Title: October 31, 2016 - Seattle Day Two - Walking Pioneer Square Park Area
Hike Info : Description : Background : Extra Photo's
Trail head:Travelodge by Space Needle, 200 6th St N, Seattle, WA
Hike Info:
Type:Walking
Destination:Pioneer Square Park
Distance: 5.99 miles
Start Time:11:33
End Time: 6:58
Travel Time: 7:25
GPS Tracks
| Actual Places We Visited | Planned Places |
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I
would have thought that we would have started earlier today rather
than later. But we were delayed a bit because of rain-guess we are
wimps- and indecision. But we do start out. We are going to go to
Pioneer Square Park and do an underground Seattle tour.
But
then, we pass by 2nd
Street and Vine and I ask Sherri isn't that the Ex
Official store (outdoor clothing) she and Rose talk about? Sure
enough is. This is the “home” store so in we go. We walk around
the store for awhile. Sherri picks up some light weight
undergarments. I thinking that uuughh, its a clothing store, just go
through the motions of looking through the store. But I am sucker for
close out stuff. There is a nice looking waterproof jacket with a
fleece removable liner for a price of $90-at least half off. So I
managed to spend more money there than Sherri. In my defense, I wore
that most of the time in Seattle from then on. It repelled water
pretty nicely.
We
walked down 2nd
Street, past Pike Public Market and the Seattle Art Museum. I am
starting to think, where are we? Where is this place. About that
time, we see a sign for Beneath
the Streets.
That must be it! So down we go, probably about 20'. There a
receptionist, took a reservation for about an hour away-pleasant
conversation with her. So we had an hour to kill.
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| Gary and the Chief |
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| Totem Pole by Pioneer Square |
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| Totam Pole by Pioneer Square |
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| Smith Building |
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| Entrance to the underground tour |
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| Above us-sidewalk |
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| Back into the underground |
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| Underground sidewalk |
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| Old time sky light |
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| Entrance to Comedy Underground |
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| Supporting wall to sidewalk above |
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| Glassworks |
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| Occidental Park |
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| Guess Where? |
We continued our southward journey for another block or two where we spot a Starbucks. Sherri tries her luck again with her gold card and comes back miffed. Still her coffee was good. And it was a good place to rest a bit before our next stop.
That would be
just down the block. We pass by this building a time or two before
realizing this building was what we were looking for. It is the
Klondike Gold
Rush National Park. First, I am not sure why this place has a
national park designation, not something else-like a historical
place. But once in the building, there is enough to fill up at least
an hour if not two just wandering, reading the exhibits. During the
walking around the “park”, the exhibits follow four lives,
including the life a female child. The exhibits show the various
routes stampeders used to get to the gold fields. After reading about
each route, I wonder, were these folks crazy? There was no good way
to get there and once you got there, life did not get easier. The
question is why a gold rush park in Washington? Because it was
Seattle where the stampeders started from. One thing which caught my
eye was the amount of supplies which each person had to bring-a
year's supply of food an materials, over a ton's worth. As we were
leaving, one thing which caught my eye was there was a national park
boundary sign. Cute.By now, we are pushing five and it is starting to get dark and we are getting hungry. We go past the #2 fire station and then through Occidental Park again. But by this time everything of interest is closed up. So we are left with only the quietness of a nearly deserted park in fall. A good sight.
Now the question
is where to eat? We think that if we can reach Pike Market in time,
that piroshky shop would be worth the try. I used to make piroshky's
when we first got married, so we are interested in seeing how they
compare. So with a half an hour of walking we come to Piroshky
Piroshky. The overcast is darkening when we get to the shop. There is
a line, but it is short; the store is closing in a few minutes. So we
order our pirosky's-I order a beef and cheese-on second thought, two
of them, and Sherri a broccoli and cheese. Then we spy a Nutella one
and order that. All of these came out to under $15-some of it is that
they wanted to get rid of their stock before they closed.
Andrea
recommended that we look into two places. One of these is the Metzker
Map Store, which just happens to be within two blocks of us. Wonder
if it is open? On the way, we pass a place called Rachel's Ginger
Beer. While we do not stop, we think of our our Rachel. But on to
Metzker Map Store. Its open!
So in we walk. Andrea is right, this is someplace which is heaven to
someone who likes maps. I wandered around starry eyed, pulling maps
out and examining them, looking at walls covered with maps. Then I
talked with one of the people on the floor and it was like communing
with a brother. Just so excellent of a place. Not sure why this is
not on as a tourist stop.
But it was been
a long day and it is time to head back to our hotel. So off we go,
looking at windows, but not stopping. It seems like it is a lot later
than 7pm when we get in, but is what the clock says. After writing up
a few things and talking about what to do tomorrow, it is time to
turn in.
Background
- Pioneer Square Park. 4 stars This is a neighborhood park in the old part of Seattle. This park is small and will take about 20 minutes to look around. There are three things in this park: a statue of Chief Seattle, a copy of the original totem pole-the original was burnt in a fire, and the pergoda. If you come here, it is because of the history of the area rather than the attractions-there are some shops close by.
- Beneath the Streets. 4 stars. This was an enjoyable tour combing visual and oral histories of Seattle. Our guide was an actor and you could tell that he knew how to present his material. We learned a good deal about the early history of Seattle from Chief Seattle to the totem pole by Pioneer Square Park to the old Seattle bar to how come the street level buildings are at the second floor. The one thing which I was a bit disappointed about the tour was that a good part of the tour was above ground.
- Glasshouse Studio. 5 stars. What attracts you is the beauty of the glass work, but what really keeps you in the place is the furnaces and the glass blowers. You quickly realize that glass blowing is more than taking a big breath and blowing. My recommendation is that before you go to the Chihuly Gardens, you stop and at the Glasshouse Studio.
- Klondike Gold Rush NP. 4 stars. This is a hidden gem in Seattle. When we were there, only a couple of people wandered through. But I learned more about the Klondike gold rush here than I have anyplace else. The exhibits talk about the people and the routes people used to get to the Klondike. Since Seattle is the kick off for the Alaskan gold rush, this museum concentrates on that role as well as giving an overall view of the gold rush. So when in Seattle, put about an hour and a half into your schedule for this stop.
- Piroshky Piroshky, 4 stars. This place is close to Pike Market and it serves, well, pirosky. For those of us who have not tasked a real Russian pirosky, These tasted real good. If you come close to closing, they will be discounted. Try the beef and cheese or the Nutella ones. As an added bonus, walk a few steps and enjoy your pirosky while overlooking the sound. Good eating.
Occidental Park is a public
park located in the historic Pioneer Square District. The park is in
the heart of Seattle’s largest art gallery district. The S Main
Street bisects the facility and the northern half of the park is also
called Occidental square while the area to the south is also called
Occidental Mall.
The site of the Occidental Park was once the Savoy Hotel. The former pioneer Square Savoy Hotel was torn down to establish a parking lot. The park spanning over half an acre was built over this parking lot during the general renovation of Pioneer Square in 1971. The park is a cobblestone plaza open to the public where tourists, art lovers, shoppers and wanderers visit every day.
Works of art at the occidental park include totem poles carved by eminent Chinookan carver Duane Pasco. The totem poles depict the welcoming spirit of Kwakiutl, a totem bear, the tall sun and raven and a man riding on a whale. The park also has a fire fighters memorial with bronze sculptures of fire fighters in action by sculptor Hai Ying Wu. Granite slabs surrounding the sculpture have the names of firefighters who died doing their duty from the Great fire of 1889 till the present. From Seattle City Walks
The site of the Occidental Park was once the Savoy Hotel. The former pioneer Square Savoy Hotel was torn down to establish a parking lot. The park spanning over half an acre was built over this parking lot during the general renovation of Pioneer Square in 1971. The park is a cobblestone plaza open to the public where tourists, art lovers, shoppers and wanderers visit every day.
Works of art at the occidental park include totem poles carved by eminent Chinookan carver Duane Pasco. The totem poles depict the welcoming spirit of Kwakiutl, a totem bear, the tall sun and raven and a man riding on a whale. The park also has a fire fighters memorial with bronze sculptures of fire fighters in action by sculptor Hai Ying Wu. Granite slabs surrounding the sculpture have the names of firefighters who died doing their duty from the Great fire of 1889 till the present. From Seattle City Walks
The Pioneer Square Park also known as
the Pioneer Square Plaza is a small triangular brick and cobblestone
plaza located in the middle of old Seattle. The area around the Park
provided the lumber for Henry Yesler’s steam powered sawmill that
was the first industry established in what later grew to become the
city of Seattle.
Pioneer Square Park features a totem pole made by the Tlingit tribe of southeastern Alaska and a bust of Chief Seattle perched upon a drinking fountain. The park is lit by turn of the century lamps that preserve the early ambiance of Seattle. In 1909, an ornate iron pergola was built for the first international fair held in Seattle, the Alaska Yukon Pacific Exhibition of 1909. The pergola now stands over an underground restroom. The restroom at Pioneer Square Park is considered the finest underground restrooms in the US. The structure also shelters people who wait for the streetcar. The pergola was knocked down by a speeding truck in 2001 and fully restored in 2002. From Seattle City Walks
Pioneer Square Park features a totem pole made by the Tlingit tribe of southeastern Alaska and a bust of Chief Seattle perched upon a drinking fountain. The park is lit by turn of the century lamps that preserve the early ambiance of Seattle. In 1909, an ornate iron pergola was built for the first international fair held in Seattle, the Alaska Yukon Pacific Exhibition of 1909. The pergola now stands over an underground restroom. The restroom at Pioneer Square Park is considered the finest underground restrooms in the US. The structure also shelters people who wait for the streetcar. The pergola was knocked down by a speeding truck in 2001 and fully restored in 2002. From Seattle City Walks
Extra Photo's
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| Intersting mural by Pioneer Square Park |
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| Seattle Oldest Bar |
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| Smith Building and Columbia Center |
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| King Street Station |
