Dorothy Stimson Bullitt can be credited with carrying Seattle into the Golden Age of Television. In the late 1940s, at a time when few entrepreneurs had caught on to the power of the small screen and far fewer were women, Bullitt acquired Seattle’s first television station (around the same time that she moved into this Capitol Hill residence). KING Broadcasting Company was born.

Bullitt originally took over her family’s existing business ventures out of necessity, having lost her husband, brother, and timber-magnate father over the course of three short years. “Nobody wanted to, so there I was,” Bullitt told the Seattle-Post Intelligencer. It was a time when most of the women she knew “learned music, singing, and how to prune roses”—and amid the Great Depression, no less. But “when you’re at the bottom, there’s no place to go but up,” she said. Bullitt’s star rose accordingly: By 1985, Forbes listed her as one of the 400 wealthiest people in the United States.

Like Bullitt, who preferred to be known for her dedication to public service programming, environmental preservation, and other community causes, this home isn’t overly opulent. Its Jacobean Revival architectural style differentiates it from early twentieth century’s glut of workaday Craftsmans and ornate Queen Annes. More “fortress-like” than its Tudor contemporaries, it features classic brick cladding, cast stone and stucco trim, and semihexagonal bay windows topped with characteristic gables.

Much of the home’s original hardwood flooring, trim, and character remains. But instead of leaning into the Renaissance style architecture, recent renovations by local interior designer Shannon Adamson pay homage to the Jazz Age of the 1919 home’s early days. That’s most apparent in the speakeasy-inspired bar, complete with both traditional trim and an updated LED system.

Metallic art-deco wallpaper, luxe curtain walls, and ample use of marble also carry era-appropriate glamour throughout the home. As does the grand staircase, adorned in a velvety gray carpet.

The original Italian marble fireplace pops against the home’s elaborate millwork, now painted a moody near-black. Rich, jewel-toned walls bring even more life to a glassy sunroom, complementing the lush garden outside.

The combination of verve and splendor feels appropriate, considering the home’s connections to generations of pioneering local entrepreneurs. Orin Smith, who oversaw Starbucks’s meteoric rise from 45 stores to more than 10,000 during the early aughts, also owned the place during his tenure as CEO.

Listing Fast Facts

1014 E Galer Street Seattle, WA 98102
Size: 6,850 square feet, 5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms
List Price: $4,980,000
List Date: 4/17/2025
Listing Agent: Edward Krigsman and Mary Christine Mansour, Windermere Real Estate Co.