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| The Tlingit Indian Totem Pole stands in Pioneer Square Park. This property was originally the site of the city's first mill, built in 1853 by Henry Yesler. |
Pioneer Square, one of America's largest National Historic Districts, is located in the traditional heart of downtown Seattle. Its unique location - south of the retail and financial districts, close to both Safeco Field and Qwest Field, and bordered by the waterfront to the west and the Chinatown / International District to the east - gave the Pioneer Square neighborhood the nickname "where Seattle begins."
A stroll around this highly-walkable area is all it takes to familiarize visitors with the neighborhood. Public parks and art installations by the dozens are only a short distance from any of the neighborhood's many transit hubs, and offer a way to see many of the area's highlights on the cheap. The welcoming pedestrian environment means visitors can enjoy the century-old pergola in Pioneer Square Park, enjoy the view of the Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains from the Washington Street Boat Landing, challenge a friend to a game of bocce in Occidental Park, and lunch at the Waterfall Garden, all on foot and for free.
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| The streets of Pioneer Square are lined with colorful storefronts housing boutiques and shops with one-of-a-kind gifts. |
Much of Pioneer Square's charm and energy are the result of its rich and varied history, and visitors can't help but feel as if they have traveled back in time as they wander the many cobblestone streets and soak up the Victorian architecture. The character many visitors enjoy today is largely the result of the Great Fire of 1889, after which most of downtown Seattle, as we know it, was built. But the Great Fire was just one of the many historic events that helped shape this community: this neighborhood's colorful past is also one of brothels and bureaucrats, corruption and community, artists and Arctic explorers, Skid Row and subterranean sidewalks. Walk down any of Pioneer Square's narrow, tree-lined streets and read the names of pioneers who built not only Pioneer Square, but Seattle itself: Denny, Maynard, Yesler, Furuya, Smith, Broderick. The Pioneer Square Community Association (at 201 Yesler Way) and the Underground Tour (at 608 1st Ave.) both offer fascinating tours of the neighborhood's history.
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| Seattle's most talented emerging artists show their work at First Thursday Art in the Park. |
Today that rich history has given way to a lively and diverse community that is bustling with energy 24/7. Artists, who helped revitalize this neighborhood in the 1970s, remain an important part of the community, and on the First Thursday Art Walk visitors can enjoy the hundreds of galleries and studios that continue to call Pioneer Square home. Small shops selling one-of-a-kind fashions and antique furnishings fill almost every storefront, and the holiday season is always a great time to enjoy Pioneer Square's destination shopping.
Cutting-edge companies occupy the upper floors of the more than 200 historic buildings that make up Pioneer Square. These firms represent a "who's who" in the fields of technology, online gaming, graphic design, architecture, and interiors; these progressive industries have come to represent the bright future of this historic and charming area.
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