Dearborn House

Historic Seattle’s Role:

With the help of a generous patron’s gift, Historic Seattle acquired the Dearborn House for its offices in 1997. Currently it is only one of four remaining significant homes on First Hill. Built in 1907, the house was a single-family residence until 1953. The home was then converted to professional offices and occupied by a succession of medical practitioners. The Dearborn House is a designated Seattle Landmark and listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Current and Future Uses:

Currently, the Dearborn House functions as the permanent administrative offices for Historic Seattle. The exterior of our signature property was restored with repairs to wood trim, stucco and decorative metal. The exterior was completely repainted with historically accurate colors. Interior work included improved accessibility to the basement and first floors and renovation and upgrades on the second and third floors to accommodate office space.

The Dearborn House basement and the Carriage House (also built in 1907) are leased as office space.

Dearborn House Healing Garden Project:

Historic Seattle is excited to partner with Tahoma Peaks Solutions’ Valerie Segrest to provide a more complete and transparent historic narrative of the land of the Coast Salish peoples upon which the Dearborn House was built in 1907. Through the use of plants and interpretative signage, the Healing Garden will help to teach visitors about the land’s original stewards’ history of medicine, cuisine, and culture. Learn more here.

Photo: Marissa Natkin, copyright 2004