It’s interesting that, when searching for pictures of “Beacon Hill, Seattle” online, you get a ton of pictures of the downtown skyline, from Dr. Jose Rizal Park. Frequently, our neighborhood gets defined by what it’s close to, rather than what it is. But we have to admit that the view from Rizal Park is pretty darned awesome. The view has changed over the years, of course. Here’s the view from the park, in 1986: Seattle skyline from Beacon Hill, 1986. Photo by Robert Ashworth -- thanks!
And here’s the same view, from late last month: Seattle skyline from Beacon Hill, 2008. Photo by Bridget C in the Beacon Hill Blog Flickr photo pool. Thanks, Bridget!
Back in 1986 Downtown Seattle seemed pretty built-up to me (and probably to the folks who supported the CAP growth limitation ordinance), but in comparison to the modern pic, it looks like Podunk-ville.
Bling like this may await you at Goodwill this weekend. Photo by Rhonda Johnson -- thanks!
Beacon Hill’s nearest big clothing store is probably, sad to say, Goodwill. But there are treasures to be found there, particularly this weekend, when they’ll host the annual Glitter Sale with formal wear, jewelry, and vintage clothing. The event even has a blog, so you can see what cool stuff will be there.
A town hall meeting about African-American student achievement will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 pm this evening at the Cleveland High School auditorium, 5511 15th Avenue South.
The Seattle Times reports that “a task force formed to study the African-American achievement gap wants to hear from parents, students, educators and other community members about their experiences and hopes for the education of African-American students.”
This is a state-wide task force, which will also hold town hall meetings in Spokane and Tacoma later this month, before making recommendations to the Legislature in December. For information, call Janet Hayakawa at 360-725-6503.
Speaking of the Beacon Hill Library, they have a monthly book group meeting. This month’s meeting is next Wednesday, November 19, at 6:30 pm, to discuss the book Heart, You Bully, You Punk by Leah Hager Cohen. The group is free, and of course, you can get the book at the library.
If you want to get a head start on next month’s book, it’s Hanna’s Daughters by Marianne Fredriksson.
A Chinese-language workshop for Medicare beneficiaries and their family members to learn about plan changes in 2009 is this Thursday afternoon from 1:30 – 3:00 pm at the Beacon Hill Library branch. The workshop is free and everyone is welcome; registration is not required. For more information, please call the Beacon Hill Branch at 206-684-4711.
Volunteer Chore Services for South Beacon Hill and South Seattle, part of Catholic Community Services, is looking for people to help out with elders and adults living with disabilities who are unable or ineligible for state/paid chore services. For more information, please call Kerrie Carbary, the West Region Volunteer Coordinator, at 206-328-6858; the Volunteer Chore Services main intake line at 206-328-5787; or email kerriec@ccsww.org.
The other viaduct is set to undergo numerous revisions and enhancements. The City of Seattle details the plans for the upcoming-and-ongoing Spokane Street viaduct revamp — also Blogging Georgetown
Recognize any of your stolen stuff from the BB gun burglars mentioned earlier? Photos of some of the recovered items are up for your perusal — West Seattle Blog
You have another chance for an early look inside of one of these trains. Photo by The Lebers -- thanks!Still psyched about the new light rail trains and can’t wait until next summer when you can ride them? This Saturday you can at board a Link Light Rail train, although it won’t be going anywhere. A train will be parked at the Columbia City Station during the Rainier Vista Boys & Girls Club Grand Opening celebration.
The celebration of the club’s new 40,000 square foot teen center is from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm. VIPs including Ron Sims and Greg Nickels will be there to speak between 10:30 am and 11:30 am. Other activities at the celebration include free-throws with Sheryl Swoopes of the Seattle Storm, a performance by the Dangerettes drill team, football with Bobby Engram and Blitz from the Seattle Seahawks, and giveaways for kids and teens. The Club is at 4520 MLK Jr. Way South; the Columbia City rail station is one block south.
Farm animal on Beacon Avenue South, October 2008. Photo by Jason.Though South Beacon Hill looks suburban now, within living memory it was rural, with woods and farms. The large P-Patch near MLK and Henderson gives a hint of the old Beacon Hill and Rainier Valley, but that’s not the only sign of the old rural South Seattle.
A couple of weeks ago, Jason and I were down on Renton Avenue, near Vince’s, and decided to drive up the hill and try to take a good picture of the Chief Sealth trail. We did, and then kept driving a bit to see what else was up there. We soon found ourselves on the southeastern segment of Beacon Avenue South, which, though it seems to end when it merges with 39th Avenue South on South Beacon Hill, starts up again east of MLK and continues down to South 128th Street in Skyway. And there, near South Bond Street, we saw… a cow. The one you see in this picture. Right next to the road, happily munching away at some grass.
We stopped the car to take this photo, and heard the sound of horses whinnying. In Seattle, of all places.
It turns out that this cow is Vaca, the family cow at Sferra Farm, the last working farm in Seattle. The 20-acre horse farm has been there since 1919, and now it’s the last vestige of a South Seattle that once was. Recently the Sferra Farm made the news because the city’s new rates for drainage tax threatened its survival (the City Council later amended the drainage rate ordinance), and because of this you can see more pictures of Vaca and Sferra farm at Richard Conlin’s photo gallery and on Dori Monson’s website at KIRO radio.
The area where the farm is located is called Rainier Beach on the city’s neighborhood map, but just barely (the boundary on that map is MLK). The farm and its area are discussed in Chapter Four, “South Beacon Hill,” of Seattle’s Beacon Hill, by Frederica Merrell and Mira Latoszek.
I love Vaca’s fuzzy, soft-looking ears. It was a nice unexpected surprise to see a farm animal in the city.
, by Frederica Merrell and Mira Latoszek.