Stories
Seattle stories for walks, landmarks, and local context
Short, source-backed reads that explain what you are seeing while you move through the city.
Essential story
Welcome to the Emerald City
Welcome to Seattle! You've just landed in a city defined by the tension between the wild Pacific Northwest and a buzzing urban core. T…
Essential story
The City Beneath the Streets
Did you know that beneath your feet, there's a ghost city? In 1889, a Great Fire tore through Seattle, leaving the downtown core in ru…
Essential story
A Legacy of Pioneers
Seattle's identity was forged by people who had to pool their resources just to survive. Take the Chinatown-International District, fo…
Essential story
Reclaiming the Industrial
Seattle has a knack for taking the rusty skeletons of industry and turning them into something beautiful. Look at Gas Works Park on La…
City story
A Blend of Two Worlds
In 1927, Fujitaro Kubota bought five acres of logged-off swampland in the Rainier Beach neighborhood. He didn't just plant a nursery;…
City story
A Bridge and a Troll
If you walk under the north end of the Aurora Bridge, you'll find a giant, eighteen-foot cement creature clutching a Volkswagen Beetle…
City story
A Bridge Between Worlds
In 1927, a man named Fujitaro Kubota bought five acres of logged-off swampland in the Rainier Beach neighborhood. He didn't just see m…
City story
A Century of Performance
The Moore Theatre is a living piece of Seattle's history. Opening its doors in 1907, it holds the title of the city's oldest active th…
City story
A Century of Resilience
In the heart of the International District, there's a restaurant that has served as a symbol of survival for over a hundred years. Man…
City story
A Collective Dream
Imagine a community so determined to carve out a home that they pooled every cent they had. In 1910, 170 Chinese American pioneers did…
City story
A Community Built on Trust
Imagine one hundred and seventy people, all newcomers to a strange city, deciding to bet on their own future together. In 1910, a grou…
City story
A Community's Cornerstone
In 1910, 170 Chinese American pioneers did something remarkable: they pooled their resources to build a future for their community. Th…
City story
A Community's Foundation
Imagine 170 Chinese American pioneers, all pooling their hard-earned resources to build a sanctuary in a new land. In 1910, that colle…
City story
A Community's Foundation
Imagine 170 Chinese American pioneers, all pooling their hard-earned resources for a single goal. In 1910, that collective ambition bu…
City story
A Community's Foundation
Imagine 170 Chinese American pioneers, all pooling their resources for a single goal. In 1910, this collective effort created the East…
City story
A Community's Foundation
Imagine one hundred and seventy people, all strangers or distant acquaintances, deciding to bet on their collective future. In 1910, t…
City story
A Community's Foundation
The story of the East Kong Yick Building and the pioneers who built it.
City story
A Community's Foundation
Imagine 170 pioneers, all working together toward a single dream. In 1910, these early Chinese American pioneers pooled their resource…
City story
A Community's Foundation
Imagine 170 Chinese American pioneers, all pooling their hard-earned resources for a single, ambitious goal. In 1910, that collective…
City story
A Community's Investment
Imagine the sheer determination it took to build a neighborhood from the ground up. In 1910, 170 early Chinese pioneers did exactly th…
City story
A Concrete Giant
Tucked under the north end of the Aurora Bridge is a giant that doesn't speak, but certainly attracts a crowd. The Fremont Troll is an…
City story
A Concrete Legend
Tucked under the north end of the Aurora Bridge is a giant that's been watching the neighborhood since 1990. The Fremont Troll is an 1…
City story
A Cultural Hub
In 1910, 170 Chinese American pioneers did something remarkable: they pooled their resources to build a center for their community. Th…