File:Front Street south from Madison Street, Seattle, ca 1878 (MOHAI 1670).jpg

Before the 1870s, Seattle's Front Street was a rough path filled with stumps and cut by ravines. The city pulled out the stumps, filled in the gullies, and smoothed out the street. It also built a new wooden sidewalk with guard rails to keep people from falling down into the tidal flats. This photo, looking south from Madison Street, was taken by the Peterson Brothers in 1878 or 1879. A.W. and Walter Piper, and their dog Jim, walk along the the new wooden sidewalk by the newly graded Front Street, now First Avenue.

Caption on image (partially obscured): Front St. Seattle W.T. Peterson Bro. Photographers. Handwritten on mount: Looking down 1st Ave 1878. Caption by MOHAI staff.

• Subjects (LCTGM): Commercial streets--Washington (State)--Seattle; Business districts--Washington (State)--Seattle; Waterfronts--Washington (State)--Seattle; Wooden sidewalks--Washington (State)--Seattle; Dogs--Washington (State)--Seattle