The “Queen City of the Pacific Northwest” You may be wondering how the Emerald City came to be? It wasn’t always so-called after the glittery green gem. Seattle adopted the Emerald City epithet in 1982, but as early as 1869, realtors in Portland, Oregon had coined the city the “Queen City of the Pacific Northwest,” proving that no matter the name, Seattle has always been beloved. So, what’s in its actual name, anyway? Good question. The City of Seattle was named after the Native American leader, Chief Sealth, the Lushootseed-speaking Duwamish Indian leader of the Coast Salish Indigenous peoples. The city that we now know today was built upon Indigenous land that the Duwamish and Suquamish Tribes stewarded for millennia. This was long before Seattle realtors, Seattle real estate for sale, and other property-buying jargon we are accustomed to hearing today. The Indigenous peoples of the land cared for the Puget Sound (Salish Sea) region in a more holistic way, one that was sustainable and fruitful. It was the local tribes’ extensive knowledge of the region that prevented some of the earliest white settlers from perishing. Seattle started out as a rough and tumble logging town. Henry Yesler’s lumber mill was one of the most important businesses in the city’s history. Not only did it supply lumber for the fledgling towns around the Puget Sound, but it also supplied San Francisco, California, a city that was growing at break-neck speed. Seattle was officially incorporated in 1869, 20 years before Washington became a state, and at the time, had more than 2,000 residents. Nowadays, you’ll find 2,000 residents in one of Seattle's smaller neighborhoods, a testament to the fact that Seattle real estate has always been coveted. By the 1880s, the City of Seattle was served by a railroad, and like most settlements in the West, once the railroads came, so did massive growth. Seattle recounts in its historic archive that in the first half of 1889, the city was gaining 1,000 new residents each month. This was an impressive figure for a Pacific Northwest town in what was considered to be a remote wilderness area. All came to a screeching halt on June 6th, 1889, however, when a massive fire tore through the heart of the city, destroying 116 acres of the business district. The fire was prolific because the entire city was made from lumber. Seattle residents began to rebuild immediately, vowing to build it better than before. They created a professional fire department, reconstructed wharves, streets, and municipal waterworks, and most importantly, built with brick or steel. The resulting structures were undoubtedly more impressive, but ultimately, they made for a more fire-resistant city going forward.

Things to Do in Seattle
There’s no shortage of things to do in Seattle, but let’s examine some of the highlights. A day well-spent would of course get started off with a great cup of coffee with some magical barista art in the foam and would end with taking in the city lights and the sunset from high up on one of Seattle’s many hills.

Of course, when “the mountain is out” meaning the sun is high and full in the sky and Seattle looks like the most resplendent place on earth, the awe-inspiring views of Mount Rainier are enough to wile a day away alone.

Here are some other fun Seattle tips:

Visit the famous (or infamous) Gum Wall in Pike Place Market.

Visit the entire Pike Place Market in general and all of its quirky shops, fine eateries, and handmade local art. Don’t miss the fresh fish stall where world-famous fishmongers toss some of the largest fish you’ve ever seen to one another like it’s no big deal.

Take in some live music at the Triple Door or The Crocodile, the latter being what Rolling Stone magazine calls one of the “Best Clubs in America”.

Get completely and utterly drunk in Pioneer Square, because that’s where the party’s at and has been since the city’s earliest days.

Air it out in Gas Works Park, a unique waterfront park that repurposes the unique equipment of the city’s former gasification plant.

Ride the monorail around town.

Take a day trip to Mount Rainier National Park.

Curl up in a cozy coffee shop and read a book as many Seattleites do. The city happens to be one of the most well-read in the country.