Seattle is renowned for its pioneering spirit, and the city’s founding is a glowing example of this. In 1851, a small party of Illinois pioneers landed on Alki Point in what was then called “New York – Alki”. Despite the cold and rainy weather, they had lofty ambitions for their tiny community of log cabins. They soon changed the name to Seattle, after the local Indian Chief Sealth, and moved it to its present location on the deep waters of Elliott Bay. Who knows what would have become of the city if it had kept its original name? “The Little Apple” instead of the “Emerald City” – the possibilities are endless!
The 19th century saw the growth of Seattle from a small port city to a major port of call, with ships traveling up and down the Pacific Coast. This expansion was aided by the abundance of lumber in the surrounding hills and islands, which provided thousands of shiploads of timber for the bustling cities of San Francisco and California’s gold mines. Captain George Vancouver had explored the Puget Sound area aboard the H.M.S. Discovery more than a half-century earlier, bestowing English names upon many of the sites he encountered, including Mt. Rainier. The term “skid road” originated in Seattle from the route (Yesler Way) down which logs were skidded from the hills to the waterfront.
South of the road, brothels, and saloons thrived; the respectable part of the town began north of the road. In 1887, the Northern Pacific Railroad connected Puget Sound to the East, quickly followed by the Great Northern Railroad in 1892. Despite a disastrous fire that burned most of the city to the ground in 1889, Seattle was determined to rebuild bigger and better than ever, and urban engineers raised downtown streets several feet above the high tide level, leaving intact storefronts below street level. The Underground Tour today explores these old ruins as a testament to Seattle’s resilience and unwavering commitment to progress.
The arrival of the steamer Portland in 1897 with a “ton of gold” from the Klondike marked an important milestone in Seattle’s history: the city had officially begun its journey to becoming the thriving commercial, shipping, and marketing center of the Pacific Northwest it is today. As an outfitter, shipbuilder, and transshipment port for the thousands of prospectors and millions of tons of goods heading north to the gold rush, Seattle’s determination and resilience were showcased by the construction of new roads and buildings after the devastating fire of 1889. This ambition was further demonstrated by the hosting of the first of several world fairs held in the Pacific Northwest when the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exhibition opened in 1909, leaving a lasting legacy in the form of much of the present campus of the University of Washington. Despite the strikes, labor unrest, and strong union movement that kept Seattle in the national news during the following three decades, the city continued to flourish and remains a source of pride for its residents.
By the time World War II began, Seattle had become a major port and shipbuilding center. The Boeing Company, which had started as a small airplane manufacturer in 1910, grew to become the primary producer of heavy bombers flown by the U.S. Army Air Force, the B-17 and B-29. Today, visitors to the Museum of Flight, part of which is housed in the original Boeing factory building, can learn about this remarkable story and its impact on the city’s proud and positive history.
While Boeing still holds a leadership role in the world’s commercial jet aircraft industry, Seattle’s economy has evolved to encompass computer software manufacturers, bio-medical industries, and aerospace. Moreover, its strategic location near the Pacific Rim, expansive port facilities, and impressive educational institutions make Seattle a major participant in the trade and commercial activities with Asia that will shape the future of the global economy.
Seattle’s impressive history of innovation and resourcefulness is still reflected in the city today. From a small party of pioneers laying the foundations for a thriving city to overcoming overwhelming odds in rebuilding stagnation, Seattle is a story of ambition rewarded through grit and hard work. The bustling port city continues to grow rapidly, attracting new residents and tourists alike; there can be truly no doubt that Seattle’s upbringing of progress and discovery will not be forgotten anytime soon.
