I'm not a native of the area. But I know most people are hip to the Pacific Northwest propaganda. Green, green, green. Yeah, it's green. Yeah, it's lovely. Yeah, it rains a lot -- a real lot. It's consistently ranked among the top 10 rainiest cities in the United States. If you like rain, if you think it's romantic, the Emerald City is going to be your kind of town.
Yes, the area was inhabited for about 4,000 years before the Seahawks and Mariners and Sounders set up shop. Yes, it was one of the most habitable regions in the entire country. Yes, it used to be the home of the Duwamish and Suquamish tribes. In 1853, all that changed when the Europeans came to visit.
Predictably, by the end of the 20th Century, the area was home to a few thousand Europeans. The natives? Well, they were relocated or burned out of their homes. You know, the typical tactics. By'97, Seattle became a hub for the Yukon Gold craze that was sweeping the nation.
Seattle, ever the chameleon, managed to recast itself as a shipbuilding and shipping hub when the gold ore dried up. It was an industrial city, home to the largest west coast shipyard in the country. The builders and tradesmen were so plentiful Seattle would host the first general strike in US history. In fact, all the labor disputes and attempts to break the burgeoning unions meant a good deal of shipbuilding contracts were moved to Los Angeles.
The transition from ship to planes was more seamless than you think. The city managed to lure the aircraft industry to come play around the end of World War II. The big boy on the block, Boeing was headquartered in Seattle until 2001, when it decided to move to Chicago. Still, the Emerald City is home to a hefty Boeing presence. That, and Starbucks, Nike, and Hewlett-Packard. Somehow, people manage to stay productive with 226 days a year of cloud cover and rain.
If you're in town for a long visit or on business, you might want to reconsider your average hotel, especially if you're going to be here for more than a month. You can find sumptuous digs at any of the Bellevue hotels or corporate housing facilities.
Yes, the area was inhabited for about 4,000 years before the Seahawks and Mariners and Sounders set up shop. Yes, it was one of the most habitable regions in the entire country. Yes, it used to be the home of the Duwamish and Suquamish tribes. In 1853, all that changed when the Europeans came to visit.
Predictably, by the end of the 20th Century, the area was home to a few thousand Europeans. The natives? Well, they were relocated or burned out of their homes. You know, the typical tactics. By'97, Seattle became a hub for the Yukon Gold craze that was sweeping the nation.
Seattle, ever the chameleon, managed to recast itself as a shipbuilding and shipping hub when the gold ore dried up. It was an industrial city, home to the largest west coast shipyard in the country. The builders and tradesmen were so plentiful Seattle would host the first general strike in US history. In fact, all the labor disputes and attempts to break the burgeoning unions meant a good deal of shipbuilding contracts were moved to Los Angeles.
The transition from ship to planes was more seamless than you think. The city managed to lure the aircraft industry to come play around the end of World War II. The big boy on the block, Boeing was headquartered in Seattle until 2001, when it decided to move to Chicago. Still, the Emerald City is home to a hefty Boeing presence. That, and Starbucks, Nike, and Hewlett-Packard. Somehow, people manage to stay productive with 226 days a year of cloud cover and rain.
If you're in town for a long visit or on business, you might want to reconsider your average hotel, especially if you're going to be here for more than a month. You can find sumptuous digs at any of the Bellevue hotels or corporate housing facilities.
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