Ever wondered whether caffeine is a viable substitute for sunshine? If so, Seattle is your kind of town. More than any other city in the region, Seattle epitomises what people know of (and how they feel about) the Pacific Northwest. Even so, it's got a few surprises up its sleeve.
Before the 20th century
Before the arrival of Europeans, the Seattle area was home to the Duwamish, a generally peaceable tribe that fished the bays and rivers of the Puget Sound and befriended early white settlers. In 1851, a native New Yorker named David Denny led the first group of settlers across the Oregon Trail with the intention of settling along the Puget Sound. Recognising the area's seaport possibilities, Denny's band staked a claim on Alki Point in present-day West Seattle. After a winter of wind and rain, the group moved the settlement to Elliott Bay, renaming it Seattle for the Duwamish chief Sealth, a friend of an early merchant.
Hardly a boomtown, early Seattle was peopled mainly by bachelors until one of the founding fathers went back east on a mission to induce young unmarried women to come to Seattle. On two different trips, a total of 57 women made the journey and married into the frontier stock, in the process setting a more civilized tone for the city (and inspiring the especially bad 1960s TV show Here Come the Brides). A spur from the Northern Pacific Railroad's terminus in Portland reached Seattle in 1893, linking the town by rail with the rest of the country. The lumber, shipping and general commerce derived from immigration soon swelled the town's ranks so much that even the Great Fire of 1889 barely slowed the advance. After 50 blocks of the old wooden downtown burned in a single day, the city was reborn in brick and iron, centered on today's Pioneer Square.
Modern history
Seattle's first boom came when the ship Portland docked in 1897 with its now-famous cargo: two tons of Yukon gold. Within weeks, thousands of fortune hunters from across the country passed through on their way to the northern gold fields. Local business blossomed as Seattle became the banking centre for the nouveau riche, and the bars, brothels and honky-tonks of Pioneer Square overflowed with pleasure-starved miners.
The boom continued through WWI, when Northwest lumber was greatly in demand and shipyards along the Puget Sound 'harvested' the surrounding forests. WWII furthered the shipbuilding boom, and aircraft and atomic energy industries added to the region's pattern of profit.
Recent history
Today, international trade and tech firms (such as Microsoft and Amazon) make up the backbone of Seattle's booming economy. And although Boeing, for decades as synonymous with Seattle as rain, announced in 2001 that it was up and leaving for windier pastures in Chicago, the city's progressive politics, inventive culture and ready access to outdoor recreation continue to lure restless people like no place else on the West Coast. Recent successes by pro football team the Seattle Seahawks have brought team owner Paul Allen, whom some call the city's patron saint, into a more public view; while his Microsoft co-founder, Bill Gates, has distributed his wealth far and wide, Allen has concentrated his largesse on his vision for remaking Seattle.
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A Perfect Day
By Andrew Bender
Clean, green, techie and serene, Seattle is a lower-key, less gritty version of San Francisco; in other words an ideal destination. Don your hat and raingear, forget the umbrella (a sure sign of a visitor) and start the day at a coffee house. There's one on every block, or - if you dare - the original Starbuck's. The heart of the action awaits at the Pike Place Market, eight warren-like blocks of shopping, browsing and snacking where getting a little disoriented is part of the fun. At Seattle Center, the enormous urban park dating back to the 1962 World's Fair, the Experience Music Project (EMP to its friends) is a must-visit to learn the story behind The Kingsmen's 'Louie, Louie' and Jimi Hendrix's 'Star Spangled Banner', The Presidents of the USA's 'Lump' and Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'. You can even test out your own skills on specially modified studio equipment. If you can, take a boat ride on the harbor as the afternoon light bathes the city in sun - or doesn't; it's still a gorgeous view - and head in for a stroll as the lights come up on handsome, historic Pioneer Square. There are plenty of dining and nightlife options here, but our money is on the up-and-coming Belltown neighborhood where Cyclops is always hip and Marjorie's creates innovative fusion cuisine in a bohemian setting. After dinner, Crocodile Cafe is something of a temple. It's where the grunge scene got its start, and so we'll leave you here to contemplate Nirvana.
Seattle, while frequently shrouded in grey clouds and mist, actually has much less precipitation than many other US cities, despite its soggy reputation. This constant greyness does make the city's otherwise moderate temperatures seem somehow bone-chilling. Winter highs range from 4°-10°C (40-50°F), while summer highs hover between between 24°-29°C (75-85°F). Summer days can be very pleasant, though cool, so take a light jacket.
Average weather
Main Currency
Currency: US Dollar (USD)
Symbol: US$
Transport
Getting there and away
Seattle's airport, known as Sea-Tac, is the largest in the Pacific Northwest, offering daily services to Europe, Asia and points throughout North America. Seattle is also a major hub for local commuter airlines and has frequent flights to Portland and Vancouver.
Greyhound buses and Amtrak trains link Seattle to destinations around the country.
Most national car rental firms have facilities at the airport. There are also a handful of companies that rent motorhomes (RVs), campers and motorcycles. Driving is on the right.
Getting around
Metro Transit buses blanket the metropolitan area and are a good alternative to driving.
Health & Legal Requirements
Dangers and annoyances
Seattle is a generally safe place for travelers as long as some common-sense practices are observed; women should avoid walking alone at night through sketchy-looking or unlit areas. If you're out late bar-hopping, spring for a cab home instead of walking alone or waiting around for public transit.
fast facts
| Full name | Seattle |
|---|---|
| Currency | US Dollar, USD (US$) |
| Population | 617300 |
| Languages |
English (essential) Spanish (other) Native American languages (other) |
| Time zone(s) | GMT/UTC: -8 |
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