The hottest Urban History Substack posts right now

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A Streetcar Named Seattle

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 299 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
💾 History Urban History Transportation Public Transit City Development
  1. Seattle once had a large trolley and cable car system used by millions before it was replaced by buses in 1941. It was a major form of transportation before most people owned cars.
  2. Many physical reminders of the trolley system still exist in Seattle, like special street corners and widened streets made for the trolleys. These features show how the city was planned around this transportation method.
  3. The modern electric trolleys in Seattle run on routes that often follow the old trolley paths, preserving a piece of the city's history in its current transit system.

The Lost Islands Of Seattle

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 139 implied HN points • 03 Nov 22
💾 History Urban History Geography Cartography Local history
  1. Seattle used to have more islands than it does now. Some islands formed quickly and then disappeared due to construction and changing landscapes.
  2. At one point, Seattle was completely surrounded by water, making it an island for a brief period in history. This showed how much the city has changed over time.
  3. Certain places in and around Seattle, like Seward Park and Foster Island, had unique histories as 'temporary islands' due to seasonal water levels.

Denny Hill Still Exists

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 79 implied HN points • 22 Sep 22
💾 History Urban History Environmental History
  1. Denny Hill in Seattle is not gone; it's now underwater. You can still find it if you know where to look, like diving into Elliott Bay.
  2. Between 1897 and 1930, they did five big regrades to lower Denny Hill by 100 feet, changing the land right by the water.
  3. Scientists discovered that the underwater area looks different because it has a structure made of dirt from Denny Hill, proving that the hill still exists today.

Ancient Houses of Denny Hill

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 79 implied HN points • 23 Dec 21
💾 History Urban History Architecture Cultural heritage Local history
  1. Denny Hill in Seattle was heavily regraded in the early 1900s, changing the landscape significantly and moving a lot of dirt and buildings.
  2. Only two houses from Denny Hill still exist today: one is Belltown Funky Studios, which is in bad shape and might be demolished soon, and the other is on Lopez Island, having been moved there in the past.
  3. People often moved houses during the Denny Hill regrade, showing how careful movers were back then; if you know about more surviving houses, it's exciting to hear those stories.

Horse Power

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 39 implied HN points • 03 Jun 21
💾 History Urban History Transportation Architecture Cultural heritage Local culture
  1. In early Seattle, horses were the main mode of transportation, used for trolleys, fire engines, and carts. There were almost 4,000 horse-drawn vehicles counted in one day in 1904.
  2. There are only a few remnants of the past, like old stables that once housed hundreds of horses. One stable has been turned into a brewery, while another has an iconic horse head on its facade.
  3. You can still find hitching posts and stepping stones around Capitol Hill, showing how people used to disembark from horse-drawn vehicles. These reminders of history help connect us to the past.
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A Most Unusual Artifact

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 0 implied HN points • 28 Oct 21
💾 History Biography Civil War Justice System Civic engagement Urban History
  1. Carol Whipple discovered a glass eye that belonged to her great-grandfather, Justice Roger Sherman Greene, while going through a box of family photos. It was a surprising and memorable moment for her.
  2. Roger Sherman Greene was a Civil War veteran and served as Chief Justice in Washington. He stood up for justice, even when it was dangerous, like when he tried to protect two men from a lynch mob.
  3. Despite his anti-Chinese views, Greene worked against racist mobs in Seattle to uphold the law. His life reflected a complex mix of beliefs, focusing on justice and community issues.