Queen Anne Water Tank No. 1 and 2

Two water tanks on Queen Anne (known formally as the Queen Anne Standpipes) were built in 1900-1901. They served Queen Anne until 2007. Water tank #1 (the one with the stone-looking exterior), held 300,000 gallons, and was designated a Seattle landmark. Until around 1937, you could climb to the top of the tower and enjoy the view from the highest point on Queen Anne hill. Many photos were taken from the top of the tower, some ending up as postcards.

Because of seismic vulnerability and the cost of rehabilitation vs. the cost of demolition and rebuilding, The Landmarks Board approved a Certificate of Approval for demolition of Queen Anne Water Tank No. 1 on December 18, 2002. The Seattle Design Commission, as part of the City of Seattle Dept. of Planning and Development, then worked with Seattle Public Utilities to determine the best solution for replacement. Multiple meetings were held in 2003 and 2004 to discuss the situation and recommend approval of a concept design.

In April, 2007, Water Tanks Nos. 1 & 2 were demolished--one of the few known times a designated Seattle landmark has been purposely destroyed. The replacement is a single two-million gallon tank, which pays slight umbrage to the original Tank No. 1.

The photo below is courtesy of the University of Washington Digital Collections, and is an example of early pictures taken from the top of the water tank--in this case looking northwest. The intersection in the foreground is Queen Anne Ave. and Galer St.

The photo is undated, but appears to be around 1914, based on the buildings in the area.

Updated April 2008

Tank #1 under construction in 1900
(courtesy Seattle Municipal Archives)

As they were in 1929
(courtesy Seattle Municipal Archives)

A postcard of the water towers
ca. 1910

Water Tower #1 in 2004
(courtesy of Bruce Jones)