File:1st Ave. S. looking north from S. Washington St., ca. 1876 - DPLA - 571301e7640245dfce8110b0e1b41c2c.jpg

View looking north on Commercial Street from Cherry Street showing Yesler's Hall, the Masonic Hall, the Cosmopolitan Hotel (later the Esmond Hotel) and Pioneer Drug Store. The Central School can be seen in the distance on the left side.

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Despite Seattle Public Library's description & title, this is clearly not First Avenue looking north from Cherry Street. For starters, "Commercial Street" was First Avenue South; First Avenue north of Yesler Way (then "Mill Street") was "Front Street". But, further, that is clearly the pre-Fire T-junction at Yesler Way ahead, and the street lines up pointing almost straight toward the University of Washington building on Denny's Knoll. (Also, the Cosmopolitan Hotel was definitely south of Yesler.) So this is First Avenue South, looking just east of north, roughly from South Washington Street, with South King Street about halfway between the point of view and Yesler Way.