When the blaze reached a liquor store and two saloons nearby, they literally exploded. When they reconstructed their buildings, merchants and landlords knew that the ground floor would eventually be underground and the next floor up would be the new ground floor, so there is very little decoration on the doors and windows of the original ground floor, but extensive decoration on the new ground floor. Trace the city's history, from an Indigenous dwelling to its Gold Rush days and up through its current state as a thriving modern neighborhood on this walking tour. Take the James Street Exit from Interstate 5. Certainly one of the most unusual tourist attractions in Seattle is the Bill Spiedel underground tour, which visits a subterranean city built under the Pioneer Square neighborhood after the Great Fire of 1889. 206-682-4646. Do you question the accuracy of a fact you just read? It turns out, fires like wooden buildings filled with alcohol. The Buried City: The Story Of Seattle's Underground There's a secret hiding underneath Seattle's Pioneer Square. Learn all about how Seattle came to be, how it came to burn, and how it came to be rebuilt. This guide shows you how! The fire started moving towards Second and Third Avenues, and caught a liquor store on its way. Want to tell us to write facts on a topic? It has been referred to with names like Queen City, Emerald City, Gateway to Alaska, Rain City, and Jet City. Over the years, some of the underground structures were refurbished. Until the 1960s, the underground area lay neglected. It was in the 1960s that the Seattle Underground came back into the public consciousness. All Rights Reserved. Phone (206) 682-4646. These business owners installed electric lights in the Seattle Underground so that people could actually see down there. January 30, 2019. It was home to many flophouses, opium dens, gambling halls, and speakeasies, though eventually, even these faded into memory. The citys first neighborhood hides the remnants of a fascinating underground world. And there, the ruins of shops, hotels, houses can be seen still standing. Seattle was essentially built out of kindling. Some people even carried out illegal activities there. They saw in the ashes on the floor, an opportunity to build their city afresh. Does Seattle actually have an underground city? Finally, in 1965, he began doing an Underground Tour for any tourists and locals that would like to time-travel to the 1900s. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Montreal, Quebec, Underground city, or la ville souterraine in French, is the largest underground network in the world. Pioneer Square and the Seattle Underground are still there today, serving as a major draw for tourists. [5], Network of underground basements and walkways in Seattle, Washington, This article is about subterranean walkways. UNDERGROUND TOUR. Is there a tunnel tour in Tulsa OK? Want to look for ghosts or see the paranormal? The city of Seattle, as we know it today, did not exist until the turn of the 20th century. They were located at ground level when the city was built in the mid-19th century but fell into disuse after the streets were elevated. The Seattle Underground is a network of underground passageways and basements in the Pioneer Square neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, United States. Vault lights (a form of walk-on skylight with small panes of clear glass which later became amethyst-colored) were installed over the gap from the raised street and the building, creating the area now called the Seattle Underground. See subterranean storefronts and sidewalks entombed beneath the city. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Get to know Seattle's first established neighborhood, Pioneer Square, by walking its underground pathways as they existed in the 1890s in the company of a guide. This also gave Seattle a chance to rebuild their plumbing and sewage system, which in its existing form, was pathetic to say the least. The citys fire chief happened to be out of town that night, so he wasnt on hand to direct firefighting efforts. 0. This led to a massive explosion, which further strengthened the fire. 614 1st Avenue, in Pioneer Place Park, Pioneer Square, between Cherry and James Street. The building went up in flames in minutes. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Sign up to receive the latest and greatest articles from our site automatically each week (give or take)right to your inbox. The new street level also kept sewers draining into Elliott Bay from backing up at high tide. What they realized was, this fire had relieved them of a massive problem rodents. The underground city is dark and musty. Hear their stories as you roam the exclusive passageways of the world-famous Underground Tour. Tours of Seattle's "underground" take visitors down beneath Pioneer Square, and through the maze of buried alleys and storefronts that were once Seattle's surface streets. They're remnants of the first Seattle, built in 1851 then destroyed by the 1889 Great Seattle Fire. 614 1st Avenue, in Pioneer Place Park, Pioneer Square, between Cherry and James Street. 0. But that's not all they offer. Find the perfect seattle underground city stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. He has a rich history but his passion for preserving the 'original Seattle' came about in the 1950s. 0. Did you know there are also hidden and abandoned speakeasy tunnels underneath Los Angeles? As with many abandoned spaces in cities, the Underground morphed into the haunt of people outside of Seattles polite society. Next:20 (Epic & Intimidating) Tunnels We'll Want To Close Our Eyes For When Traveling Through, Aaron is a first-hand traveler who has visited more than 80 countries around the world. Save 44% on prepaid admission to 5 attractions. Were always looking for your input! Tip: This Is Downtown Seattle So Parking Is An Issue, Better To Take The Bus Or Light Rail, Related:This Is How You Can See The Roman Catacombs While You're In Rome. Madame de Pompadour was the alluring chief mistress of King Louis XV, but few people know her dark historyor the chilling secret shared by her and Louis. Whats more, the fire is estimated to have killed more than a million rodents, effectively solving Seattles pest problem. If your electricity has been disconnected, call (206) 684-3000 Monday . Underneath present-day Pioneer Square, you'll find abandoned streets and office buildings even a beauty parlor. After the streets were regraded, pedestrians needed to climb ladders to get back to the sidewalks in front of the buildings. Almost a million rats were killed in the fire. Please reach out to us to let us know what youre interested in reading. The city has a reputation as a haven for coffee connoisseurs. The various tours will give you plenty of sordid stories from the Undergrounds seedy history, about gangsters, drug addicts, and sex workers. They're a great crash course (or refresher) on Seattle history, and kids and adults both find them fascinating. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The first neighborhood settled by the ever-so-humble pioneers came to be called Pioneer Square. Seattle City Light is disconnecting customers for non-payment. Madame de Pompadour didn't just share King Louis XV's bed, she also shared his power. Thanks for your time! Citizens still walked on the old streets and had to climb a staircase to get to a store. A City Light lineworker at work in an underground vault. New buildings made the ground level a basement and others simply left their businesses on the underground floors. The city government decided to build back better and laid concrete and stone upon the old city to build the new city of Seattle on top of its former self. Thats not necessarily a bad thing for shipping lumber, but it came with some problems: most notably, the floods that frequently swept through the fledgling city. For a time the old ground floor continued to be used. Make sure to click on the link below to read about how to experience this unique aspect of Seattle! Join thousands of others and start your morning with our Fact Of The Day newsletter. Only a small portion of the Seattle Underground has been restored and made safe and accessible to the public on guided tours. At the base of these steeply rising hills was a low-lying marshland. Then they have a tour for that too! Seattlers thus started following a tide timetable to carry out their loo-activities and other businesses that needed them to visit the waterfront. I knew that she was going to take it badly, but I had no idea about the insane lengths she would go to just to get revenge and mess with my life. From petty paybacks to insane acts of karma, these bitter people somehow found the most ingenious ways. Is there a city under a city in Seattle? Full description. The business district, four wharves, and all of the city's railroad terminals were destroyed. The Underground, created when the city rebuilt on top of itself after the Great Seattle Fire of 1889, is renowned for paranormal spirits thought to be the neighborhood's notoriously murdered, unrequited souls. Thanks for your help! Spend less and experience more at Seattle's must-see attractions! Seattle Underground hides the remnants of the old city. Today, Underground Seattle lies beneath. But then in 1907, the city condemned the Underground. It is home to Microsoft, Amazon, and Starbucks. And there, the ruins of shops, hotels, houses can be seen still standing. All of the streets were to be raised about 12 feet, up to 30 feet in some particularly low-lying spots. If you've ever been curious about this city's history, this is the best way to discover it. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Our site includes quite a bit of content, so if you're having an issue finding what you're looking for, go on ahead and use that search feature there! In the end, it meant that the old city had been covered and lost beneath the new ground level of the city. The Seattle Underground is a tourist attraction in Seattle, Washington that resulted from city planning after the destruction of a large number of downtown buildings during the Great Seattle Fire in the late 19th century. Buildings were made of wood, which made fire-dousing a difficult job. Seattlers decided to move their rebuilding efforts to a higher platform. Is there a city beneath Seattle? Factinate is a fact website that is dedicated to finding and sharing fun facts about science, history, animals, films, people, and much more. Tours start on the hour every day (including public holidays and weekends). The naturally steep hillsides were used and, through a series of sluices, material was washed into the wide "alleys", by raising the streets to the desired new level, generally 12 feet (3.7m) higher than before, in some places nearly 30 feet (9.1m). Learn the history of Seattle's construction and about the tragedy that befell the city and its habitants along the way. Bill Speidel established the Underground Tour in 1965, sensing that people (especially tourists) were interested in visiting the subterranean old city. See how a new Seattle was literally built on top of the old Seattle. However, despite our best efforts, we sometimes miss the mark. Under the streets of Pioneer Square neighborhood, there is an entire network of subterranean hallways, corridors, and basements, where the city of Seattle was born. Rehabilitation and rebuilding efforts started almost immediately. The abandoned ruins made for great travel catch. Shop owners and landlords also knew that the second floors of their new buildings would eventually be the ground floor. Related:The Paris Catacombs Are The Final Resting Places Of Six Million People, And You Can Visit Them. It quite literally became the citys seedy underbelly. In 1965, he created Bill Speidels Underground Tour, reigniting interest in this bizarre piece of Seattles history. There have also been reported sightings of ghosts in the area. Tour Duration: 1hr. Speidel passed away in 1988, but the Underground Tour is still operating; being one of Seattles top tourist attractions. The only way to bring criminals to record was public hanging (mob justice). But in the 1960s, a local eccentric named Bill Speidel saw untapped potential in the strange spectacle of the Undergrounds buried streets and buildings. Specialties: Bill Speidel's Underground Tour is a leisurely, guided walking tour beneath Seattle's sidewalks and streets. Sometime around the 1880s, things changed for this city. Tour info: The tour is 75 minutes long, the underground can be rugged, so dont hesitate on using comfortable shoes. Buried for decades, these abandoned spaces have become a popular tourist attraction and a real-life history museum of Seattles past. Once the fire was finally out and the damage was assessed, it was time to rebuild. In recent decades, they have become a tourist attraction, with guided tours taking place around the area. The underground city was declared unsafe decades ago, but parts of it have been thrown open to tour operators. He mounted a citizen campaign that restored some of the tunnels to their authentic state. When she isn't writing stories to scare you under the covers? What sets Seattle apart from the big boys like New York or San Francisco is that theres a charm to the Rainy City that makes it feel better than the big boys. Theres a secret hiding underneath Seattles Pioneer Square. This remnant of the previous ground-level still saw some use for a couple decades but in 1907, it was finally condemned out of fear that it was helping to spread the bubonic plague. The damage was estimated to be around $20 million (around $560 million today). The structures were constructed after the Great Seattle Fire on June 6th, 1889, a fire that destroyed more than 25 blocks of stores, homes and workshops. As you roam the subterranean passages that once were the main roadways and first-floor storefronts of old downtown Seattle, our guides regale you with the stories our pioneers didn't want you to hear. A large part of the city, including its people, still retain the old world-ism, and the underground citys mysticism only adds to it. The Seattle Underground is a network of underground passageways and basements in downtown Pioneer Square, Seattle that were at ground level when the city was built in the mid-19th century. This was to eventually form the basis of construction for the new city of Seattle, as we know it today. 206-682-4646 Ticket Prices $22 Adult (18-59 yrs) $20 Senior (60+ yrs) $20 Student (13-17 yrs or with valid college ID) $10 Youth (7-12 yrs) $50 Underground Tour and Underground Paranormal Experience Combo Ticket. As all housing facilities were connected with the main sewage line lying on the waterfront, the reverse force of tidal water used to flood all the toilets in the city. In 1907, the city condemned the Underground for fear of bubonic plague, two years before the 1909 World Fair in Seattle (Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition). Eventually, as almost the entire city seemed to wear its new skin, the old underground city was totally abandoned. As the years passed, the Seattle Underground saw less and less use, until it was almost completely forgotten. This time, they werent going to make their city a tinderbox. To rid Seattle of the tide problem, downtown was leveled. You'll wander along what was once the main street level along the "ground-floor" storefronts while learning about all kinds of interesting trivia about old Seattle. With all of its modern charm, few people would ever notice that there is an entire hidden underground city beneath the streets. My mom never told me how her best friend died. A historic preservation movement in the late 1960's allowed some of the original underground to remain. The development of better infrastructural facilities led to the city improving its law and order situation. Share: 0. Is there an underground city in Chicago? And there, the ruins of shops, hotels, houses can be seen still standing. However, some kept using them as secret establishments for speakeasies, opium dens and gambling. It may have seemed like a good idea at the time, but all the water did was thin out the turpentine. Seattle Underground hides the remnants of the old city. Overview. The city's most popular under-cover passages and pedestrian tunnels are just a tiny portion of Seattle's under-cover infrastructure that includes more than 150 tunnels and covers 74 miles . As the new street level was established at generally 12 feet higher . Seattle is hard to define. You can do most of Tulsa's tunnel tour on your own and for free. Below Seattle lies the older Seattle, in ruins dark and scroungy. In 1965, the underground city reopened, but only through tours like mine. This World-Famous City Sits on Top of an Underground Ghost Town. They might as well have been squirting the flames with a water pistol. 119 South Main St, Seattle, WA 98104, USA Open in Google Maps Confirmation will be received at time of booking Not wheelchair accessible Not recommended for travelers with back problems Service animals allowed Near public transportation Most travelers can participate Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Under the streets of Pioneer Square neighborhood, there is an entire network of subterranean hallways, corridors, and basements, where the city of Seattle was born. The villages that the Native American tribes lived in, rested on swampy mud land. BILL SPEIDEL'S UNDERGROUND TOUR Bill Speidel's Underground Tour times. Historyplex attempts to scratch beneath modern Seattles shiny wet surface to get to the history of Seattles underground city. Call 206-682-4646, ext. By VL Jones. A historian and columnist for the Seattle Times, Bill Spiedel, took notice of the subterranean ruins. The Seattle Underground is one of the most unusual (and eery) attractions in the United States. When life gives you lemons, and all that Wooden buildings, wooden walkways, wooden bridgesthey even hollowed out scrap logs and used them for sewage and water pipes. Tourists and locals alike can appreciate this guided tour in Pioneer Square, as it offers a unique look in the . You can buy tickets online from Bill Spiedels official website and also by phone or on-site. It was only a matter of time before it went up in flamesand that day came on June 6, 1889. He is one of a group of visionaries who saved Pioneer Square by mounting a citizen campaign to convince the city to designate downtown . Below Seattle lies the older Seattle, in ruins - dark and scroungy. Once the new sidewalks were complete, building owners moved their businesses to the new ground floor, although merchants carried on business in the lowest floors of buildings that survived the fire, and pedestrians continued to use the underground sidewalks lit by the vault lights (still seen on some streets) embedded in the grade-level sidewalk above. Afterward, mud covered the town, so locals built eight-foot retaining walls and paved over the destruction, raising street . The scene was changing, the city was getting more organized, and the womenfolk had striven hard to civilize Seattle and make it a better place to work and live. For a while, streets and walkways were at the new ground level, but shop entrances were 12 feet down, meaning youd have to climb down a ladder off the sidewalk to enter a building. The underground portion of the tour takes you to explore three tunnels and four blocks of the city that once was, and still is to a certain degree, buried away beneath the current Pioneer Square. They were located at ground level when the city was built in the mid-19th century but fell into disuse after the streets were elevated. When everything is so dark and spooky, it's really no . An apprentice carpenter put a pot of glue on the stove and promptly forgot about it. Copyright Historyplex & Buzzle.com, Inc. Read how a freak fire incident gave Seattle the opportunity to build a new city for itself 12 feet above the old one! The higher elevation had the extra benefit of that the sewer stopped backing up at high tide (ugh). On June 6, 1889, sometime around noon, a worker in a cabinet-making shop spilled some glue over a gasoline fire. For income-eligible residential customers, we have bill assistance programs available, including emergency bill assistance and the Utility Discount Program. Once the regrade was complete, owners abandoned the first floors of their buildings and the city paved over the walkways in front of them, officially creating the Seattle Underground. But the ball that was rolling was to come to a screeching halt shocking all of Seattle and its people. After the buildings were constructed in the decade following the Great Fire of 1889, people came to realize that the ground floors were too close to sea level. If you take the Seattle Underground Tour, you can still explore these fascinating old ruins. The Great Seattle Fire raged all night, finally coming under control on the morning of June 7. Merchants carried on business on the bottom floors of builds that had managed to survive the fire, and pedestrians continued to use the old - now underground - sidewalks lit by the pavement lights above. The fact that fire-fighting infrastructure was poor, only further compounded the problem. Seattle Underground Tour Review. Eventually, the fear that the underground city will again invite more infectious rodents, led to Seattle moving itself, bag and baggage, to the upper city, and leaving the old city in disuse. But later the streets were elevated. Reviews on Underground City in Seattle, WA - Bill Speidel's Underground Tour, Beneath the Streets, Spooked In Seattle Ghost Tours, Seattle Free Walking Tours, Post Alley Gum Wall, Haunted History Ghost Tours of Seattle, Underground Tour, Pike Place Market, SubSeattle Tour, Fremont Troll Afterward, mud covered the town, so locals built eight-foot retaining walls and paved over the destruction, raising street-level 22 feet. The Port Angeles Underground Heritage Tour will resume soon. When the apprentice noticed the blaze hed started, he panicked and threw a bucket of water on the flamesthe worst thing he could have done.