Think about the last time you described the Emerald City to a friend of family member unfamiliar with Seattle's green, rolling residential hills, its fresh and saltwater shores, and the rich building history of the area's Native American and European settlers from cedar long houses to steel skyscrapers. My guess is that you guided your listener's mind's eye around our city's landscape by using neighborhood names anchored in descriptions of their distinct characteristics.
I find the technique imparts a sense of Seattle's ethnic and economic diversity while conveying the impression of neighborhood unity. Granted, we have dozens of neighborhoods, and prattling on about each one runs the real risk of making your listener's eyes glaze over with information overload. You have to treat the telling of our city's history like potent spices in a favorite dish: give your guests a dash of information for flavor to avoid overpowering the senses and they'll be hungry to hear more.
For the next month, one of the best places in the Emerald City to get a high-grade dose of Southeast Seattle history happens to be in the North End at the History House of Greater Seattle. For the past month and a half this Fremont-based non-profit has featured a display of more than 45 exhibits put together by various individuals, neighborhood groups, public organizations, and private companies that, combined, unfolds the ongoing metropolitan saga of the South End in a fascinating, and often very personal, manner.
Past the permanent, glass-encased display area filled with artifacts from dental tools to comic books, sits the main room entry and a historical map detailing when Seattle incorporated the South End: the Central District came into the fold in 1883 while Rainier Beach and Columbia City followed in 1907 and Georgetown in 1910. Inside you'll find a colorful array of exhibits hanging from the walls, flashing on computer screens, and pasted onto poster boards.
A map details the pastoral valley of the Duwamish River before it was funneled into a straight canal to make room for homes and Boeing Field. A pictorial history lays out the blossoming legacy of the Kubota family and their legendary gardens. Neighborhood groups and community centers have meticulously crafted tri-fold displays describing their roles in the community.
One could spend hours on a self-guided tour soaking up stories. For South Enders curious to learn more about their place within Seattle, the drive along Highway 99 to the "Center of the Universe" is well worth the time and effort. Where else are you going to find such a cool, grassroots mix of historical and contemporary South End history?
The History House is located beneath the Aurora Bridge at 790 N. 34 th St. The current display of Southeast Seattle history runs through the end of July with a special presentation covering the exhibit on Saturday, July 23 at 2 p.m.
The event will feature a live presentation titled the "Kids of Seattle" along with games and prizes for children 8-years old and up. For more information about the History House and the upcoming Southeast Seattle event, call 675-8875 or send an e-mail to hhouse@scn.org.
Erik Hansen may be reached at editor@sdistrictjournal.com.[[In-content Ad]]
