The Seattle Underground: The Hidden City

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"When I first came here, this was all swamp. Everyone said I was daft to build a castle on a swamp, but I built in all the same, just to show them. It sank into the swamp. So I built a second one. And that one sank into the swamp. So I built a third. That burned down, fell over, and then sank into the swamp. But the fourth one stayed up." - Monty Python

I've taken the seattle underground tour and I CANNOT RECOMMEND IT ENOUGH. It's an amazing tour and the workers are fantastic. I am also incredibly happy that Simon talked about Lou Graham. She is legit the reason why seattle is what it is today!

My uncle actually lived in the 'underground' between '71 and '74. That guy is quite the character, returned from Vietnam in '70 and, like many other returning vets, he was better prepared for war than reintegration into society.

I worked as a painter in an old apartment building in Pioneer Square a few years back. The basement had a tunnel passage the went into a part of the underground not included on the tour. There was an old speakeasy that looked frozen in time and blanketed in dust. There were bottles still in a manual dumbwaiter they used to get everything out of sight when needed during prohibition.

Local Seattle trivia: the city is said to be named for a Duwamish chief who helped the settlers not die. There’s a plaque in his honor down at the Ballard Locks. Also at the locks: one of the US’s first fish migration ladders.

Long story, short: Seattle was founded because Portland sucks. Some things never change.

If I remember correctly from when I went on the tour , they called the taxes charged SMUT tax.. sewing machine usage tax

I live in Salem, Oregon. We also have an underground city, where the Chinese businesses were. Laundries, restaurants, they throve underground.

I toured the Seattle Underground 3 years ago and loved it. So very interesting. I remember watching that episode of Night Staker many years ago and it was why I headed straight for the underground as soon as I arrive in Seattle. Thanks for your great videos.

As someone who grew up in the Seattle area and moved away at 15, I am extremely salty about not learning about the underground until I was an adult. Anyway, GREAT video, as usual, please do one on Chief Seattle (also known as Si'ahl or Chief Sealth)! It's going to be a lot of difficult names, but he was an important person. I may not have gotten to go into the underground, but my dad definitely took my sister and I to see his gravesite.

About 5 years ago my daughter and I flew to Seattle for the weekend. We actually went there to shop, but while we were there we decided to do the underground tour. We completely enjoyed it and I highly recommend it.

I lived right on Alki Point, interestingly, the house that inspired the movie "Up" was just several houses up the street. It was fun watching the workmen building a U shaped multiplex around her tiny house! I used to tell folks that I could point out exactly where I lived on any world map as Alki's point is so distinct. There's a mini Statue of Liberty on Alki Beach and a memorial to the Denny party.

There's also the Death Museum located in the underground area featuring a nice collection of macabre collectables which is free.

remind anybody of old New York in Futurama

Nothing about chief seattle? There’s a huge native presence here and it’s a big part of the history

I grew up in Seattle, and have been fortunate to take the underground tour more than once. It's great. An incredible piece of our history. Lots of jokes and tons of old stories. Thanks for showcasing it. Love your vids.

I grew up an hour north of Seattle and now live here. It's been a while since I took the underground tour in 5th grade (I'm 28). Here are a couple things you missed: 1st of all, pronounciation- (I don't have the time to do this properly so hopefully this will work) Alki: Al-keye, Duamish: Dew-aum-ish. 2nd, the settlers spent the 1st winter on Alki, against the advice of the natives, then moved inland to where downtown is today. 3rd, someone already said this, but Seattle was named after Chief Seattle of the Duamish tribe. 4th, they got rid of Denny Hill to fill in the city. They used water to wash the dirt downhill. Also, they used a little bit of everything they could find; sawdust, garbage, etc.

All Geography majors learn: Geography isn't about where things are, but rather WHY things are where they are. "Why here & not there?" "Why the hell here?" "Why are there so many (ethnic group) here? - There are reasons why things are where they are. And every reason has a story.

“The pipes were made out wood so they were burning as well” “The city council hadn’t bothered to place signs warning of a 35ft drop between the streets” “There were not enough women to go around as wives but a lady came up with a solution. Build a brothel” “The prostitutes became the most educated and sophisticated inhabitants of the city” I laughed so much at all of this. Am I a bad person?