East Queen Anne

Starting from Westlake, most of the climbing comes early on this stairway walk: more than 500 steps up the east side of Queen Anne Hill. Quick gratification is ahead, though: some of the finest views in Seattle are seen at little-known Bhy Kracke Park. That's followed by a stroll along graceful tree-lined streets, with extraordinary residential and public architecture - and a tour of some of the oldest and grandest Seattle stairs.

Note that the "www" icon above the slideshow indicates additional content referenced in the book. Scroll below that for even more scenes from this stairway walk.

 

Crossing the footbridge over busy Aurora Avenue

Almost there: topping the Galer stairs (they keep going, but you turn to the left)

Looking back: the stairway that leads down to graceful Bigelow Avenue

The base of the classic old 2nd Avenue stairs, heading up to Highland

Heading up the Galer Street stairway, to 1st Avenue

So who is John Hay?

There are three “John Hay” school buildings within 7 blocks of each other on East Queen Anne. The man began his career at age 22 as Abraham Lincoln’s personal secretary. He died in 1905 as Theodore Roosevelt’s Secretary of State. That was the same year “Old” John Hay School (above) opened. Inside this fine woodframe structure are wide wooden hallways, lined on either side by cream-colored arches that spring from delicate columns of beautifully-worked dark wood. 

By 1922 a growing school-age population had outstripped the original building, so a new brick structure was opened a half-block north. The expectation was that the original 1905 building would be demolished, but somehow that never happened. By the early 80s the younger building was judged to be seismically unsound, so a bond was approved to build a completely new elementary school across from Queen Anne High. That school was opened in 1989.

It’s been well over a century since the original John Hay building went up. Today it's a designated Seattle Landmark. The neighborhood’s needs have changed many times, but all three buildings are still in use. In 2010, after seismic retrofitting and other improvements, the historic 1905 and 1922 John Hay buildings were reopened as Queen Anne Elementary School, an “Option” school drawing kids from all over the city. The 1989 building carries on as John Hay Elementary, drawing local Queen Anne kids from the south and east sides of the hill, as far as downtown.

University of Washington

This stairway walk shows off all the "U-Dub" chestnuts like Red Square, the magnificent Gothic-style Suzzallo Library, Rainier Vista, The Quad, and Drumheller Fountain. But you'll also get to explore places seldom seen by the casual visitor to the University of Washington: the lengthy Wahkiakum Lane stairway; the "Stairs to Nowhere" near the School of Architecture; curving twin stairways oddly suspended just above the ground, with a wooden staircase filling in the gap; a surreal outdoor amphitheater, and literally tons of campus art.

Extra website pictures, referenced in the book, are contained in the slideshow below (as indicated by the "www" icon). Scroll further for even more scenes of this UW version of Seattle stairs.

The Story of Those Sylvan Theater Columns:

The University of Washington had a tough time at the beginning. Financial problems shut it down three times before its first student, Clara Witt, graduated n 1876. By 1895 the University was stable and growing, and moved to a new building on today's campus: Denny Hall, just to the north of The Quad (see below). When the original downtown building was set to be razed Edmond Meany, the History Department chair, led an effort to save the portico columns and move them over to the new campus. Over the years they've had rough adventures; two of the columns were blown over before all four were safely secured to a concrete base. The original cedar scrollwork at the tops didn't make it. What you will see are fiberglas replacements, installed in 1958.

These are the "Stairs to Nowhere," a project of students from the School of Architecture

The Spiral Stairs will take you past the Henry Gallery to a footbridge over 15th Avenue NE, and on to "The Ave"

The Ave is a busy student hangout, with lots of food places and different types of ethnic cuisine. There's a brewry and alehouse too, as well as the University Bookstore, which is a fun place to hang out browse.

The Ave is not to be missed - busy with students, stores and good places to eat...

...like this, Alladin Gyro-cery, one of our favorite shawarma spots

Back on campus, springtime in The Quad brings a spectacular explosion among the Yoshino Cherry trees

The buildings around The Quad are decorated with easily-missed grotesques like these

Looking back up at part of the Wahkiakum Lane stairs, toward the end of the walk