lingering racism of their white neighbors. Relations soured after the Pearl Harbor International District attack, and few protested when Historical Walking Tour thousands of Japanese Americans were original Chinatown was later leveled to rounded up in the spring of 1942 for build the 2nd Avenue Extension. "internment" at inland camps during Introduction: In the early 1900s, work began to fill World War II. Local Chinese Americans the vast tide flats that extended south of were compelled to wear badges declar- The International District is the home of Pioneer Square along the western slope ing that they were not Japanese. ’s Chinatown and a cultural and of Beacon Hill to the mouth of the Large numbers of African Ameri- commercial center for the city’s diverse Duwamish River. The city’s major cans arrived in Seattle during World War Asian American and Pacific Islander railroads agreed to locate their Seattle II for military duty and defense work, communities. Now protected within a passenger terminals and marshalling and many occupied the former homes of national and local historic district, many of yards in the reclaimed area, and interned Japanese American residents. its buildings date from the early 1900s, engineers went to work lowering the Jackson Street bistros and dance halls when the area was regraded as part of the steep grades along and south of Jackson soon became nationally famous for jazz, development of the nearby railroad swing, and the blues. stations and train yards. The core of the The Japan Town never regained its neighborhood is bounded by Yesler Way former stature after the war, and the on the north, Dearborn Avenue on the area’s population further diversified as south, Interstate-5 on the east, and 5th growing numbers of Filipinos passed Avenue S on the west. through or settled in the area while working in Alaska’s booming canneries. Note: This tour is intended for personal use only and Such diversity led Seattle Mayor William was prepared by HistoryLink for the City of Seattle Office of Economic Development, Tourism Division. Devin to promote a new name in 1951 Copyright 2001, City of Seattle. All references to for the neighborhood, the "International contemporary businesses in this tour date from June District," although this still rankles some 2001. They are cited for orientation and information Chinese community leaders. purposes only and do not imply recommendation or Street S for development of a new The International endorsement by the City of Seattle or by HistoryLink. business district. Numerous hotels were District (and To learn more a International District history, visit built in this area to house railroad Chinatown espe- www.historylink.org. passengers and workers. cially) gained new Thanks in large part to one busi- clout in 1962 with the History: nessman, Chinese consul Goon Dip, the election of Wing Luke to the Seattle City Seattle’s first Chinatown emerged on the area became the cradle for Seattle’s Council, the highest eastern fringe of Pioneer Square in the second Chinatown. Other Asian immi- post in the Continen- 1880s as immigrant Chinese workers were grants soon followed, notably Japanese tal U.S. then achieved recruited to help lay the area’s first and Filipinos attracted by the area’s by a Chinese Ameri- railroads, dig its coal mines, and can its inexpensive housing and storefronts for can. Although his life was cut short by a salmon harvests. Initially welcomed and their own businesses and restaurants. 1965 plane crash, Luke was a charis- admired, the Chinese became the target of By the late 1930s, Chinatown was matic champion of human rights, historic white resentment all along the West Coast established as a distinct neighborhood preservation, and other progressive during the economic recession of the mid- along with the West Coast’s second causes. He paved the way for many other 1880s. Discriminatory laws were passed to largest "Japan Town" on and around local Asian American political leaders, restrict immigration, and a mob of angry Yesler Way. Asian American truck including future State whites rioted and forcibly expelled some farmers also spread through Rainier Governor Gary Locke, the son of Chinese 300 Chinese residents from Seattle in Valley and became major suppliers to the immigrants. February 1886. The Chinese community Pike Place Market and local grocery King County’s decision to locate its gradually rebounded but most of the stores. These communities prospered in their de facto ghettoes despite the new Kingdome stadium on the western

1 edge of the International District created The downtown transit tunnel’s designed by John Graham Sr. and opened new challenges. The city approved a International District Station was in 1934. You can return to the main special review district to protect it from completed in 1990 and affords free neighborhood via the park and garden. unwelcome development and established weekday service as far north as 4. S Jackson Street at the King Street Historic District in the the State Trade & Convention Maynard Avenue S: The mid-1970s. A variety of programs were Center. The Waterfront Streetcar south side of the block also launched to promote low-income line was extended in the same is dominated by the housing, social services, and public year and terminates at 5th Avenue Bush Hotel, designed improvements. These would prove S and S Jackson Street. by J. L. McCauley and important as the neighborhood and city 2. 500 Block of S Jackson Street: The completed in 1915. It absorbed new tides of immigration from southeast corner of S Jackson and was rehabilitated in the Pacific Islands and, following the end 5th Avenue S is filled by the Buty 1981 by Arai/Jackson Architects for a of the Vietnam War, from South East Asia. Building, built in 1901 and expanded in new Bush-Asia Center and low-income The Kingdome has since been 1920 by architect James Stephen. The apartments. The adjacent United Savings demolished and replaced by new stadiums north side of S Jackson is dominated by & Loan Bank was designed by Woo and for the Mariners and Seahawks. Construc- the terra-cotta-clad Governor Apart- Par Architects and opened in 1972 as the tion of a nearby terminal for the ments, designed by J. L. McCauley and new home of the nation’s first Asian downtown transit tunnel and Waterfront built in 1926. American-owned thrift institution Streetcar, restoration of Union Station, (established in 1960). and new office, housing, and retail 3. Side Trip North on 6th Avenue S: A steep The north side of the block includes development along 5th Avenue S have ascent north on 6th Avenue S leads you the Jackson Building (1910), still home helped to revitalize the International past the classical wooden facade of the of the family-owned Higo Variety Store, District economically without sacrificing former Main Street one of Seattle’s first Japanese American its unique cultural amalgam of East and School Annex, built in retailers. West, old and new, traditional and trend- 1910 to serve the area’s The adjacent Havana Hotel was built setting. burgeoning Japan in 1908 and remodeled as the Far East Town. The nearby NP Building in 1984 under the guidance of Hotel (1914) and architect Robert Kovalenko, who has Panama Hotel (1910), guided many restoration projects in the around the corner on S International District. Main Street were also major centers for 5. 700 Block of S Jackson Street: The terra- Seattle’s Japanese cotta-clad building on the northeast Community. corner was designed by McCauley for the The Danny Woo Rainier Heat and Power Company. Later International District tenants included the Japanese Chamber Community Garden on of Commerce and the national Japanese the north side of S Main Street is one of American Citizens League, established in Seattle’s more elaborate "P-Patches." 1930. Ascending its winding stairs will lead you Note the sculpture by the late to Kobe Terrace Park. It was designed by George Tsutakawa, erected in 1978 on William Teufel and dedicated in 1975 to the southeast corner of Maynard S and S honor Seattle’s first Sister City, whose Jackson. The nearby Evergreen Apart- 1. Union Station and Vicinity: Union Station residents donated the large Yuki Modoro ments were built in 1916 as the Tokiwa opened in 1911 to serve the Oregon & "snow viewing lantern." Hotel and reflect the work of Thompson Washington Railroad, a subsidiary of The Nippon Kan ("Japanese Hall") & Thompson. Union Pacific, and the . stands at the head of S Washington Daniel J. Patterson’s design features a Street in the original Astor Hotel. This dramatic was built in 1909 and designed by the vaulted Great father-son team of Charles and Bennet Hall, which Thompson, who designed many other was restored International District structures. It was in 1999 as rehabilitated in 1978 and hosts many part of a performances and community events. remodeling Note King County’s Harborview for the new Hospital, beyond the freeway. It stands on headquarters of the the original site of the King County system. The older on Courthouse and atop "Profanity Hill," so the west was completed in 1906 by the named by the lawyers who had to ascend Great Northern Railway and Northern its steep grade from Pioneer Square. The Pacific Railroad and now serves . hospital’s original Art Deco tower was

2 6. South on 7th Avenue community bulletin board that reflects a S: A short walk south tradition dating to 1890 and is itself a on the west side of 7th designated historic landmark. Avenue S leads you to The southeast corner of S 7th the Wing Luke Asian Avenue and S King Street is anchored by Museum, whose name the Kong Yick Apartments (Thompson & honors the first Thompson, 1910). Note the faded Chinese American window lettering on the King Street side elected to the Seattle for the "Blue Funnel" steamship line. City Council. Its Immediately south of Kong Yick is excellent displays the China Garden-China Gate building. document the history of the area’s This was designed in 1924 by Andrew became a popular hostelry for Filipino diverse Asian American communities, Willatsen with the assistance of Samuel cannery workers, including famous and the basement theater offers perfor- Chinn, possibly Seattle’s first Chinese writer Carlos Bulosan, whose memory is mances and community events. The rest American architect, to house America’s honored with a lobby museum. of the west side of the street is filled by only Chinese Opera company. This 10. Maynard Avenue S and S King Street: the Milwaukee Hotel, built by Chinese tradition is carried on by the Luck Ngi This intersection is the center of the Consul Goon Dip in 1911 and a Musical Club, but the International District. The Hing Hay Park major impetus for development main performance space takes up the northwest corner behind of Seattle’s second Chinatown. was later converted into a the Bush Hotel. It was dedicated in 1975 The east side of the 400 popular night club, China and features an ornate pavilion built in block of 7th Avenue S is domi- Garden, and now houses Taiwan. The northeast corner of Maynard nated by the ornate former Lin the China Gate restau- is filled by the large Atlas Hotel, built in Yuen Apartments and Republic rant. 1920. Hotel, built in 1920, and the older The block terminates The Rex Hotel on the southeast New American Hotel, built in at S Weller Street with corner of Maynard S and S King Street 1916 and home of the Bing Kung the Chinese-ornamented was designed by F. H. Perkins in 1909 Association, an early family association headquarters of the Chong Wa Benevo- and recently remodeled for low-income or "tong." Note its elaborate upper story lent Association, built in 1929. A side trip housing. It is also home to the venerable balcony on S King Street. Another such one block farther south will lead you to Tai Tung Restaurant, established in 1935 treatment can be seen farther east atop the International Children’s Park, and the district’s oldest continuously the Hip Sing Association building at the designed by Joey Ing in 1981. operating eatery. The southwest corner corner of S King and 8th Avenue S. 8. Side Trip into Maynard Alley: Maynard is occupied by the Alps Hotel, built in 7. 500 Block of 7th Avenue S: The west side Alley runs north-south between 7th 1910 and designed by John Graham Sr. of 7th Avenue S is filled by three hotels Avenue S and Maynard Avenue S. The and his early partner David Myers. built between 1906 and 1909 and taken name honors Seattle pioneer David S. 11. 5th Avenue S Between S King and S over by the Gee How Oak Tin Family "Doc" Maynard who platted the future Dearborn Streets: Most of the block south Association in 1921. The brick facade of International District in 1853 when it was of 5th S is filled by the former home of the Louisa Hotel features an active still mostly under water. The stretch Uwajimaya’s, a large Asian American between S Weller and S King Streets is emporium established by the Moriguchi home to a traditional Chinese pet store Family. The store moved two blocks and a grim monument: the boarded-up south in 2001 to a new mixed use entry of the Wah Mee Club where in 1983 development occupying the block young robbers butchered 13 gamblers in bounded by S Weller, S Lane, 5th S, and Seattle’s worst mass murder. 6th S. 9. North on Maynard Avenue S: The west Opposite 5th Avenue S stands a new side of Maynard S is dominated by complex of office buildings developed by Freedman Building (also known as the Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and Adams Hotel), but we have no record of Nitze-Stagen & Company and largely the architect who created its distinctive designed by NBBJ architects. A short facade. The recently restored Eastern walk north will return you to Union Hotel stands oppo- Station and connections to the site, near the center downtown transit tunnel and of the block. It was Waterfront Streetcar. designed by David We have only sampled a Dow for the Wah few of the many attractions of Chong Company, one the International District and of Seattle’s first hope you will now explore on Chinese businesses, your own. in 1911. It later

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