The building has been formally recognized twice over. It sits on the National Register of Historic Places, and Seattle's Landmarks Preservation Board has designated it a city landmark, which is why you will find it on Seattle's own list as the Queen Anne Library.
Renewed in 2007
A 2007 renovation kept this building, now more than a century old, in service as a working neighborhood branch. The result lets the historic exterior and everyday library use carry on side by side, so you can browse the shelves inside a genuine landmark.
Planning Your Visit
Head to 400 W Garfield St, in the West Queen Anne part of the larger Queen Anne district. The Seattle Public Library runs the branch and posts current hours, services and any temporary closures on its official website, so check there before you set out, since branch schedules can change.
Queen Anne is a true hill neighborhood, and the streets around the library show it. The district has some of the steepest streets in Seattle and more than a hundred public staircases, so lace up comfortable shoes if you plan to walk up from the lower parts of the hill.
Planning to visit more branches around town? Browse our guide to all libraries in Seattle.
Landmarks on the Same Block
Stroll West Garfield Street and you will find an unusual concentration of designated landmarks. Three historic buildings stand within roughly a tenth of a mile of the branch.
- Sunset Telephone & Telegraph/Queen Anne Masonic Temple: a landmark building less than 0.1 mile away.
- Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Garfield Exchange: another early telephone building, also under 0.1 mile from the library.
- West Queen Anne Elementary School: about 0.1 mile away. The former school is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and now houses condominium apartments.
Pair these with the library for a short, easy architecture walk that fits into a couple of blocks.
Historic Houses and a Playfield Nearby
Queen Anne is home to 29 official Seattle landmarks, including a dozen historic houses, and several of them sit close to the Queen Anne Branch.
Landmark homes within a short walk
- C. H. Black House / Gardens: about 0.2 mile away.
- Stuart/Balcom House: about 0.3 mile away.
- McFee/Klockzien House: about 0.3 mile away.
These are landmark residences, so admire them from the street and respect the privacy of anyone who lives there.
West Queen Anne Playfield
Just about 0.2 mile from the library, West Queen Anne Playfield makes an easy add-on for families. The park includes a community center, an indoor swimming pool, and fields for baseball and softball.
Getting to Know the Neighborhood
The hill takes its name from the Queen Anne style houses that once dominated it, a name already in use by 1885. In the early years its slopes drew many of Seattle's wealthy families, who built large homes here.
For shopping, head to Queen Anne Avenue North, the main street running through the neighborhood's central business district between West McGraw and West Galer Streets. Queen Anne also hosts a seasonal weekly farmers market. To plan more of your time on the hill, see our West Queen Anne neighborhood guide.
