An apartment must have a kitchen. It is this room that
distinguishes an apartment from a flat or a boardinghouse. A
kitchen also is the perfect room for installing modern
conveniences. When apartment building owners realized up-to-date
kitchens would attract tenants, they mentioned the amenities in
their promotional materials. Advertisements in local newspapers
often included phrases such as "the housewife’s dream come true"
or "the last word in kitchen design and equipment." In the early
years of the 20th century, some Seattle working-class families
and those living in rural areas usually lacked the new labor-
saving appliances that apartments featured. Apartments began
fronting Seattle streets in 1901. Compared to the East Coast,
Seattle was a relative latecomer to apartment living. This
delayed entry, however, proved beneficial. Because the city had
already introduced home services such as clean water, gas, and
electricity, apartment owners were able to offer kitchens with
hot and cold running water, electr