There’s a tiny part of Washington state that is so remote you have to cross an international border twice to get there.
Isolated, surrounded by water and Canadians … why did Point Roberts become a part of Washington and not Canada?
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Do most of the clothes in your closet range from hiking fleece to dress fleece, or some variations of plaid and jeans? That’s probably what has fueled Seattle’s reputation as an unfashionable city. |
 (This is the second installment of a 2-part series about Tacoma’s designation as the City of Destiny.) Why didn’t Tacoma become the premiere city on Puget Sound? How did the City of Destiny lose out to Seattle? Back in 1873, it looked like Tacoma would be graced with fame and fortune when the city beat out Seattle to become the terminus for the Northern Pacific Railroad. |
 Tacoma has been known as the “City of Destiny” for more than 140 years. And while the city’s slogan is unique because it has lasted for so long (when was the last time you heard Seattle referred to as “Jet City?”), it also comes from a 19 Century “crazy person” who was a relentless promoter of Tacoma. |
 Here’s an odd fact: Seattle’s dog population is estimated to be around 140,000 and climbing. The number of kids? … 93,000 and dropping. In fact, Seattle is neck and neck with San Francisco, which has the lowest population of children of all major U.S. cities. So where did all of Seattle’s kids go? |
 Back before Capitol Hill became the center of gay life in Seattle, most of the American public thought of homosexuality as not only illegal but even dangerous. Consequently, gay culture was underground. Gay bars were confined to the red light district and in Seattle, that used to mean Pioneer Square. But in the cultural shifts of the 1970s, gay people were ready to leave the red light district and Capitol Hill looked like the right place at the right time. |
 In the 1980’s, the Washington State Legislature considered making it the official state song. The measure failed, but “Louie Louie” is still listed on government websites as the “unofficial” state rock song. Sure it’s got a good beat and it’s easy to dance to, but is a song about a Jamaican sailor longing for his girl really the best tune to represent Washington State? (Voice your opinion in the poll at the bottom of the page) How did this classic party song become so much a part of our cultural DNA, anyway? |
 Race can be a volatile subject. Still, judging from the reaction to a recent “I Wonder Why…?” story, it’s something people are eager to talk about. The response to the report was overwhelming. |
 Seattleites don’t like to admit it, but this is a pretty white city. In fact, the latest census figures show it’s the fifth whitest of the 50 biggest cities in the country. That means there’s a higher proportion of Caucasian people here than in Denver, Oklahoma City, or even Minneapolis. So why are there so few people of color in Seattle? |
 I just moved here from Chicago, and there’s one thing that has been bugging me – the way people park. In some ways, Seattleites seem to really follow the rules. People don’t jaywalk, for instance. So why do so many people park on the wrong side of the street? |