Predating the settlement that became the city of Seattle, the Duwamish had a winter village of approximately 8 longhouses situated along the central waterfront, roughly at the intersection of present-day First Avenue South and Yesler Way. Henry Yesler established his steam-powered sawmill at the foot of Mill Road (now Yesler Way) in October 1852, and by around the 1860s, the longhouses were gone, leaving only modest beach structures. The Great Seattle Fire of 1889 obliterated all of the waterfront structures south of Union Street, but within four years there was enormous redevelopment. Wharves were built in place of shacks and the area became a transportation hub rather than residential.

In this image taken from Elliott Bay, Columbia Street heads east up the hill, perpendicular with the shoreline. Many of the shacks seen here would have been made from scrounged materials, including those deposited by the tides. The photograph was likely taken from the wharf at Yesler's mill, with the logs in the water awaiting milling.

Handwritten on verso: 78 from Yesler Wharf. 7 League Edition with Columbia Street. Looking up Columbia, 1st Ave then Front St, 1880.
Photographer's number: 30837

Caption information source: https://pauldorpat.com/2010/10/page/6
Caption information source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Waterfront,_Seattle