The hidden Monuments in Seattle

Dear Seattleites' Diary Reader, there are so many monuments around Seattle, however they are kept hidden unless you search for them. They are not in any tourist guidebook, however they are there for us to enjoy and take pictures.

The Hats and Boots in Georgetown Neighborhood

Source: See Seattle

The Hat ‘n’ Boots was originally built as a Premium Tex gas station near Georgetown. The station office is canopied by a giant cowboy hat measuring 44 feet in diameter, and the restrooms are housed in boots standing 22 feet tall. Today the restored Hat 'n' Boots rest nearby in Oxford Park, Georgetown. The cowboy hat is now a metal skeleton frame, without its original orange concrete skin. - Source Jeff Burger Flickr

The Birthplace of Seattle Monument by Alki Beach



You may have gone to Alki Beach, but have you ever notice that there's a monument that marks the location where the Denny Party landed in 1851, establishing the first non-native settlement on Elliott Bay. In 2001, a plaque acknowledging the assistance that these first settlers received from the region's indigenous people was added to the monument, one of many efforts in recent years to make the role of Native Americans more visible in the local historical record. The nearby Log House Museum offers exhibits and video programs highlighting early contact between Native and non-native people in the Seattle area. - source Seattle Cultural Guide

The Fishermen's Terminal Monument

Source: lighthouselucy

In 1988, the Seattle Fishermen's Memorial dedicated this magnificent bronze and stone aggregate monument at Seattle's Fishermen's Terminal. The celebration culminated years of effort and generous contribution by Seattle's commercial fishing community. This towering sculpture and the bronze name plaques at its base have become a place of reverence, recognition and healing for the families of more than 675 local commercial fishermen and women who have lost their lives pursuing their livelihood since the turn of the century. - source Seattle Fishermen's Memorial

The Chief of Seattle Statue in Downtown Seattle

Source- Wikipedia

City of Seattle was named after its founder, Chief of Seattle. In 1890, a group of Seattle pioneers led by Arthur Armstrong Denny set up a monument over his grave, with the inscription "SEATTLE Chief of the Suqamps and Allied Tribes, Died June 7, 1866. The Firm Friend of the Whites, and for Him the City of Seattle was Named by Its Founders" On the reverse is the inscription "Baptismal name, Noah Sealth, Age probably 80 years." The site was restored and a native sculpture added in 1976. Source - Wikipedia

Enjoying the Cherry Blossom around Seattle

photo by: sopon supamangmee photography | Sopon's Flickr Photostream.

I bet you are all excited that the Sunny weather is coming up this week!... I checked the weather forecast, it's definitely going to be pretty sunny mid of April... up to the 70s!... It's time for me to take my camera out and take pictures!

photo by: sopon supamangmee photography | Sopon's Flickr Photostream.

I looked at my friends' pictures in Facebook, and some of them have made a trip to The University of Washington Cherry Blossom garden... It's beautiful! :)

photo by: sopon supamangmee photography | Sopon's Flickr Photostream.

Here are some places where you can take pictures of Cherry Blossom in Seattle:

Quad on the University of Washington Cherry Blossom
The UW trees were first planted on land that is now the approach to the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge. They were rescued during construction and moved to campus.

Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival
April 17-19, 2009 - Seattle Center - Downtown Seattle Washington
There's a lot for you to experience during these 3 Days: watch a Go Tournament, visit Arts & Crafts Booths, dine on traditional Cuisine. You'll even be able to see Exhibits and Performances. | Free Event

Seattle Japanese Garden
Located within the Washington Park Arboretum,this is a 3 1/2 acre formal garden designed and constructed under the supervision of world-renowned Japanese garden designer Juki Iida in 1960.

Visiting Museums and galleries at Ballard

Nordic Heritage Museum

3014 NW 67th Street | Seattle, WA 98117
The museum is place to check out everything relating to Nordic history, especially the immigration of Scandinavians to the Pacific Northwest. There are areas devoted to each area in Scandinavia: Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Finland, and Denmark. In addition to this there is a permanent exhibit entitled The Dream of America, which highlights the emigration from Scandinavia to the PNW, as well as rotating gallery exhibits from Scandinavian and local artists.

Hiram M. Chittenden (Ballard) Locks | Museum/Visitor center

3015 NW 54th St | Seattle, WA 98107
The Locks Themselves - It's mesmerizing to watch the water rise and fall as the gigantic doors miraculously open and close. To understand why this is a miraculous feat of engineering be sure to stop by the visitors center and learn the who-what-when-where-why of how it all came to be. While some might say "It's no Panama Canal" let me assure you, our locks are not dwarfed by their more famous brethren. Sure, the boats going through the locks here are pleasure crafts and fishing vessels but who wants tankers disturbing our salmon run anyway?

OKOK Gallery

5107 Ballard Ave NW | Seattle, WA 98107
"If you're a fan of Giant Robot, Uglydolls, Be@rbrick, or KidRobot, OKOK is definitely the place to go. This place is fabulous, and the staff is great. The art exhibitions here never fail to disappoint. OKOK is a great place to find unique items with a sense of wit and nostalgia for the Gen-X set." (Source: Avitania - Yelp reviewer, photo by: Kathleen W)

Blowing Sands Glass Blowing

5805 14th Ave NW | Seattle, WA 98107
"David Smith is a terrific glass artist. If you are in Ballard, you owe it to yourself to stop and take a walk through his shop and studio. We bought two of his hand-blown pendant lights and they were just what we were looking for, and at a very reasonable price. He has some other great pieces that would make wonderful gifts." (Source: Brent A - Yelp Reviewer)

La Tienda Folk Art Gallery

2050 NW Market St | Seattle, WA 98107
La Tienda has always sought to find the finest hand-made crafts by going to the original source, understanding the culture that nurtures them, and then bringing them to our customers at a fair and reasonable price.

Exploring Ballard - One of Seattle's Unique Neighborhoods

Ballard is one of Seattle's growing neighborhood. Ballard was once a city before being annexed by city of Seattle. There are many tourist attractions in Ballard area.

Some of the places in Ballard are very historical, such as Shilshole Bay, which was inhabited by the Shilshole Tribe who lived off the plentiful salmon and clams in the region (Wikipedia).

Historic Places in Ballard:
Ballard Avenue Historic District
Ballard Carnegie Library
Fire Station No. 18
Ballard Bridge
Hiram M. Chittenden Locks
Lake Washington Ship Canal

Unique Places in Ballard:

Hiram M Chittenden Locks
is also known as Ballard Locks. Ballard Locks maintain the water level of the fresh water Lake Washington and Lake Union, prevent the mixing of sea water from Puget Sound with the fresh water of the lakes, and moving boats from the water level of the lakes to the water level of Puget Sound, and vice versa. At Ballard Locks, they also have the Salmon Ladder, where you can see many salmon in specific season. (Source: myballard.com)

Olsen Scandinavian Foods
Members of the Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and Finnish communities are often found at Olsen's Scandinavian Foods. Besides providing you with many popular Scandinavian gifts and foods, Olsen's dedicates a large portion of their business to producing home made, traditional products. (Source: inballard.com)

Archie McPhee
One of Seattle's most bizarre and beloved shops. Here you can find everything from plastic toy soldiers and rubber chickens to boxing nuns. If you're having trouble finding a unique gadget gift, this is your one-stop shop. Look for the large dragon head on NW Market Street on the right as you head out toward Shilshole marina. You'll never forget a trip to Archie's. (Source: inballard.com)

Port Chatham Smoked Seafood
Port Chatham Smoked Seafood is a leading provider of high quality, wild smoked seafood from the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, since 1935. Portlock smoked seafood rated by the Food Network as “a Top 5 Seafood Sensation.” You’ll find King Salmon, Dungeness Crab, Copper River Sockeye, gift boxes, gift assortment baskets, and more. (Source: inballard.com and myballard.com)

Also check out Ballard Sunday Farmer's Market: It's every Sunday from 10am-3pm. Experience Ballard's Farmer's Market, selling their freshest produce and food, with wide varieties of art and crafts from local Ballard shops and eateries.

Special Thank YOU for inballard.com and myballard.com for providing information about Ballard's upcoming events, local shops, eateries, and news. We appreciate you!

PHOTO CREDITS: INBALLARD.COM AND MYBALLARD.COM