The process of building is not permanent, but encompasses changes far beyond the initial construction. The Moore Theatre, at the corner of Second Avenue and Virginia Street in Seattle, is much more than the innovative 1907 combination of steel, brick and plaster conceived by architect E.W. Houghton and owner James A. Moore. It has evolved over the course of the past century, serving as a testament to the individuals who have owned and occupied the building, and to the changing Seattle society since it first established the city’s national cultural prominence. Many buildings as old as the Moore had their lives cut short by management that was slow to react to changing cultural tides. The Moore, in stark contrast, has continued living due to the efforts of a few individuals who were brave enough to intervene – particularly women. My research examines the architectural and programmatic changes during the reigns of the “Moore women,” Cecilia Schultz and Ida Cole, and determines the extent of their influence on continuing and shaping the life of the Moore Theatre, and, as an extension, the history of Seattle. I will investigate this by taking apart historical, first-person accounts of the women’s involvement in the form of interviews and newspaper articles, analyzing architectural documentation in the form of original and altered plans, sections, elevations, and detail drawings, and currently accessing and analyzing the building physically. I hope to discover the extent of these women’s influences on the Moore, and to draw larger conclusions about women’s roles in Seattle history and the history of historic preservation and architectural history nationwide. These results could implicate the different genders’ roles in architecture and the performing arts and how these have shaped their current ability to gain meaningful leadership in these areas.