Hey there, Seattle. Ready for the fifth round of our Seattle Historic District Walkthrough? We’re taking a Light Rail ride down to Columbia City.

If you’re not really sure what’s happening right now, Editor Alina is still pretty new to Seattle, so we’re getting her caught up with some local history in each of our city’s eight historical districts.

Let’s get to it.

Flashback ⏳

Columbia City was born, much like Seattle, as a mill town in the late 1800s and became incorporated as its own city in 1893. However, it became annexed by Seattle after just thirteen years in 1907 (it’s a lot of work to run your own town). The town remained a business hub for years because of the electric railway that led to downtown Seattle.

Eventually, the railway was removed to pave Rainier Avenue in 1937 and the local economy suffered (a Great Depression doesn’t help anything). It became designated as a Landmark District in 1978, which encouraged rehabilitation of historic buildings and pedestrian-oriented businesses.

Lay of the land now 🌳

The Columbia City Landmark District is a small area that straddles Rainier Ave. S. in South Seattle. Within the district, there are an estimated 6,317 residents of which the median age is 38 (just a few notches above Seattle’s median age of 35). There are 23 different languages spoken in the area, with Vietnamese + African languages making up the highest percentage.

Digs for sale 🏡

Cozy and bright family residence | 5 BD, 3 BA | $999,950
Colorful home + a spacious kitchen | 4 BD, 4 BA | $1,999,880
Century old home with modern finishes | 3 BD, 3 BA | $1,200,000

Nearby biz + things to do 📋

Safari Njema | This Kenyan restaurant is known for having one of the best tilapia dishes in town.
The Royal Room | The South Hudson Music Project is partnering with the venue for a Juneteenth celebration on Sunday with a performance by the Elnah Jordan Experience.
Coffeeholic House | The Vietnamese coffee shop’s purple ube latte is Insta-famous + a total treat for the tastebuds.