Across the street from the Queen Anne Branch of the Seattle Public Library, this pair of luxury townhomes stand out, thanks to their scale (a 7,200-square-foot lot), flat roof, and fresh Neoclassical-ish facade in a neighborhood full of Craftsman, Four Square, and (yes) Queen Anne–style homes.

Turns out, we have turn-of-the-century neighbor complaints to thank for that.

The Garfield Telephone Exchange, as it was first known, was built in 1905 by the Sunset Telephone and Telegraph company (which would eventually M&A itself into AT&T). The exchange was the first to open in Queen Anne and helped satisfy the rapidly growing appetite for telephone service: In 1889, the company had 318 subscribers. A decade later, it was 3,600.

In 1905, the Garfield Exchange opened with the capacity to serve 3,000 customers. It buzzed with dozens of switchboard operators, all women, who manually connected hundreds of calls per day.

Even with renovations, the layout did not change much from the days when large, open rooms accommodated scores of switchboards and their operators.

But back to the neighbors.

The building was designed with a “common brick” exterior. Today, we'd be ogling that classic red brick, but back then, nearby residents feared it “wouldn’t be sufficiently attractive,” according to research from BOLA Architecture and Planning, the firm that prepared much of the successful landmark nominations.

In the end, several additional details on the exterior gave the property a “more finished appearance.” The neighbors got more than they asked for, and today, the stately facade serves as the entrance to 1608, the larger of the two residences.

It also showcases a familiar symbol, especially to those of us who have seen (and love) National Treasure.

The compass and square, often seen with a “G” in the middle, is the most common representation of Freemasons, a fraternal organization on which so many books, movies, myths, and conspiracy theories are based. Later in this building’s history, it would become a club for men. But first, it was a workplace for women.

Switchboard operators, known as “hello girls,” performed back-hunching, fast-paced work in strict environments. They were subject to an emotional toll and the moods of the people they connected. (Not too many people just called to say “hi” at that time.) In 1900 hello girls organized the first women-led strike in Washington, but they had to wait until 1917 to win union recognition. 

The Seattle Daily Times called the work “the most nerve-racking vocation open to women.” In 1907 the Sunset company employed nearly 400 Hello Girls at its eight exchanges connecting over 50,000 calls per year.

But, by 1920, the Garfield Exchange could no longer keep up. The Sunset company opened a new exchange down the block (also named Garfield, also a designated landmark), and the Freemasons bought the property.

The townhomes still bear traces of the building's time as Masonic Lodge 242 or the Queen Anne Masonic Temple. The Freemasons owned the property from 1920 to 2018, and stewarded several renovations. Notably, during the 1960s, they dug out a basement which provided the footprint for today's modern daylight basements, bedrooms, and second kitchens.

If only those NIMBYs of long ago could see the Garfield Exchange now—with its high-end kitchens, spa-like bathrooms, rooftop decks, home offices, wet bars, walk-in closets and all that beautiful, exposed red brick—we bet the pins would be blown right out of their pompadours.

Listing Fast Facts

1608 4th Avenue W, Seattle, WA 98119 and 1610 4th Ave W, Seattle, WA 98119
Size: 3,317 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms and 2,762 square feet, 2 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms
List Price: $3,999,950 and $3,749,950
List Date: 2/15/2024
Listing Agent: Lino Guidero, Realogics Sotheby's International Realty