Street Station listed on the National Register?

King Street Station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 12, 1973.

What type of historic resource is King Street Station?

King Street Station is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for King Street Station?

The period of significance for King Street Station is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near King Street Station?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near King Street Station will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in King County

Historic places, battles, and census history across King County.

Explore KingCounty ›

More historic places in Washington

Browse all historic places in Washington.

View Washingtonhistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Washington history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Washingtonhistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near King Street Station will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report