Imagine a glacially carved enclave with rivers and streams tumbling into a lake, and a run with deer, mink, otter, ducks and bear. Prior to 1851, what we now call Madrona was a hunting and fishing mecca for Duwamish people. As settlers came, loggers, picnickers and realtors replaced the natives and began to develop the neighborhood. Housing began to line the ridges, and there was a trolley that ran from 34th Ave down to a recreational center at Madrona Beach. Attractions included a boat dock, dance pavilion, a Japanese tea house, bath houses, wooden swings and forest paths with bridges and benches. Read more

It’s possible that when you think Great Neighborhoods for Exercise, these paired enclaves may not jump to the top of the list, but I’m here to make the case for Georgetown (on the East bank of the Duwamish River) and South Park (on the West Bank) as really cool neighborhoods for a run, walk, sport, playground scramble and other interesting exercise. And they’ve got a great history that’s core to our region and city. Let’s meet the pair. Read more

I have sure become a fan of the Eastlake neighborhood. Sloping down to the eastern shore of Lake Union, sleek condos, wistful Victorian houses and docks of houseboat communities. The area has an interesting history that includes indigenous fishing and travel, forestry, farmland, an industrial area, then a busy urban hub. Here’s a bit about the area’s history. Read more

Next stop in my new series on Seattle’s great walking and running neighborhoods, we visit a place very dear to me, site of where I became a homeowner: the Central District. I was drawn to the CD because of its strong African American history and cultural influence. Having grown up in Memphis and lived in New Orleans, I missed the Black cultural influence Seattle seemed to be mostly lacking. But in the CD, grocery stores carried Zatarain’s Jambalaya. You could hear R&B and zydeco coming out of houses, and gospel from street corner churches. I was curious about how the CD became Seattle’s Black neighborhood, so I looked into the history, which is rich, and you might imagine, also problematic. Read more