The Yesler Building Photo Courtesy of Seattle Municipal Archive

In 1906, after exhausting available options for improving the existing structure, City of Seattle Mayor Ballinger stated the need for a new City Hall building. There was some debate as to whether the City Hall should be located in the new Health and Police Department building that was currently under construction (now known as the Yesler Building) or on land that had originally been purchased in 1888 and set aside for a future City Hall. Despite help from the City Engineer the Mayor was not able to make a strong enough case for a separate building. The plans for the Health and Police Department building were altered to add three stories to make room for the additional city offices. The construction was completed in 1909 and as many city offices as possible moved in.

It was soon evident that there was not enough room in the new City Hall for all the departments that occupied the building. In 1916 the City Hall moved down the street to a new building that it shared with the King County Courthouse. The old City Hall Municipal Building then became known as the Public Safety Building and housed the City of Seattle Police Department and Heath Department as it had originally been intended until 1951 when a new Public safety building was built.

In 1973 the Old Public Safety Building, as it was then called, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was leased to various city offices until it was purchased by King County in 1991. King County has since used the building to house displaced offices from the King County Courthouse due to the need for more Courtrooms and ongoing seismic repairs at the Courthouse. The Yesler building as it is now known also houses the Office of Risk Management.

Henry L. Yesler (1810-1892) Photo Courtesy of Seattle Municipal Archive

Henry L .Yesler (1810 - 1892) was one of Seattle's first prominent businessmen, statesman and politicians.

Mr. Yesler was born in Washington County, Maryland where he spent many years learning the trades of carpenter and millwright. By the age of 42, Yesler had gained enough experience and confidence to pursue the millwright trade in the hamlet of Seattle. In 1852 Yesler secured land with the cooperation of Seattle founders Arthur A. Denny and David S. "Doc" Maynard. Yesler's sawmill was built on the wharf at the base of what is now known as Yesler way. Before the road was named for Mr. Yesler it was known as "Mill Street" and was often referred to as "Skid Road", as it was primarily used to slide logs down to the mill from the higher wooded hills.

Because his ventures provided some of the first industry and employment opportunities in the area, Mr. Yesler's mill and wharf helped to jump start Seattle's economy. The mill's cookhouse soon became the city's first social center which was later expanded to become Yesler's Hall. The venue provided room for traveling road shows, including minstrels, ventriloquists, baritones and Seattle's first professional play. The mill and rental income from the Hall allowed Mr. Yesler to expand his business and real estate interests. He soon built Seattle's first water system, and opened the city's first public library in his own home.

Henry Yesler died in his home on Dec. 16, 1892, forty years after first setting foot on Seattle's shore. He had served as King County's first auditor, two terms as Seattle's mayor, and as the county commissioner.