Henry Broderick arrived in Seattle in 1901 when he was 21 years old, and during the next ten years he successfully established himself as an expert in Seattle real estate. He used his natural talents in advertising and real estate to rise quickly in management for John Davis & Company. In 1908 he left to start his own business, Henry Broderick, Inc. One of his major clients during those early years was Union Pacific Railroad, for which Broderick managed a four or five man team and led their Seattle land purchases during the height of the railroad boom in 1906. According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer of June 1, 1909, Broderick was one of nine men instrumental in bringing the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition to Seattle.
Many Jewish entrepreneurs had professional contact with Henry Broderick as he was a major player in Seattle's growth and real estate market. Seattle had become a Jewish center in Washington State for the influx of Eastern European immigrants during the late 1880s and early 1900s. Some profited from the Alaska-Yukon gold rush and contributed to the economic development of Seattle as well. Jewish families purchased and/or rented property from Broderick beginning in his early years. Broderick's honesty in his business dealings and his consistency in management policies and rates contributed to his large, lucrative, well-run organization. His respectful treatment of Jews gained him enough trust that many Jewish families continued their professional relationship with him until his death in 1975.
From the guide to the Henry Broderick Photograph Collection, circa 1910-circa 1975, (University of Washington Libraries Special Collections)
