Local History

5 Influential Black Seattleites You Should Know About

From a powerhouse vocalist to a game-changing education advocate, these influential figures have left their mark on the Emerald City.

02/10/2023 By Tanvi Srinivasan and Seattle Met Staff

Feature

The Day City Hall Became a Same-Sex Marriage Cathedral

In 2012, scores of couples descended on the municipal building after the legalization of same-sex marriage in Washington state.

12/05/2022 By Benjamin Cassidy

Birthdays

Sixty Years Later, PacSci Is Still One Curious Place

Founded after the World's Fair, the Seattle Center landmark has escaped financial ruin and honed a new model for expanding access to its exhibits.

10/20/2022 By Benjamin Cassidy

Explainer

Historic Times at Garfield High

The Central District school has produced famous figures like Jimi Hendrix and Quincy Jones. It's also highlighted some of our city's worst divides.

09/27/2022 By Taylor McKenzie Gerlach

Enclaves

Japantown Was Due for a Landmark

The tiny neighborhood, part of the larger Chinatown—International District, upholds the legacy of its Japanese American residents at every turn.

09/09/2022 By Allecia Vermillion

Made in WA

Washington’s 60 Most Timeless Inventions

The World’s Fair put Seattle's ingenuity on the map six decades ago. But before and since, our quirky and vital innovations have endured.

08/23/2022 Edited by Benjamin Cassidy By Seattle Met Staff

Made in WA

Washington's Music Inventions, Sung and Unsung

Our state's place in music history is often reduced to grunge. But the electric guitar, vinyl, and the whammy bar were all invented in Washington.

08/23/2022 Edited by Benjamin Cassidy By Sophie Grossman

Made in WA

Broad Strokes

The former CEO of Optiva died earlier this year. But not before revolutionizing oral hygiene.

08/23/2022 By Angela Cabotaje

Made in WA

The Toys “R” Hers

Helen Malsed of Magnolia invented the Slinky Dog and Snap-Lock Beads.

08/23/2022 By Benjamin Cassidy

Made in WA

Washington's Travel Innovations

From Boeing planes to the salmon cannon, the state has invented some unparalleled modes of transport.

08/23/2022 Edited by Benjamin Cassidy By Benjamin Cassidy and Allison Williams

Made in WA

Eddie Bauer's Original Down Jacket Is More Than Just a Puff Piece

How one outdoorsman's near-death experience on the Olympic Peninsula spawned Seattle's favorite winter coat.

08/23/2022 By Zoe Sayler

Summertime Sadness

The Life and Death of Playland

The city's "happiness center" closed more than six decades ago. But its appeal and sudden disappearance still lingers in local hearts and minds.

08/18/2022 By Benjamin Cassidy

Feature

Lou Graham, Seattle's Misunderstood Madam

Is everything we know about one of Seattle’s most notorious historical figures true, or just the masterful storytelling of one garrulous newspaperman?

08/09/2022 By Hanna Brooks Olsen

Footloose

The Gay Dance Club That George Freeman Built

The gay disco closed amid a swirl of controversy that eventually spawned Seattle's Teen Dance Ordinance, but its legacy lives on in the LGBTQ community.

06/10/2022 By Angela Cabotaje Photography by Chona Kasinger

Fruit Forward

The Complete Guide to Pacific Northwest Berries

How we eat and harvest our local fruits, from strawberries to huckleberries and everything sweet in between. Plus: The best fields to pick berries.

05/19/2022 By Allison Williams Photography by Carlton Canary

Feature

Seattle’s Gum Wall: An Oral History

One single story about the Pike Place Market tourist attraction's creation and evolution hasn’t stuck—until now.

03/29/2022 By Benjamin Cassidy Photography by Brandon Hill

Groovy, Baby

1972: The Audacious Year That Changed Seattle

Occupied protests, consequential votes, the birth of KEXP—a legacy created 50 years ago still lingers today.

03/07/2022 By Angela Cabotaje, Benjamin Cassidy, and Sophie Grossman Illustrations by Jordan Kay

In Memoriam

Seattle's Most Storied Headstones

From Bruce and Brandon Lee to John Nordstrom and Jimi Hendrix, some illustrious names have been put to rest in Seattle's cemeteries.

11/01/2021 Photography by Chona Kasinger By Sophie Grossman

Currents

The Fight to Preserve Pike Place Market Isn't Over

Fifty years after a vote saved one of Seattle’s most famous landmarks, the historical commission that protects its character faces neglect from the city.

10/21/2021 By Benjamin Cassidy

Enclaves

The Curious Case of the British Telephone Booth in Madison Park

Why is there a British phone booth in Madison Park?

10/07/2021 By Benjamin Cassidy