Vernacular, Novelty and Unusual Architecture in Seattle
Vernacular architecture, also known as popular, novelty, or roadside architecture, is the study of “ordinary” buildings. That is, buildings designed, not by architects, but by the common person. Its equivalent in the art world is folk art. It’s meat loaf instead of pate, fish ‘n’ chips instead of salmon en croate.
Some vernacular architecture is as simple as old-fashioned storefronts. They are ordinary buildings, common and familiar, that reflect the influences of various social groups and societal forces.
Others are more novel and eye-catching, more of a novelty, usually designed by a business owner, to attract attention and draw in customers who are passing by. Typical of these are the roadside attractions that used to dot the highways and byways across the country.
The Orient Express used to be Andy’s Diner! Founded by Andy Nagy and Andy Yurkanin in Seattle’s SoDo/Duwamish neighborhood at 2963 4th Ave S, the business originally started inside a single decommissioned railcar. In the 1980s, the diner acquired a historic private railcar used by President Franklin D. Roosevelt during his 1944 reelection campaign. 
After operating for nearly 60 years under the original family, Andy’s Diner closed in January 2008. Later in October 2008, new owner Gun “Ed” Ting reopened the location as the Orient Express Restaurant & Lounge, transforming the historic train cars into a Chinese and Thai restaurant featuring a bar and karaoke rooms
Over the decades, the diner expanded by adding several more salvaged train cars—including cars from Seattle City Light’s Skagit dam project and a local junkyard.
Old motels along Aurora Ave N have always been colorful with fun names, neon signs and unusual architecture, anything to attract the passing tourist and beckon them in to spend the night.
Aurora Avenue North (State Route 99) in Seattle features a long-standing collection of mid-century auto-courts and vintage roadside motels that originally boomed alongside car culture in the 1920’s and later expanded ahead of the 1950’s and the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair.
For decades, Aurora’s neon-lit motor courts served as affordable gateways for travelers before the construction of Interstate 5 shifted major traffic patterns. Over time, many properties transitioned into long-term or informal housing units. Several of the more notorious or aging motels—such as the Klose-In Motel (built 1930, destroyed by a 2014 gas explosion), the Black Angus Motor Inn, and the Hillside Motel (demolished in 2024 following a fire and foreclosure)—have been torn down to make way for affordable housing, tiny house villages, and new apartment complexes
West Seattle Historical Society Log Cabin
House of Clocks
I’m not sure what pointy triangular shapes have to do with clocks, but I like the way the sign mirrors the architectural shapes and catches your attention. (Maybe it’s supposed to be reminiscent of a Swiss chalet or something. Swiss? Watches? I don’t know.) The House of Clocks was at 15605 Hwy 99 in Lynnwood (North Seattle), historically situated on a hill known as “Gunny Sack Hill”. It was founded by 1963 by Dale and Mildred Nofziger; later run by children Susie Hennig, David Nofziger, and siblings.
Sadly, the owners retired a few years ago and House of Clocks closed.
However, the good news is that the iconic structure on Highway 99 has since been repainted and repurposed (formerly operating as a video game/trade store)
Vernacular architecture also refers to the architecture of the ordinary. Not 
designed in high-style by an architect, but designed by just some regular Joe, for an everyday purpose, using the materials available, in the style that was popular at the time. Enjoy this photo. Look at the “For Sale” signs. I’m sad.
Museum of History and Industry
Joshua Trujilo – PI
A great repository of Seattle history is MOHAI. Missing the old Dog House Restaurant? It’s gone, but the sign is at MOHAI.
The museum has collected half a dozen old neon signs, including the red Rainier “R,” a Seattle Post-Intelligencer sign from an earlier location at Sixth and Pine and the sign from Warshal’s sporting goods store. It also has the 26-foot-tall neon blue flame that graced the old Washington Natural Gas Co. building on Mercer Street.
Many of these neon signs are on display at the museum’s Lake Union Park location. “It’s hard to think of something better than signs to tell a story and capture people’s attention,” said Feliks Banel, a deputy director at the museum.
For more information, see the 2003 Seattle PI article, “Neon’s illuminating stories find a home.”
Preserve a Landmark
The florist shop on Aurora Avenue, and this jumbo-sized elephant that had been in residence there for over 50 years, is now part of Aurora Rents. (The elephant is officially available for rental, at rates starting at $10,000.)
Concerned about our fading American Landscape? Hampton Inns has launched a program designed to restore and save our vernacular architectural gems and roadside attractions. You can view the landmarks already saved by this great program (including Seattle’s Hat & Boots) and nominate a threatened site. View Hampton Inns’ Save a Landmark Program HERE.
Andy’s Diner (now the Orient Express)
Kettell’s Grocery on Fourth Avenue South (now the Kittens strip club)
Kane’s Motel, formerly in Bellevue
Photo kiosk in Pioneer Square
The Mecca Cafe near the Space Needle in lower Queen Anne.
Like old Highway Signs? Then check out “Washington Motel Americana.”
ARCHITECTURE AND VERNACULAR PHOTOGRAPHY OF BARBARA CIUREJ AND LINDSAY LOCHMAN
This photo is one of a series called Age of the Domiciles, 1982-3, and shows that the hand of man on the landscape of the American southwest reveals strategies for adaptability in this hostile environment.
This is a photo of the Flintstone Village, near the Grand Canyon, AZ. Other photos in the series include Church of St. Francis, Taos, NM; “Hole in the Rock” near Moab, UT; and Cave House, UT.
These artists have documented many examples of vernacular architecture throughout the country, with an entire exhibit on indigenious stone used in commercial buildings in the midwest.
Click here to see more photographs in the series.
American Oddities was a page created by Bobby,
Bev, and Shadow Padgett, who live in Tennessee. They know an odd building when they see it. The site’s down now, but here are some of its images as preserved on Pinterest.
Photo by Phil Weber
A friend of mine visiting from Canada mentioned all the neon signs in Seattle. I was surprised as I didn’t think we had any more than any other American city, but she thought it was remarkable. The Museum of History and Industry occasionally offers guided tours of Seattle’s neon signs. For more information, see the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce article:
“Make sure ‘fringe’ buildings stay part of the community.”
By MARILYN BROCKMAN
Bassetti Architects and JACK WIGGINS RSP/EQE
Seattle is full of great old buildings, some even important enough to be city, state or national landmarks. These buildings have special architectural merit, social and political history or exquisite qualities that speak of the past.
Structures like Smith Tower, Franklin High School, the Space Needle and buildings in Pioneer Square and Pike Place Market help define Seattle to the nation and are due every ounce of respect we can afford them.
But what about fringe buildings? The ones that aren’t eligible for official landmark status because of they are just not old enough or important enough as examples of design, or the ones with owners that simply lack interest in turning them into landmarks?
These “fringe” buildings have real value. They are neighborhood landmarks — the kinds of buildings that orient you to a place, a neighborhood with its own distinctive history.
Click HERE to read this rest of this article from the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce.
Photos by Jenny Wood and Andy Wood.
For more great old Seattle motel signs, check out “Motel Americana.”
All photos were taken by Marlow Harris unless noted otherwise.
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Marlow Harris
International President’s Circle
Coldwell Banker Bain Associates
1701 E. Olive Way, Seattle WA, 98102
Business: (206) 329-3795E-Mail: Marlow@SeattleDreamHomes.com