Hidden Beneath The Streets Of Seattle Is A World Where Secrets And A Storied Past Come To Life

After the Great Fire of 1889, Seattle's past got buried underground and the city became known mostly for places and landmarks like the Space Needle or the vibrant Pike Place Market. Seattle's underground secret city, however, still maintains much of the origins of this beloved destination on the West Coast. With abandoned storefronts and empty sidewalks, perfect for escaping the city's crowds, Seattle's Underground is now a destination for adventurous Seattlites curious to learn a little bit more about the city's history.

The most popular Underground tour is a 75-minute walking attraction run by Bill Spiedel's Underground Tour. A commenter at TripAdvisor said it was a worthwhile experience. "The tour of Seattle's Underground was captivating. I learned so much about Seattle history," they wrote. The experience through these abandoned passageways — which also include an extra activity tailored in a paranormal fashion — is certainly the perfect pick for history buffs and those interested in the ghost stories surrounding this underground city now frozen in time.

Back in 1889, an accidental fire that started in a wood and paint shop in Pioneer Square destroyed 25 blocks of the city of Seattle. The fire took around 12 hours to be put out, and fortunately, didn't take any lives. Several of the buildings in this 25-block radius exploded or completely burned down during what came to be known as the Great Fire of 1889.

A few days after the fire, talks of rebuilding the city ensued. Many people suggested that Front Street needed to be raised and widened to avoid flooding the drainage system in the city, especially during the high tides. As such, a decision was made to raise the city level, building walls on the sides of several avenues in the area and then paving over them, creating the tunnels that came to be known as Seattle Underground.

Seattle's street levels were raised by 22 feet with entrances to some of the buildings and shops along the streets remaining under the newly raised and paved roads. Owners and customers used stairs and ladders to access said buildings. Eventually, new sidewalks were also built over the old ones, completely covering the older structures and adding to the mystique of the underground tunnels.

There are two popular companies for booking a guided tour of Seattle's Underground: Bill Spiedel's and Beneath the Streets Underground Tour. If choosing the former, the 75-minute walking tour will start beneath Doc Maynard's Public House (where customers can purchase snacks and food), taking customers all the way to Pioneer Square — considered by many as Seattle's birthplace and first historic district.

The tour takes customers along the underground labyrinth made up of tunnels, old sidewalks, streets, and storefronts while guides tell stories of these places and share the overall history of Seattle. They even share secrets that the city's pioneers never publicly shared! The tour ends with a visit to the Underground Gift Shop and Rogues Gallery.

For a $50 per person combo ticket (at the time of writing), customers can experience the historical tour paired with a paranormal investigation activity in which they become the Underground's lead investigators and reveal the mysteries surrounding the former city of Seattle. Beneath the Streets Underground Tours are only an hour long and cost $26 per person. During weekend evenings they offer a longer 75-minute walk tour focused mainly on Seattle's Red District. Both tours are must-stops for curious tourists and adventurers interested in learning more about Seattle.