The primary commercial district in the West Seattle neighborhood, commonly called the Junction, was originally formed in 1907 at the crossroads of two street car lines along what are now California Avenue SW and SW Alaska Street. Heavy promotion encouraged a residential real estate boom in the area, and the 1920s saw significant commercial growth.

This image of California Avenue was taken facing north. The passengers standing in the middle of the street are waiting to board the street car at the Junction, the intersection of California and Alaska. Visible behind them, on the northeast corner of the intersection, is the Campbell Building at 4554 California Avenue SW. The building was designed in 1929 by architect Victor Wilbur Voorhees, Jr. (1876-1970), for developer William T. Campbell (1870-1951), who also built the Crescent-Hamm Building building 4559 California Avenue SW in 1925. Both buildings were designated official city landmarks by the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board in 2017.

Signs in image: Real Estate; Shoe Shop; J. E. Carrol Real Estate; Plumbing; Contractor and Builder; Real Estate; Dentist; West Seattle State Bank; Restaurant; Reliable Grocery; Lipton Tea; Doctor; Gas, General Repairs; Union Oil Company, Speed & Power.

Caption information source: https://web6.seattle.gov/DPD/HistoricalSite/QueryResult.aspx?ID=556
Caption information source: http://pcad.lib.washington.edu/building/5097