National Register of Historic Places

Kirk, Peter, Building

Kirkland, King County, Washington
Listed
August 13, 1973
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
73001873

About this property

The Peter Kirk Building, first known as the Kirkland Investment Company Building, is a historic building in Kirkland, Washington located at the corner of Market Street and Seventh Avenue, Kirkland's historic commercial core. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was built in 1889 by the city's founder and namesake Peter Kirk, who constructed the building as the intended centerpiece of his planned steel producing mecca until those plans were dashed by multiple factors including the Panic of 1893. In the ensuing years, Kirkland's commercial core shifted to the south, likely sparing the building the fate of urban renewal or being altered beyond recognition. Due to its location on the East Side's main north-south arterial (WA 2-A, a.k.a. Lake Washington Boulevard) the building remained occupied on the ground floor but had fallen into serious disrepair by the mid-20th century. The building was rescued from demolition in the early 1960s by a syndicate led by William Radcliffe who purchased and restored the Peter Kirk Building into the Kirkland Arts Center which it remains to the current day. Today it is one of Kirkland's most historic and iconic landmarks. The building is notable for its corner turret and Victorian and Romanesque designs which remain intact. It is constructed of locally pressed red brick with plaster, rusticated stone and tin trimmings. It is the oldest existing commercial building on the Eastside of Lake Washington.

Location

620 Market St.
Kirkland, King County, Washington
47.68171, -122.20915

Categories

INDUSTRYARCHITECTURE
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.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Masonic Lodge Building
Industrial
0.1 mi
Sears, Joshua, Building
Industrial
0.1 mi
Loomis House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Dr. Trueblood House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Kirkland Woman's Club
Industrial
0.2 mi

Nearby Battles

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

Questions about this property

When was Kirk, Peter, Building listed on the National Register?

Kirk, Peter, Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 13, 1973.

What type of historic resource is Kirk, Peter, Building?

Kirk, Peter, Building is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Kirk, Peter, Building?

The period of significance for Kirk, Peter, Building is recorded as the industrial era.

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