10/21/2023 0 Comments Wax poetic seattle(Perhaps on moonlit nights ghosts descend the stairways to take spirit trolleys to their jobs on the astral plane - who can say?) These parallel stairways date from trolley days and both start at 10th Avenue East, two blocks west of Highland Cemetery. Then try a return trip one block south via the charming 293-step Blaine Street Stairs, which escorts climbers into the hidden Streissguth Gardens of North Capitol Hill. ![]() Howe Street and Blaine Street Stairs, Capitol Hill-Eastlake (Seattle)Įxplore Seattle’s longest stairway as it cascades 388 steps down East Howe Street on Capitol Hill through Colonnade Park to Franklin Avenue East in Eastlake. Stairway descending the west side of Capitol Hill. Bring a picnic and enjoy the lovely, fairy-tale splendor of nearby Parsons Gardens (650 W. Pair with: Snap some photos as Wilcox Wall is very photogenic - and the views of Elliot Bay from Marshall Park aren’t bad either. Approach its southern end from Marshall Park (1191 7th Ave. Escher print.ĭesigned by architect and namesake Walter Wilcox (who also designed the Arboretum Bridge) and built-in 1913, the Wilcox Wall runs along Eighth Place West for almost a half-mile. Walking up and down this Byzantine beauty may make you feel like you’ve walked into a M.C. The perfect exercise for aspiring sleuths: See if you can find all 464 steps in the Wilcox Wall on the west slope of Queen Anne.Īctually an ornate brick-and-concrete retaining wall, Wilcox Wall has three double staircases, Gothic arches and Art Deco streetlights. Wilcox Wall on the west side of Seattle's Queen Anne hill. Whether you find them at street’s end or on park land, public stairways offer a way to exercise both your body and your mind. Some 500 outdoor stairways are maintained by the Seattle Department of Transportation and 100 more are managed by Seattle Parks. For example, the 107 steps of the metal spiral staircase of Volunteer Park’s water tower in Seattle take you to the celebrated Olmstead vista of city, Sound and mountains.Īlthough some urban stairways seem to lure you into a private world, rest assured we all share the stairs: They're public and yours to explore. Other stairways go beyond stylish functionality. ![]() The Jaramillos explain how many of the older neighborhood stairways around Seattle were first built “as a way for developers to expand and extend the links between trolley stops and residential tracks.”Ĭertainly, this is true of the Comstock Grand Dame, a romantic 85-step stairway that begins in a cul-de-sac on Comstock Street, just east of Queen Anne Avenue North. ![]() In the book “ Seattle Stairways Walks: An Up-and-Down Guide to City Neighborhoods,” Jake and Cathy Jaramillo build urban hikes around some of our area’s most interesting stairways. Indeed, the stairway walks in this article lead families to hidden pockets of urban nature, delightful public gardens and fairy woods. ![]() The best stairways are rich with atmosphere - climbing them feels more like an adventure than a workout. Some reveal views of the water. Others are spectacular themselves, feats of design and engineering. Stairways as urban adventureīecause of the rugged topography of the Puget Sound area, you can find stairways zigzagging up and down hillsides all over the region. Many stairways are secret shortcuts through quiet neighborhoods. When we take stairs, we cut to the chase and explore a mystery, with the added bonus of exercise. From their landings, stairways psychologically intrigue - their rising steps beckon to the imagination, inviting us to see where they lead.
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