3. Side Trip North on 6th Avenue S
A steep ascent north on 6th Avenue S leads you past the classical wooden facade of the former Main Street School Annex, built in 1910 to serve the area's burgeoning Japan Town. The nearby NP Hotel (1914) and Panama Hotel (1910), around the corner on S Main Street were also major centers for Seattle's Japanese Community.
The Danny Woo International District Community Garden on the north side of S Main Street is one of Seattle's more elaborate "P-Patches." Ascending its winding stairs will lead you to Kobe Terrace Park. It was designed by William Teufel and dedicated in 1975 to honor Seattle's first Sister City, whose residents donated the large Yuki Modoro "snow viewing lantern."
The Nippon Kan ("Japanese Hall") stands at the head of S Washington Street in the original Astor Hotel. This was built in 1909 and designed by the father-son team of Charles and Bennet Thompson, who designed many other International District structures. It was rehabilitated in 1978 and hosts many performances and community events.
Note King County's Harborview Hospital, beyond the freeway. It stands on the original site of the King County Courthouse and atop "Profanity Hill," so named by the lawyers who had to ascend its steep grade from Pioneer Square. The hospital's original Art Deco tower was designed by John Graham Sr. and opened in 1934. You can return to the main neighborhood via the park and garden.
|
