Suzzallo Library, University of Washington - Seattle, WA - Photos Then and Now on Waymarking.com

This "then" picture was taken in 1923 as Suzzallo Library was being built. The Henry Suzzallo Library was completed in 1926 by Carl F. Gould, Sr. and Charles H. Bebb, Seattle architects of national stature, and since then has often been called the "soul of the University". The building is an example of the Collegiate Tudor Gothic style adopted by the University as part of the 1915 campus plan, also developed by Gould and Bebb.

The exterior is composed of sandstone, precast stone, terra-cotta and brick, with a slate roof. The windows are of leaded glass, with some stained glass. Eighteen sculptured terra-cotta figures in niches upon the exterior buttresses were selected by the UW faculty in 1923 to symbolize contributions to learning and culture. Allan Clark, a young sculptor from Tacoma, was commissioned by the UW Board of Regents to create the figures. From left to right, the figures represent Moses, Louis Pasteur, Isaac Newton, Leonardo da Vinci, Benjamin Franklin, Justinian, Herodotus, Adam Smith, Homer, Johannes Gutenberg, Ludwig von Beethoven, Charles Darwin and Hugo Grotius. Three heroic figures of cast stone depicting "Mastery," "Inspiration" and "Thought," also sculpted by Allan Clark, stand over the portals of the main entrance. Another detail in the facade is a series of shields, which are the coats of arms of various universities around the world.

Ever since it opened, the second floor reading room has inspired comparisons with the great library reading rooms of the world and is often compared to the nave of great cathedrals. Measuring 65 feet high, 52 feet wide, and 250 feet long, the reading room features a vaulted ceiling elaborately decorated with rich colored and gilded stenciling; oak bookcases topped with a hand-carved frieze representing native plants of Washington State; and tall windows with leaded glass incorporating 28 Renaissance watermark medallions. At each end of the reading room, a paneled alcove features a hanging lighted globe bearing the names of world explorers. Throughout the room, carved sandstone, wood paneling, and ironwork grills represent the craftsmanship employed in creating this space. It is truly a magnificent space.

There are 20 libraries run by the University of Washington, 16 of which are on the Seattle campus. They are run by more than 400 staff members and feature over 6 million volumes. Suzallo has 35 miles of shelving within it, and the Allen Library, which is connected to Suzallo, has 25 miles of shelving. The University spends over $35,000,000 a year on its libraries.

Year photo was taken: 1923

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