Few Americans knew about George Washington Carmack’s rich gold strike near Dawson City in the Yukon on August 16, 1896, until 11 months later, when the SS Portland arrived in Seattle. The two tons of raw metal on board soon provoked an epidemic of gold fever. Starting in 1897, the Klondike Gold Rush brought tens … Continue reading Rediscover the Klondike Gold Rush in Seattle

When the now abandoned businesses and streets below Seattle’s Pioneer Square were at ground level more than a century ago, backed-up sewage and muddy, often impassable streets were constant problems, because most of the area was at or below sea level. From 1889 to 1905, the streets were raised eight to 35 feet on wood, … Continue reading Walking tour burrows into Seattle’s past