Seattle's Streetcar Era: An Illustrated History, 1884-1941

Seattle’s population was growing rapidly during the 1880s, but steep hills and shorelines impeded residential development, pushing expansion northward and creating a long, narrow corridor ideal for a public transportation route. Frank Osgood arrived from Boston in 1883, recognized the potential, and opened Seattle’s first street railway the following year, operating from Pioneer Square north on Second Avenue to Pike Street. The tiny streetcars were pulled by horses.

Motivated by potential in...