Prefontaine Place

A Piece of Seattle History

Prefontaine Place happens to host the oldest fountain in the city - a notable distinction for a compact triangle near the corner of 3rd Avenue and Yesler Way in Seattle's historic Pioneer Square district. It's one of those small urban gems you might walk past without noticing, but it has quite the story to tell.

Before becoming the charming spot it is today, this land was known as Yesler Triangle, named after Henry Yesler who donated it to the city for a library. Turns out, the library board took one look at the oddly-shaped plot and thought, "Yeah, that's not going to work for us." They handed it back to the city in 1912.

From Rejected Plot to Peaceful Park

The little triangle sat in limbo until 1925, when the city finally decided to transform it into something useful - a park funded by a $5,000 gift from Father Francis X. Prefontaine, the pioneer priest who established Seattle's first Catholic church. (That was serious money back then, by the way.)

The heart of the park is the Prefontaine Fountain, designed by the talented architect Carl F. Gould. It's not exactly Trevi Fountain-level grandiose, but it has its own quiet charm with a circular basin, concrete wall, and our personal favorite detail - little sculpted turtles perched on the basin rim. The blue ceramic tiles lining the fountain add a splash of color that's quite lovely on sunny days.

An Urban Oasis

Sandwiched between Jefferson Street, Yesler Way, and 3rd Avenue South, Prefontaine Place creates a moment of calm in downtown's concrete landscape. You're in good company here - the iconic Smith Tower, the historic Morrison Hotel, and the King County Courthouse all stand nearby, making this a spot with some seriously impressive neighbors.

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Surviving the Times

Like any Seattle landmark worth its salt, Prefontaine Place has seen its share of changes. In 1967, Allied Arts and the Municipal Art Commission funded a restoration that gave the park some much-needed love. Then in the late 1980s, the park got completely rebuilt during the construction of the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel and Pioneer Square station. It reopened in 1990, continuing its legacy as one of Seattle's more understated historic spaces.