Washington - Landmarks and Points of Interest
- By Smithsonian.com
- Smithsonian.com, November 06, 2007, Subscribe
Historic structures refurbished and enhanced with modern amenities can be found in the striking locales of many Washington State Parks. These landmark buildings include the lantern room of a lighthouse, a log hall, a chapel, a converted theatre and a granite shelter at a mountain summit.
One notable patch of hallowed ground is Steptoe Battlefield, near Rosalia in Eastern Washington. It was here in May of 1858 when the Indians claimed their final victory over the United States Army. A 25-foot monument commemorates the battle.
For years, the massive Admiralty Head Lighthouse held vigil over the entrance to the Puget Sound. Today it offers visitors the chance to check out the historical coast artillery post and sweeping views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Embodying the heartbeat of downtown Seattle, the 74-acre Seattle Center has played host to the city's largest festivals since it opened for the 1962 World's Fair. Today, it serves as home to the Space Needle, Pacific Science Center, Children's Museum, Seattle Opera, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Experience Music Project the NBA's Seattle Supersonics and the WNBA's Seattle Storm.
A unique and futuristic structure, the Space Needle has become a Seattle icon and a favorite for tourists. Standing 650 feet in the air it affords visitors the chance to glimpse Puget Sound and the Olympic and Cascade mountain ranges from a birds-eye view. In just 41 seconds you're at the top, 520 feet up, beholding a breathtaking 360 degree view of the city and a towering panorama of Washington's spectacular natural wonders.
Near the top of fashionable Queen Anne Hill in Seattle, Kerry Park, long a favorite of amateur and professional photographers alike, offers a full view of Seattle. The Space Needle rises at nearly eye-level a ½-mile away, while Mt. Rainier provides a backdrop that appears to be a double exposure. Sailboats, ferries and the Olympic Mountains fill the view to the west.
The 20-acre Kubota Garden in Seattle provides an urban refuge with waterfalls, ponds, rock outcroppings and gorgeous gardens combining Northwest and Pacific Rim styles.
Seattle's Fremont neighborhood is an eccentric and artsy district that is home to some of the city's best-loved and "interactive" public art. Among them are "Waiting for the Interurban," an imported 16-foot bronze statue of Vladimir Lenin and the whimsical, public sculpture of a shaggy haired creature (the Fremont Troll) with an old style Volkswagen beetle in his grasp lurking under the Aurora bridge since 1990. Come visit these works of art and pose for a picture. While there, you can visit vintage clothing shops, tattoo parlors, brewpubs, and art galleries that line the walk, offering a diverse selection of national and regional contemporary art.
Subscribe now for more of Smithsonian's coverage on history, science and nature.
Comments (3)
cool fun
Posted by on May 15,2012 | 04:39 PM
bad
Posted by Zoe on April 10,2012 | 01:15 PM
Noticed your write up on the Steptoe Battlefield in Rosalia, Wa. My husband and I are volunteers at Rosalia's 1923 Texaco (which was placed on the State and National Register in 2006 following a EPA Brownsfield cleanup) and now serves at the Rosalia Visitor Resource and Interpretive Center for the Steptoe Battlefield State Park. For the last 7 years our group of volunteers have been working with State Park to place 3 new interpretive panels at the battlefield/. It would be great if someone from the Smithsonian where present for the Dedication Ceremony of the panels. We have invited the 5 local tribes that were involved in that battle along with the Governor, senators, representatives, historians and the general public to witness the ceremony to be held June 7, 2008 following the Rosalia Annual Battle Days Parade at approximately 11:30 am Find out more about our town, Texaco and Battlefield on www.rosaliavic.org Thank you
Posted by Diane Nebel on April 18,2008 | 05:55 PM