Seattle's Fremont neighborhood is located at the northwest corner of Lake Union, and was originally part of the William A. Strickler homestead. On March 1, 1888 David Thomas Denny (1832-1903) and John Philo Hoyt (1841-1926) bought 240 acres from Strickler's estate, then sold the parcel to Carrie and Edward Blewett on March 20, 1888. With the help of their agents, Dillis B. Ward and Luther H. Griffith, the Blewett’s plat was recorded by King County on May 8, 1888, and named Fremont after Blewett's hometown in Nebraska, which commemorated the explorer, John Charles Frémont. The Blewetts continued to reside in Nebraska while Mr. Ward and Mr. Griffith took over the promotion and sale of lots for residential and commercial development. Fremont was annexed to Seattle in 1891.

In this image workmen pose during the construction of the first building in Fremont, a real estate office built by Mr. Ward and Mr. Griffith to sell lots on the Denny & Hoyt parcel belonging to the Blewetts. The image must have been taken in about May of 1888, and is believed to be the earliest picture taken of Fremont.

Caption information source: "Now & Then: First Record of Seattle's Fremont Neighborhood," by Paul Dorpat, HistoryLink.org Essay 3028
Caption information source: https://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/Neighborhoods/HistoricPreservation/HistoricResourcesSurvey/context-fremont.pdf