Seattle’s underground city, a network of underground passageways and basements, tells a fascinating story of survival and adaptation. Following the Great Seattle Fire of 1889, which devastated the city, town planners and citizens faced the monumental task of rebuilding. Instead of merely constructing new buildings atop the ruins, a bold decision was made: raise the street level of the entire area to combat the perennial problem of flooding. This ambitious urban planning project resulted in the creation of the underground city, as the original ground floors of buildings became basements, and a new street level was established above.
The fire, sparked by an accidentally overturned glue pot, ravaged through the city, leaving behind a blank canvas for urban development. As Seattle rebuilt, the architectural landscape transformed, with new construction mandated to be of masonry. The city’s streets were regraded one to two stories higher, effectively burying the old city beneath.
These underground spaces served various purposes over the years. Initially, they continued to be used for business, with merchants operating out of the lower floors of buildings and pedestrians navigating the subterranean sidewalks lit by vault lights. However, by 1907, concerns over bubonic plague led the city to condemn the underground, leaving it to deteriorate or be used for storage. It became a haven for illicit activities, including flophouses for the homeless, gambling halls, speakeasies, and opium dens.