I was in pursuit of a Starbucks Frappuccino on a hot day, during my jury duty break. Walking down the sidewalk I strolled into the Smith Tower near Pioneer Square in Seattle. Clearly, I didn’t look up before I entered!
I had wanted to visit the tower for many years as it sits peculiarly cute as a part of the Seattle Skyline. It has the look of an old building with its own particular tale to tell. Finally, I was afforded the opportunity to go, quite out of the blue. So I bought a ticket for $12 and started towards the elevator.
After going inside I discovered that the historic building still has an elevator operator. After I commented on how fast the elevator went she mentioned to me that she rides the elevator five hours a day and has done so for two years. That is quite a job!
Back in 1914, the Smith Tower was completed with 38 floors. When it was built it was the tallest building in the west. It was thought-provoking to reflect upon a Seattle without the skyscrapers that it now has and without even the iconic Space Needle.
The neoclassical architecture from which it springs has particular windows that are similar to that of the White House. The Tower is not overly ornate but is functional and practical with linear and planar simplicity. I like the way that some of the building is a shorter height while the other portion is very tall. Clearly, building this was quite a feat to build way back then. I would have not wanted to be on the scaffolding.
From the observatory it was easy to see many of Seattle’s sites: the Great Wheel, a ferry coming into town in Elliott Bay, the Space Needle, and the Seahawks’ and Mariners’ Stadiums. To top it all off: Mt. Rainier was out that day as well. After seeing the awe-inspiring views I was indeed a happy tourist. 
Then, I remembered my mission at hand:
Off to find my Frappuccino!
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