Intro: A Single Block's Historical Representation of the U District
A panorama of Seattle. Taken in 2010 by Ari Brown.
The idea of studying and understanding the full history of a city can seem overwhelming and difficult. It’s not easy to become involved in a topic that requires large amounts of research to grasp important intricacies and patterns. Therefore, we instead focus on one block. Researching, creating a timeline and writing the story for a single block becomes easier than doing the same for an entire city. There is more room for detail and insights. By understanding the forces that inspire development and the shaping of a single block, we can better understand the ebb and flow of economic growth in a city, or the shifting of neighborhood demographics. Discoveries in the history of a single Seattle block can uncover not only key patterns in the development of the city itself, but also larger urban themes seen across the U.S.
This webpage explores the history of a residential block in the U District. The first site report develops research questions and first impressions of the block, while making insights about the block’s history using clues in things such as the cracks in the sidewalk to the different types of architecture. The second site report analyzes the environmental history of the block and the greater area. This includes visualizing what the block looked like before any houses had been built, and discussing human impact on the block through its development. Site report #3 give an audio tour of the block. The purpose of this was to give the overall report a fuller feel. Reading words and looking at pictures is one thing, but the goal of the audio tour is to make the knowledge feel relatable and close to the listener, as if they are walking along the sidewalk of the block, thinking about its history. This final report ties all these ideas together, hopefully illustrating the patterns of development in Seattle as well as larger urban trends.
Because block 71 has always been residential, it is a great example of how growth in Seattle affects residential trends. The project notes important factors on residential growth, such as the growth of UW and the development of transportation technology through the late 19th up until now. More capable technology leads to more people moving, and this block can tell us why. It saw the creation of suburbia and it is now seeing the creation of apartments and high-density housing. It survived through changing political schemes that held different ideas of city development, therefore gaining knowledge of political patterns that are intertwined with residential development. Look for these clues within the history of block 71, and you’ll be surprised of how much of the story of Seattle it can tell.
