The Peter Kirk Building on Central Way in downtown Kirkland is one of the oldest surviving commercial structures in the city, dating to the late 19th century. It was built during the brief boom period when English entrepreneur Peter Kirk was attempting to establish a steel manufacturing centre on the east shore of Lake Washington, taking advantage of ore deposits in the Cascades.
The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and still functions as commercial space on the ground floor. The brick construction and ornamental facade stand out against the more recent development around it. A short walk through downtown reveals the Dr. Trueblood House, the Kirkland Woman's Club building, and other early-20th-century structures that survived the suburb's expansion.
The Kirkland Heritage Society maintains documentation on the town's history and the story of Peter Kirk's failed steel empire, which makes for an interesting contrast with what Kirkland eventually became — a prosperous tech suburb across the lake from Seattle.