why is there a city under seattle

A city beneath the city. Today, it’s called the Seattle Underground

. Before 1889, it would have been just “Seattle.” But that version of Seattle, the original Seattle, was extremely dangerous, subject to rampant floods and treacherously vulnerable to fire.

Full Answer

Is there really a city beneath Seattle?

A city beneath the city. Today, it’s called the Seattle Underground. Before 1889, it would have been just “Seattle.” But that version of Seattle, the original Seattle, was extremely dangerous, subject to rampant floods and treacherously vulnerable to fire.

Is there an underground in Seattle Washington?

The Seattle Underground is a network of underground passageways and basements in the Pioneer Square neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, United States. They were located at ground level when the city was built in the mid-19th century, but fell into disuse after the streets were elevated.

Why was Seattle founded as a city?

Seattle was founded as a hub to ship the abundant lumber of the Pacific Northwest down south to California. The area had vast, coniferous forests and a natural harbor. It was the perfect place to set up a port—but it wasn’t exactly the perfect place for a city.

Why is Seattle called the Emerald City?

Seattle is called the Emerald City because the city and surrounding areas are filled with greenery all year round, even in the winter due to all the evergreen trees in the area. The nickname comes directly from this greenery.

Is there really an old city under Seattle?

Seattle Underground hides the remnants of the old city. Under the streets of Pioneer Square neighborhood, there is an entire network of subterranean hallways, corridors, and basements, where the city of Seattle was born. And there, the ruins of shops, hotels, houses can be seen still standing.

Do people live in the Seattle Underground?

From speaking with some of the locals, it would seem that, unpleasant as it is, some homeless do actually live in the underground city.

How did they build a city on top of a city in Seattle?

Local leaders took the opportunity to build using stone and iron, and to place the city at a higher level. Soon a two-level Seattle took shape. The streets were graded using dirt from the surrounding hills, elevating the neighborhood as high as 35 feet.

Can you walk underground in Seattle?

Explore Seattle from a different angle and go below Pioneer Square. Take a walk through three underground passageways originally constructed in the 1890's and learn about Seattle's forgotten history.

Do homeless people live underground in Seattle?

0:056:22'I'm just trying to stay alive:' Inside Seattle's underground economyYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipTechnology campuses seattle is on the verge of another type of economic boom it's like a flea marketMoreTechnology campuses seattle is on the verge of another type of economic boom it's like a flea market out here yeah it kind of is right but there are no initial public offerings or record profits here

Can you go to underground Seattle without a tour?

No. you have to do the guided tour. You would not want to do the tour by yourself anyway.

Why was Seattle built where it is?

Its dominance was assured when the Northern Pacific Railroad chose Seattle over Tacoma as its western terminus. The discovery of gold, first on the Fraser River and later in the Yukon (1896), sparked gold rushes from which Seattle prospered indirectly as a principal location for outfitting the miners.

Why did Seattle build on top of itself?

City planners decided to erect the new city between 12 and 30 feet on top of the burnt wreckage, trapping what was left of the town under the feet of future residents.

Are there underground cities in America?

Chicago, like a lot of other modern cities, has a hidden secret: It's home to miles of passageways deep underground that allow commuters to get from one place to another without risking nasty weather. Los Angeles, Boston, New York, and Dallas all have their own networks of underground tunnels, as well.

Do underground cities exist?

Cappadocia city, located in central Turkey, is home to no less than 36 underground cities, and at a depth of approx. 85 m, Derinkuyu is the deepest.

Is the underground Tour in Seattle worth it?

The guides on this tour are quite knowledgeable and will provide you with an interesting & fairly thorough history of Seattle and its beginnings at Pioneer Square, but IMHO this tour was just OK and if I could go back, we would've spent the afternoon doing something else.

How long is the underground tour in Seattle?

75-minuteThe 75-minute guided walking tour begins beneath Doc Maynard's Public House, then spills into historic Pioneer Square, Seattle's birthplace, before plunging underground for an exclusive, time-capsule view of the buried city.!

What Is The Seattle Underground?

The Seattle Underground is located at ground level when the city was first built in the mid-19th century. But later the streets were elevated. Pioneer Square was built mostly on filled-in tidelands and had the problem of being flooded. After the Great Seattle Fire of 1889, buildings were required to be made of masonry, and the town's streets were raised one to two stories higher. The higher elevation had the extra benefit of that the sewer stopped backing up at high tide (ugh).

Why was the underground in Seattle abandoned?

But then in 1907, the city condemned the Underground. Oddly it was condemned out of fear of the bubonic plague. And so the now buried part of Seattle became abandoned and left to deteriorate (or used for storage).

Why did they reconstructed the buildings after the fire?

So they reconstructed the buildings so that the building's second floor would be the new ground floor.

Where is the underground in Seattle?

The Seattle Underground is one of the most unusual (and eery) attractions in the United States. It is a network of underground passageways and basements in Pioneer Square. Believe it or not, part of Seattle is built on top of an older burnt-out Seattle. The old Seattle was gutted by fire and lies abandoned beneath the streets.

Is there an underground tunnel in Seattle?

Seattle is home to a unique system of underground tunnels which have since been abandoned, but those daring enough can go on a tour.

Is Seattle a good place to visit?

Seattle is a stunning city to visit, while the Seattle Space Needle may draw one's gaze up high, don't forget that some of the best that the city offers is beneath one's feet.

Is there a tunnel under Los Angeles?

Did you know there are also hidden and abandoned speakeasy tunnels underneath Los Angeles? Exploring abandoned tunnels and catacombs can be one of the most enjoyable parts of exploring a city. On the other side of the country, see here for if there really are tunnels underneath New York City.

Where did Seattle develop?

As the town of Seattle started developing, it developed around villages located on the waterfront. Pioneer Square, located exactly where it is today, was the epicenter around which Seattle boomed. The town settlement began from Pioneer Square, from where onwards the city was a series of upward rising streets.

What is the history of Seattle?

Port of Seattle, Terminal 107, has archaeological evidence , that what is now known as the Seattle Metropolitan area, has been inhabited for at least 4,000 years. The Native American tribes of Duwamish and Suquamish were Seattle’s occupants until the latter years of the 19th century. George Vancouver, who undertook his expedition to explore the coasts of West Canada, Northwest America, and Alaska, was the first European to set foot in Seattle in 1792. But the actual founding of the city of Seattle happened only in 1851, with the arrival of the Denny Party scouts. As the new settlement started expanding, Europeans sat comfortably in the business of logs and timber. The Denny Party, David Swinson ‘Doc’ Maynard and Henry Yesler contributed immensely in making Seattle the leader of shipping logs in the country.

Why did the reverse force of tidal water flood the toilets in the city?

As all housing facilities were connected with the main sewage line lying on the waterfront , the reverse force of tidal water used to flood all the toilets in the city. A person sitting on the toilet seat could get blown off due to the force.

Why did Seattle rebuild?

Stone and brick construction was made mandatory. Seattlers decided to move their rebuilding efforts to a higher platform. To rid Seattle of the tide problem , downtown was leveled. Certain streets were raised as high as 22 feet to bring all downtown streets to the same height. This also gave Seattle a chance to rebuild their plumbing and sewage system, which in its existing form, was pathetic to say the least.

What was the Great Seattle Fire?

The Great Seattle Fire. Seattle had become the leader of the Northwest by the early 1890s. The scene was changing, the city was getting more organized, and the womenfolk had striven hard to civilize Seattle and make it a better place to work and live.

How many acres were destroyed in the Seattle fire?

Within twelve hours, the fire had destroyed most of its downtown area, taking along with it many public service buildings, churches, and even the courthouse. 120 acres of Seattle (nearly 33 downtown and neighboring city blocks) were destroyed, including all saw mills and wharves.

What was the underground sidewalk lit by?

The underground sidewalks were lit by glass prisms. Eventually, the fear that the underground city will again invite more infectious rodents, led to Seattle moving itself, bag and baggage, to the upper city, and leaving the old city in disuse.

What is the underground tour in Seattle?

Certainly one of the most unusual tourist attractions in Seattle is the Bill Spiedel underground tour, which visits a subterranean city built under the Pioneer Square neighborhood after ...

When was the Great Seattle Fire?

The structures were constructed after the Great Seattle Fire on June 6th, 1889, a fire that destroyed more than 25 blocks of stores, homes and workshops.

Where is the Seattle Underground?

The Seattle Underground is a network of underground passageways and basements in the Pioneer Square neighborhood of Seattle , Washington , United States.

What was the first step in the construction of the Seattle Underground?

At first, pedestrians climbed ladders to go between street level and the sidewalks in front of the building entrances. Brick archways were constructed next to the road surface, above the submerged sidewalks. Pavement lights (a form of walk-on skylight with small panes of clear glass which later became amethyst-colored) were installed over the gap from the raised street and the building, creating the area now called the Seattle Underground.

Why did the concrete floor of the former meat market sink?

The concrete floor of the former meat market was originally at the level of the wooden platform on the left, but sank over time because of decomposing sawdust fill.

Is the Seattle Underground safe?

Only a small portion of the Seattle Underground has been restored and made safe and accessible to the public on guided tours. In 1965, local citizen Bill Speidel established "Bill Speidel's Underground Tour", which operates to this day.

Why is Seattle called the Emerald City?

Seattle is called the Emerald City because the city and surrounding areas are filled with greenery all year round, even in the winter due to all the evergreen trees in the area. The nickname comes directly from this greenery. Emerald City also echoes Washington State’s nickname as The Evergreen State ...

What Makes Seattle so Green?

Even right in the heart of the city, there’s no shortage of greenery, even full forests—Discovery Park, the Washington Park Arboretum, and other parks are shining examples of green spaces within the city limits. Seattle is green almost all year round due to these ubiquitous evergreens, but also due to the many other trees, shrubs, ferns, moss (so much moss!) on just about every surface, and even the wildflowers that are prolific in the Northwest and thrive in all seasons.

What is Seattle called in 2020?

Kristin Kendle. Updated January 19, 2020. Often called the Emerald City, Seattle's nickname might seem a little off, maybe even misplaced. After all, Seattle isn't known for emeralds. Or maybe your imagination goes toward The Wizard of Oz, but Seattle doesn't have a whole lot to do with Oz either ...

What is the Emerald City?

In 1982, the name Emerald City was selected from contest entries as the new nickname for Seattle. Previous to this, Seattle had a few other common nicknames, including the Queen City of the Pacific Northwest and the Gateway to Alaska—neither of which works quite as well on a marketing brochure! The Emerald City is also frequently called Rain City ...

Why is Tacoma called the City of Destiny?

Tacoma to the south is called the City of Destiny to this day because it was chosen to be the western terminus of the Northern Pacific Railroad in the late 1800s.

What is the nickname of the Evergreen State?

Emerald City also echoes Washington State’s nickname as The Evergreen State (even though the eastern half of Washington is more desert than greenery and evergreen trees). TripSavvy / Theresa Chiechi.

What is Gig Harbor called?

Gig Harbor is called the Maritime City since it grew up around the harbor there, and still has a major maritime presence with ample marinas and its downtown focused on the harbor.

Who was the first developer in Seattle?

Even so, Arthur Denny, pioneer and the first Seattle developer, so to speak, was hooked on the deepwater harbor of Elliott Bay, which he’d been measuring for weeks with a horseshoe and bits of string. In the 1850s, a town needed a deep harbor to be on the freeway of maritime commerce.

How many people did Seattle gain in the race with Tacoma?

Along with financial relief, Seattle gained 17,000 new residents in her race with Tacoma for dominance of the region. In one fell swoop, the city rid itself of 30 years of ramshackle construction and poor planning—urban renewal before its time.

Why were firefighters thwarted by the Puget Sound water system?

Firefighters were thwarted when the private water system—owned by three of the city’s leading citizens—proved to have not enough pressure to make the hoses effective. Desperate for another source of water, firefighters scrambled to the nearby shores of Puget Sound— and found the tide was out. The tide had them coming and going in those days.

How high were the retaining walls in the Underground?

It was this decision that created the Underground: The city built retaining walls, eight feet or higher, on either side of the old streets, filled in the space between the walls, and paved over the fill to effectively raise the streets, making them one story higher than the old sidewalks that still ran alongside them.

What was America like in the 1950s?

America in the 1950s was a land of contradictions, torn between the values that won World War II and futuristic visions of an ideal world. The downtown cores of many cities were in decay. Families moved to the suburbs in pastel-painted station wagons, and commuted to work and school in all sorts of futuristic Detroit dream machines with big fins. The automobile reigned supreme. Freeways were needed. And parking lots. Raze the old, start anew!

Why was Pioneer Square saved?

It really is the story of how Pioneer Square was saved, because the Underground Tour was the unanticipated product of this effort . By that year, Pioneer Square had fallen into such a state of disrepair few recognized it as the city’s birthplace. It occurred to Bill Speidel’s wife, Shirley, that Bill, a publicist, could do some pro bono work for an idea that had come to interest them both. “Why don’t you get Pioneer Square restored?” she asked him.

When was Pioneer Square named a historic district?

Soon after, the mayor was presented with 100,000 names on a petition, and in May, 1970 , the Seattle City Council adopted an ordinance naming 20 square blocks in Pioneer Square an Historic District. Later, Pioneer Square became the city’s first neighborhood to be so listed in the National Register of Historic Places.