Prefontaine Place

Prefontaine Place is a small public park located in the Pioneer Square district of Seattle, Washington. Situated near the intersection of 3rd Avenue and Yesler Way, this compact urban space features the city's oldest fountain as its centerpiece.

Originally known as Yesler Triangle, the land was deeded to the city by Henry Yesler for use as a library site. However, the library board found the triangular plot too small for their purposes and transferred it to the city in 1912. In 1925, the city decided to transform the space into a park, funded by a $5,000 bequest from Father Francis X. Prefontaine, founder of Seattle's first Catholic church.

The park's focal point is the Prefontaine Fountain, designed by renowned architect Carl F. Gould and completed in 1925. The fountain features a circular basin with a concrete wall and is adorned with sculptures of turtles on its low basin rim. Blue ceramic tiles line the fountain basin, adding a decorative touch to the structure.

Prefontaine Place serves as a small urban oasis in the bustling downtown area, providing a space for relaxation and reflection. The park is bounded by Jefferson Street, Yesler Way, and 3rd Avenue South, with notable buildings such as the Smith Tower, Morrison Hotel, and King County Courthouse in its vicinity.

In 1967, the park underwent restoration efforts funded by Allied Arts and the Municipal Art Commission. More recently, in the late 1980s, Prefontaine Place was rebuilt during the construction of the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel and adjacent Pioneer Square station, reopening to the public in 1990.