Queen Anne Hill, Seattle

Planning a trip to Seattle? Then plan to include a visit to Queen Anne Hill. Chances are good that your mental image of the city, the iconic, post card perfect vista, was taken from this vantage point.

Some historical tours of Seattle claim the city was built on “the seven hills,” with Queen Anne Hill being the tallest. In the mid-1800s, Seattle was actually being settled in the area now surrounding Pioneer Square. In the 1880s, the transcontinental railroad arrived and Seattle’s growth took off. As often happens, the wealthier residents looked for someplace removed from the grime and crime that accompanies rapid growth.

Seattle’s Queen Anne Hill, circa 1890, from University of Washington’s Special Collections.

By the 1890s, development of Queen Anne Hill was taking off, thanks to the installation of cable cars which made the steep slope accessible. Originally called Temperance Hill because early residents had a reputation as teetotalers, the area soon became known for the Queen Anne style mansions being erected, eventually being named for the architecture.

Thanks to early planners, much of the neighborhood’s natural beauty has been preserved. As early as 1903, developers planned parks and a scenic avenue ringing the hilltop and, in 1927, Kerry Park was established on the southern slope. The view of Elliott Bay and the Seattle Skyline with Mt. Rainier as a backdrop has become one of the truly iconic images of the Emerald City.

Seattle’s Queen Anne Hill has one of the city’s best views at Kerry Park and along Queen Anne Boulevard.

In fact, Queen Anne hosts 29 official Seattle landmarks, which includes 12 historic homes. One of the few remaining original Queen Anne style houses is in a group of homes on 14th Avenue West which were built between 1890 and 1910. Other landmarks include the North Queen Anne Drive Bridge, a historic landmark because of its unique parabolic style, and the entire Queen Anne Boulevard circling the crown of the hill. Along that route, you can still see some of the original retaining walls with decorative brickwork and balustrades.

Queen Anne Hill is literally a picture-perfect addition to a Seattle itinerary. It’s only a few minutes away from other Seattle landmarks, such as the Space Needle, Safeco Field or Pike Place Market, and about 30 minutes away is another post-card view of Seattle, across the bay at Hamilton Park in the Alki neighborhood.

Being one of the most picturesque areas in Puget Sound, we’d love to see your photos along with anything you like to see or do in Queen Anne Hill or the Seattle area. Just leave us a Comment below!