Seattle Central Area's 12th Avenue: Street of Crossroads, Historical and Present

May 5, 2018 @ 10:00AM — 11:15AM Eastern Time (US & Canada)

Jane's Walk Weekend - Central Area Walk

Seattle Central Area's 12th Avenue: Street of Crossroads, Historical and Present image

Celebrate Jane's Walks in the Central District!

Share:

The walk is approximately one mile with no significant elevation change. We'll be on sidewalks the entire way. All are welcome!

We'll meet in front of Seattle Academy at the SE corner of 12th Avenue and E. Madison Street. As we walk south along 12th Avenue (with a few digressions) to S. Jackson street, the history and present of the area will spark conversation about 20th century history and current activity in a neighborhood that has been home to a rich mix of immigrant communities.

Historical sites of note are numerous:

  • Doc Hamilton's BBQ,
  • 908 Club, one of Seattle's most renowned speakeasies back in the day,
  • The auto body shop where Paul Horiuchi became injured and was "forced" to give up painting cars, turning to a different kind of art,
  • Seattle's first Ethiopian restaurant that opened in 1981, and
  • Washington Hall, built more than 100 years ago as residence and social hall for Danish immigrants.
Washington Hall has served a broad spectrum of communities in the area--African American, Fillipino, Japanese, Chinese, Korean and others.

Along the way, we'll pause to talk about the impact of mid-twentieth century institutional development on the pedestrian environment, as well as more recent efforts to promote recovery and create more walk-friendly places.