Central Seattle Real Estate Listings of Houses and Homes for Sale in King County, Washington

Central Seattle

The first inhabitants of the Pacific Northwest were Native Americans. Along the edge of Lake Washington lived the Duwamish tribe, who made their living by fishing, hunting, trapping, and digging roots. During the winter, they settled in cedar longhouses on Pritchard Island to the south. Summer found them living in shelters woven from cattails.

Central Seattle’s first permanent white residents were farmers attracted by the rich land surrounding the Duwamish River. The river’s delta was filled beginning in the early 20th century, gradually creating a modern industrial waterway. As the area grew increasingly industrial, individual neighborhoods struggled to retain their independence and unique characteristics. Thanks to each community’s efforts, Central Seattle remains an area of discrete neighborhoods, each with its own special flair.

One of Central Seattle’s best-known neighborhoods is Beacon Hill. Beacon Hill overlooks downtown Seattle and is famous as the home of the 16-story Pacific Medical Center. Rising 350 feet in elevation, Beacon Hill has remained a distinct neighborhood despite its apparent proximity to downtown Seattle.

Located along Lake Washington is the Leschi neighborhood. Leschi is east of Pioneer Square, south of Madrona Park and north of Mount Baker. One of Seattle’s most scenic and strikingly beautiful neighborhoods, Leschi features steep hills and swooping ravines carved by ancient glaciers, earthquakes, landslides and tsunamis.

The glaciers that created the hilly terrain around Leschi were also responsible for creating the unique landscape of Central Seattle’s Madrona neighborhood. First used by Native Americans for hunting and fishing, the area that would become Madrona was soon overtaken by loggers, stump farmers and berry pickers. The region became increasingly modern with the arrival of the Union Trunk Line. Many grand residences - known as the Madrona “Great Homes” - were soon built, attracting professionals, writers, artists and wealthy families. Madrona remains a convenient community of lush open space and breathtaking views.

Located on Lake Washington between Madison Park and Madrona is the Denny-Blaine neighborhood. The community is named for Charles L. Denny - son of Seattle founders Arthur and Mary Boren Denny - and Elbert F. Blaine, a former Seattle parks commissioner. Denny and Blaine carefully planned their neighborhood to complement the natural features of the land. Denny-Blaine today is known as an affluent and convenient area. Close to downtown Seattle and the University of Washington, Denny-Blaine also boasts stunning views of Lake Washington.

The Seward Park region is one of Central Seattle’s most unique and well-preserved areas. Home to the largest stand of old-growth forest in the entire city, Seward Park was protected from loggers in the 19th century by an unlikely savior: poison oak. Development did not begin until the 1920s. The area today remains a popular recreational area, an artist’s colony and a microcosm of the Puget Sound’s ecosystem.

Between the Seward Park and Leschi neighborhoods lies Mount Baker, a relatively late-developing community on the Seattle scene. Though it provided outstanding views of Lake Washington, the Rainier Valley and the Olympic and Cascade ranges, it was not permanently settled until 1905. Mount Baker was known first for its sawmills and later as the home of Sicks’ stadium and the hydroplane Slo-Mo-Shun IV. Much like Madrona, Mount Baker is known as a lush upscale community featuring majestic views and gorgeous natural surroundings.

Known as the “Emerald City,” Seattle is a vibrant community that offers one of the greatest lifestyles in the nation. Home to the nation’s 7th largest population of artists, supported in part by an innovative public arts funding program, Seattle has a thriving arts scene. The Seattle Symphony - now housed in the world class Benaroya Hall - Seattle Opera and the Pacific Northwest Ballet, numerous art galleries, the Seattle Art Museum and the Seattle Asian Art Museum are just a few of the city’s artistic attractions.

The Experience Music Project, which opened in 2000, is an interactive rock and roll museum with an innovative design by Frank Gehry. Seattle is rich in theater arts with 80 companies, 13 of which are professional. The city annually hosts the Seattle International Film Festival and is often displayed prominently in major Hollywood productions and TV shows. Seattle has also gained international attention as the origin of many trend-setting rock and pop groups, and though the so-called grunge movement is no longer active, the local music scene certainly continues to thrive.

Seattle is home a number of sports teams: Seahawks football at beautiful Seattle Seahawks Stadium, Mariners baseball at Safeco Field, Super Sonics basketball at Key Arena, Seattle Sounders soccer and the WNBA’s Seattle Storm. Seahawks Stadium and Safeco Field are side-by-side state-of-the-art sports facilities, which offer great views and some of the best sports in the country. The University of Washington (known to locals as “U-Dub”) is a member of the Pac-10 conference, traditionally one of the best collegiate conferences in the country.

Opportunities to participate in recreational sports are also abundant in Seattle. The nearby lakes offer water sports, boating and fishing, and in the winter skiing and snowboarding are only 45 minutes away. Nature lovers are sure to be pleased if they take the short drive to any one of the numerous area parks that offer hiking, river rafting and much more. Some of the most popular scenic spots are Mt. Rainier National Park, Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, North Cascades National Park, Olympic National Park and Rainforest and Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.

The Seattle Public School System is considered one of the best in the country for cities of its size. There are numerous colleges and universities in the area as well, helping to produce an educated and dynamic workforce. Companies such as Microsoft, Boeing, Starbucks, Amazon.com, Nordstrom’s, Eddie Bauer and others have grown to national and international prominence by taking advantage of the creativity and vision of the residents of Seattle and the surrounding area.

Among the most well known Seattle attractions is Pike Place Market, the oldest continually operating farmers market in the country. The market is famous for vendors who throw fish to the delight of locals and tourist alike. The Space Needle is the most easily recognizable building in Seattle’s beautiful skyline and the anchor of the Seattle Center. The Hiram Chittenden Locks, Woodland Park Zoo, Tillicum Indian Village, Seattle Aquarium, Pioneer Square, the International District, and of course the city’s many waterfront, lakeside and sound beaches are other popular spots.

During its long history, this neighborhood has been home at various times to predominantly European American, Japanese-American, Jewish, and African American communities. About a century ago, Rainier Valley was known for the scores of Italian-Americans who settled there. All of the ethnic groups that settled in the area have left distinct imprints and contribute to the current sense of diversity in the area. The community features many resources such as Garfield High School, The Douglass Truth branch of the public library, Evers Swimming Pool, and the Powell Barnett Park.

In recent years, the community has received an influx of more affluent residents. The central location and the natural scenic beauty of the area are sure to attract continue to attract new residents for years to come.