433:
parts of
Rainier Valley from other historic neighborhoods in Seattle. Away from Rainier Avenue South, a fair amount of the development is postwar, when the Valley was filled out as part of the "Boeing boom," but historic pre-World War II housing can be found in every part of the Valley, where these often imposing homes once commanded large spreads that were later subdivided and sold off. One such estate was owned from 1902 to 1916 by a certain up-and-coming dry-goods purveyor by the name of J. Walter Nordstrom, who brought up his young family of three children there, as documented by the Rainier Valley Historical Society in 2017 (the estate was at the 3700 block of South Juneau Street). Unlike most of Seattle, then, the Valley has an interesting mix of pre- and post-war houses cheek-to-jowl (in Seattle residential style), with only the neighborhood immediately surrounding Columbia City almost exclusively pre-World War II.
156:
696:
168:
381:
700:
893:
36:
497:. The neighborhood's population is 34,241, with Asians making up the largest group (with Filipinos the largest within the Asian population of the Valley). However, there remains a large African American population, as well as European Americans. Its zip code is 98118, which also includes the neighborhood directly east of Rainier Valley of
485:– hitting hard in Rainier Valley with its high density of factory workers – and exacerbated by the later construction of a freeway interchange that disrupted a once vital commercial district. The construction of light rail brought new residential and commercial development to stations at Columbia City and Othello.
403:" from the valley despite its historic diversity. The general exodus of whites from the valley, Beacon Hill, and Seward Park, which began in the mid-60s, was primarily over by the mid-80s, when some historic "children of the Valley" began to return to it, as well as other new residents. With the end of the
513:
Beginning in the 1960s, Rainier Valley began to be viewed as "unsafe," with this view peaking in the 1980s and the Valley did include two housing projects; Rainier Vista and Holly Park. The area is the home of organized gangs with rivalries against each other and groups in other neighborhoods. Of the
480:
for the length of the valley until it veers west to serve the North Beacon Hill neighborhood, SoDo industrial area, and downtown
Seattle. Light rail and its attendant improvements (most notably underground wiring) have breathed new life into Martin Luther King Jr. Way South, considered at least since
415:
The Valley neighborhoods lying along
Rainier Avenue South rival any other part of Seattle for age, since they are near the historic streetcar (removed in 1937) that in 1892 connected downtown Seattle to Columbia City and then later to Renton, known as the "Rainier Valley and Renton Railroad." The
372:
to house Boeing and shipyard workers during the war. Following the war through the Boeing crash of 1971, the Valley boomed with middle-class residential construction and with all of this construction, the Valley continued its historic diversity. Interracial couples in the 1950s found the Valley
504:
Rainier Valley's racial breakdown is 20.9% Caucasian, 32% African
American, 34.1% Asian, 1% Native American, 1.6% Pacific Islander, 6.5% Mixed Race, and 3.4% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.2% of the population. 11.1% of families and 13.9% of the population were below the
432:
rather than south, made the valley dry enough to allow building, where it boomed along with the rest of
Seattle on and after the Alaskan Gold rush right up to the Depression of the 1930s. Because Seattle was a hamlet before the 1889 Alaskan Gold Rush, there is little to distinguish the historic
364:) who settled most of Seattle. Japanese farmers lived in the Valley since its inception and established two historic Japanese-American nurseries in the Valley - Mizukis and Holly Park, with Holly Park Nursery. Two housing projects were completed in the Valley during
411:
neighborhood on South
Jackson Street. Additional population growth was seen with the arrival of Filipinos throughout the Valley, though their businesses are fewer. St. Edward Roman Catholic Church is the cultural heart of the Filipino community in the Valley.
521:
announced that the South
Precinct, which includes Rainier Valley had dropped in crime rate by 8% for the first ten months of 2006. Auto thefts and thefts in general had decreased with robbery and gang activity still highly reported.
352:
the area in 1850, with Ebey's assessment printed in an Oregon newspaper to entice other settlers. Native
Americans had several encampments in the area prior to the settlers, and a permanent village at the south end of the valley.
441:
There are several identifiable neighborhoods within
Rainier Valley, including (from north to south) "Garlic Gulch" (or the north Valley, from Dearborn to the junction of MLK and Rainier), "Genesee" (from the junction to Alaska),
473:, with the north portion being mainly commercial, the central (Columbia City) portion a densely populated historic district, and the southern portion a less dense collection of businesses, apartments, and houses.
155:
465:
The Valley is centered on
Rainier Avenue South and Martin Luther King Jr. Way South, its main (northwest- and southeast-bound) thoroughfares. Both Rainier Avenue South and the Valley were named after
469:, towards which "hrough a fortunate geographic circumstance" the Valley (and hence the street) is oriented. Rainier Avenue South goes through several distinct phases as it winds southeasterly toward
501:. Beacon Hill to the west is largely 98108. "Greater Rainier Valley" can be thought of as including the western slope of Lakewood/Seward Park, and the eastern rise of Beacon Hill.
167:
356:
Italians were prominent in the north Valley in the early 20th century, the Central Valley was mostly settled by the same settlers and northern-European immigrants (primarily
833:
931:
373:
more accepting than the northern half of the city because of the relative lack of "deed covenants" found in the South End (covenants ruled unconstitutional by the
1063:
407:
in 1975, a wave of Vietnamese immigrants opened businesses along abandoned areas of Martin Luther King Jr. Way South, extending four miles south of the official
53:
181:
476:
Martin Luther King Jr. Way South (usually shortened to "MLK Way"), formerly known as Empire Way (renamed in the 1980s), now carries Seattle's
826:
715:
924:
800:
100:
624:, United States Department of Transportation and Washington State Department of Transportation, September 22, 1978, FHWA-WN-EIS-75-05-F
408:
374:
72:
1471:
776:
581:
556:
296:
119:
1476:
940:
897:
819:
669:
146:
79:
917:
644:
605:
57:
86:
530:
There are many different areas to purchase food within the neighborhood, with many small delis, bakeries and restaurants.
1336:
1115:
868:
674:
1341:
1023:
68:
740:
1006:
805:
429:
1450:
1321:
1167:
1018:
518:
369:
329:
1368:
1150:
1110:
253:
1403:
1227:
1192:
1182:
1135:
1073:
1068:
1038:
236:
46:
1440:
1423:
1393:
1309:
1294:
1244:
1172:
1145:
1105:
863:
477:
459:
443:
389:
385:
333:
769:
Newcomer's Handbook for Moving to and Living in Seattle; Including Bellevue, Redmond, Everett, and Tacoma
1304:
1177:
1043:
1001:
858:
447:
505:
poverty line. Nearly one quarter of the cities' African-American population resides in Rainier Valley.
93:
348:
White explorers and settlers first arrived in the area in the 1850s, and an explorer named Issac Ebey
1351:
1331:
1274:
1222:
1207:
1157:
1140:
1028:
971:
966:
498:
321:
317:
313:
1445:
1408:
1388:
1346:
1326:
1269:
1254:
1232:
1130:
1095:
1090:
1058:
1033:
981:
976:
17:
380:
1361:
1284:
1264:
1237:
1217:
1125:
1100:
991:
986:
597:
470:
462:, which is the only neighborhood in the city where Black Americans make up the majority, at 55%.
337:
226:
1433:
1413:
1398:
1378:
1373:
1356:
1289:
1212:
1202:
1197:
1120:
1080:
1053:
956:
772:
650:
640:
619:
577:
552:
494:
451:
1428:
1418:
1259:
1187:
1085:
1048:
1013:
961:
873:
273:
795:
1299:
1162:
996:
878:
455:
421:
393:
325:
481:
the 1970s beset by "social, physical, and economic blight", tracing difficulties to the
951:
417:
357:
1465:
1279:
853:
466:
258:
216:
160:
Aerial view of Rainier Valley, with downtown Seattle in the background, taken in 2001
1383:
400:
365:
1249:
482:
404:
368:
named; Holly Park and Rainier Vista. The housing projects were completed by the
361:
35:
635:
Lyons, William (1999). "Communities and crime on the south side of Skid Road".
493:
It is among the most culturally and economically diverse neighborhoods in the
425:
196:
183:
654:
349:
909:
811:
305:
172:
Map of Seattle with the general boundaries of Rainier Valley highlighted
309:
246:
574:
The Politics of Community Policing; Rearranging the Power to Punish
379:
670:"Big apartment project in Rainier Valley will be built in phases"
514:
28 homicides in Seattle in 2008, six occurred in Rainier Valley.
132:
Neighborhood of Seattle in King County, Washington, United States
913:
815:
288:
29:
796:
Seattle City Clerk's Neighborhood Map Atlas — Rainier Valley
279:
576:. Michigan: University of Michigan Press. p. 63.
297:
285:
276:
282:
252:
242:
232:
222:
212:
137:
60:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
551:. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing.
639:. University of Michigan Press. pp. 57–76.
716:"Rival gangs might be behind rise in shootings"
714:Castro, Hector; Reporter, P.-I. (2006-05-30).
424:, which caused the lake to drain west through
925:
827:
803:, 88 historic Rainier Valley photos from the
771:. Portland, Oregon: First Books. p. 67.
699:. United States Census Bureau. Archived from
8:
932:
918:
910:
834:
820:
812:
621:SR 90 Final Environmental Impact Statement
547:Rainier Valley Historical Society (2012).
134:
120:Learn how and when to remove this message
539:
251:
211:
176:
164:
152:
745:Seattle 911 -- A Police and Crime Blog
762:
760:
399:The Civil Rights Act precipitated a "
241:
231:
221:
7:
58:adding citations to reliable sources
416:railroad, the reorientation of the
18:Rainier Valley, Seattle, Washington
668:Stiles, Marc (December 10, 2013).
637:The Politics of Community Policing
25:
741:"A map of 2008 Seattle homicides"
892:
891:
801:Rainier Valley through the years
739:McNerthney, Casey (2008-12-31).
272:
166:
154:
34:
45:needs additional citations for
606:University of Washington Press
1:
869:Lil Red Takeout and Catering
675:Puget Sound Business Journal
458:(Kenyon to Cloverdale), and
767:Christensen, Maria (2007).
375:United States Supreme Court
1493:
806:Seattle Post-Intelligencer
336:. It is part of Seattle's
947:
887:
849:
519:Seattle Police Department
370:Seattle Housing Authority
177:
165:
153:
144:
69:"Rainier Valley, Seattle"
1472:Neighborhoods in Seattle
941:Neighborhoods in Seattle
312:. It is located east of
1477:Rainier Valley, Seattle
843:Rainier Valley, Seattle
572:Lyons, William (2002).
392:, looking east towards
147:Neighborhood of Seattle
27:Neighborhood in Seattle
1064:International District
396:
859:Columbia City station
383:
454:(Graham to Kenyon),
450:(Dawson to Graham),
446:(Alaska to Dawson),
420:and the lowering of
384:1970 aerial view of
54:improve this article
1337:University District
1116:Industrial District
598:Steinbrueck, Victor
193: /
1342:University Village
1024:Central Waterfront
397:
197:47.536°N 122.275°W
1459:
1458:
1007:Broadway District
907:
906:
602:Seattle Cityscape
495:Pacific Northwest
264:
263:
130:
129:
122:
104:
16:(Redirected from
1484:
1451:Whittier Heights
1322:South Lake Union
1168:Lower Queen Anne
1019:Central District
934:
927:
920:
911:
895:
894:
874:Mount Baker Park
836:
829:
822:
813:
783:
782:
764:
755:
754:
752:
751:
736:
730:
729:
727:
726:
711:
705:
704:
693:
687:
686:
684:
682:
665:
659:
658:
632:
626:
625:
616:
610:
609:
594:
588:
587:
569:
563:
562:
544:
330:Central District
301:
295:
294:
291:
290:
287:
284:
281:
278:
208:
207:
205:
204:
203:
202:47.536; -122.275
198:
194:
191:
190:
189:
186:
170:
158:
135:
125:
118:
114:
111:
105:
103:
62:
38:
30:
21:
1492:
1491:
1487:
1486:
1485:
1483:
1482:
1481:
1462:
1461:
1460:
1455:
1369:Washington Park
1151:Victory Heights
1111:Hawthorne Hills
943:
938:
908:
903:
883:
879:Othello station
845:
840:
792:
787:
786:
779:
766:
765:
758:
749:
747:
738:
737:
733:
724:
722:
713:
712:
708:
695:
694:
690:
680:
678:
667:
666:
662:
647:
634:
633:
629:
618:
617:
613:
596:
595:
591:
584:
571:
570:
566:
559:
546:
545:
541:
536:
528:
511:
491:
478:light rail line
439:
422:Lake Washington
394:Lake Washington
377:in the 1960s).
346:
328:; south of the
299:
275:
271:
201:
199:
195:
192:
187:
184:
182:
180:
179:
173:
161:
149:
140:
133:
126:
115:
109:
106:
63:
61:
51:
39:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1490:
1488:
1480:
1479:
1474:
1464:
1463:
1457:
1456:
1454:
1453:
1448:
1443:
1438:
1437:
1436:
1431:
1426:
1421:
1416:
1411:
1406:
1404:Fairmount Park
1401:
1396:
1391:
1381:
1376:
1371:
1366:
1365:
1364:
1359:
1349:
1344:
1339:
1334:
1329:
1324:
1319:
1318:
1317:
1315:Rainier Valley
1312:
1307:
1302:
1297:
1292:
1282:
1277:
1272:
1267:
1262:
1257:
1252:
1247:
1242:
1241:
1240:
1235:
1230:
1228:Licton Springs
1225:
1215:
1210:
1205:
1200:
1195:
1193:Madrona Valley
1190:
1185:
1183:Madison Valley
1180:
1175:
1170:
1165:
1160:
1155:
1154:
1153:
1148:
1143:
1138:
1136:Matthews Beach
1133:
1123:
1118:
1113:
1108:
1103:
1098:
1093:
1088:
1083:
1078:
1077:
1076:
1074:Yesler Terrace
1071:
1069:Pioneer Square
1066:
1061:
1056:
1046:
1041:
1039:Denny Triangle
1036:
1031:
1026:
1021:
1016:
1011:
1010:
1009:
999:
994:
989:
984:
979:
974:
969:
964:
959:
954:
948:
945:
944:
939:
937:
936:
929:
922:
914:
905:
904:
902:
901:
888:
885:
884:
882:
881:
876:
871:
866:
861:
856:
850:
847:
846:
841:
839:
838:
831:
824:
816:
810:
809:
798:
791:
790:External links
788:
785:
784:
777:
756:
731:
706:
703:on 2020-02-12.
688:
660:
645:
627:
611:
589:
582:
564:
557:
549:Rainier Valley
538:
537:
535:
532:
527:
524:
510:
507:
490:
487:
438:
435:
418:Duwamish River
345:
342:
268:Rainier Valley
262:
261:
256:
250:
249:
244:
240:
239:
234:
230:
229:
224:
220:
219:
214:
210:
209:
175:
174:
171:
163:
162:
159:
151:
150:
145:
142:
141:
139:Rainier Valley
138:
131:
128:
127:
42:
40:
33:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1489:
1478:
1475:
1473:
1470:
1469:
1467:
1452:
1449:
1447:
1444:
1442:
1441:West Woodland
1439:
1435:
1432:
1430:
1427:
1425:
1424:North Admiral
1422:
1420:
1417:
1415:
1412:
1410:
1407:
1405:
1402:
1400:
1397:
1395:
1394:Arbor Heights
1392:
1390:
1387:
1386:
1385:
1382:
1380:
1377:
1375:
1372:
1370:
1367:
1363:
1360:
1358:
1355:
1354:
1353:
1350:
1348:
1345:
1343:
1340:
1338:
1335:
1333:
1330:
1328:
1325:
1323:
1320:
1316:
1313:
1311:
1310:Rainier Beach
1308:
1306:
1303:
1301:
1298:
1296:
1295:Columbia City
1293:
1291:
1288:
1287:
1286:
1283:
1281:
1278:
1276:
1273:
1271:
1268:
1266:
1263:
1261:
1258:
1256:
1253:
1251:
1248:
1246:
1245:Phinney Ridge
1243:
1239:
1236:
1234:
1231:
1229:
1226:
1224:
1221:
1220:
1219:
1216:
1214:
1211:
1209:
1206:
1204:
1201:
1199:
1196:
1194:
1191:
1189:
1186:
1184:
1181:
1179:
1176:
1174:
1173:Loyal Heights
1171:
1169:
1166:
1164:
1161:
1159:
1156:
1152:
1149:
1147:
1146:Olympic Hills
1144:
1142:
1139:
1137:
1134:
1132:
1129:
1128:
1127:
1124:
1122:
1119:
1117:
1114:
1112:
1109:
1107:
1106:Harbor Island
1104:
1102:
1099:
1097:
1094:
1092:
1089:
1087:
1084:
1082:
1079:
1075:
1072:
1070:
1067:
1065:
1062:
1060:
1057:
1055:
1052:
1051:
1050:
1047:
1045:
1042:
1040:
1037:
1035:
1032:
1030:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1017:
1015:
1012:
1008:
1005:
1004:
1003:
1000:
998:
995:
993:
990:
988:
985:
983:
980:
978:
975:
973:
970:
968:
965:
963:
960:
958:
955:
953:
950:
949:
946:
942:
935:
930:
928:
923:
921:
916:
915:
912:
900:
899:
890:
889:
886:
880:
877:
875:
872:
870:
867:
865:
862:
860:
857:
855:
852:
851:
848:
844:
837:
832:
830:
825:
823:
818:
817:
814:
808:
807:
802:
799:
797:
794:
793:
789:
780:
778:9780912301730
774:
770:
763:
761:
757:
746:
742:
735:
732:
721:
720:seattlepi.com
717:
710:
707:
702:
698:
692:
689:
677:
676:
671:
664:
661:
656:
652:
648:
642:
638:
631:
628:
623:
622:
615:
612:
608:. p. 93.
607:
603:
599:
593:
590:
585:
583:9780472089017
579:
575:
568:
565:
560:
558:9780738588971
554:
550:
543:
540:
533:
531:
525:
523:
520:
517:In 2006, the
515:
509:Public safety
508:
506:
502:
500:
496:
488:
486:
484:
479:
474:
472:
468:
467:Mount Rainier
463:
461:
460:Rainier Beach
457:
453:
449:
445:
444:Columbia City
436:
434:
431:
427:
423:
419:
413:
410:
409:Little Saigon
406:
402:
395:
391:
387:
386:Columbia City
382:
378:
376:
371:
367:
363:
359:
354:
351:
343:
341:
339:
335:
334:Rainier Beach
332:and north of
331:
327:
323:
319:
315:
311:
308:in southeast
307:
303:
302:
293:
269:
260:
257:
255:
248:
245:
238:
235:
228:
225:
218:
217:United States
215:
206:
178:Coordinates:
169:
157:
148:
143:
136:
124:
121:
113:
110:November 2008
102:
99:
95:
92:
88:
85:
81:
78:
74:
71: –
70:
66:
65:Find sources:
59:
55:
49:
48:
43:This article
41:
37:
32:
31:
19:
1384:West Seattle
1314:
1305:Hillman City
1178:Madison Park
1044:Denny-Blaine
1002:Capitol Hill
896:
864:Genesee Park
842:
804:
768:
748:. Retrieved
744:
734:
723:. Retrieved
719:
709:
701:the original
691:
681:December 23,
679:. Retrieved
673:
663:
636:
630:
620:
614:
601:
592:
573:
567:
548:
542:
529:
516:
512:
503:
492:
489:Demographics
475:
464:
448:Hillman City
440:
414:
401:white flight
398:
390:Genesee Park
366:World War II
362:Scandinavian
355:
347:
267:
265:
116:
107:
97:
90:
83:
76:
64:
52:Please help
47:verification
44:
1352:Wallingford
1332:Squire Park
1275:Seward Park
1250:Portage Bay
1223:Haller Lake
1208:Mount Baker
1158:Laurelhurst
1141:Meadowbrook
1029:Cherry Hill
972:Bitter Lake
967:Beacon Hill
604:. Seattle:
499:Seward Park
483:Boeing bust
405:Vietnam War
322:Seward Park
318:Mount Baker
314:Beacon Hill
237:King County
200: /
188:122°16′30″W
1466:Categories
1446:Windermere
1409:Fauntleroy
1347:View Ridge
1327:South Park
1270:Sand Point
1255:Queen Anne
1233:Maple Leaf
1131:Cedar Park
1096:Green Lake
1091:Georgetown
1059:First Hill
1034:Crown Hill
982:Briarcliff
977:Blue Ridge
854:Café Avole
750:2020-10-03
725:2020-10-03
646:0472023861
534:References
430:Ship Canal
426:Lake Union
316:; west of
227:Washington
185:47°32′10″N
80:newspapers
1362:Northlake
1285:South End
1265:Roosevelt
1238:Pinehurst
1218:Northgate
1213:New Holly
1126:Lake City
1101:Greenwood
992:Broadview
987:Broadmoor
437:Geography
338:South End
254:Area code
1434:Westwood
1414:Gatewood
1399:Delridge
1379:Westlake
1374:Wedgwood
1357:Meridian
1290:Brighton
1203:Montlake
1198:Magnolia
1121:Interbay
1081:Eastlake
1054:Belltown
1049:Downtown
957:Atlantic
898:Category
655:39800590
600:(1962).
452:Brighton
428:and the
350:surveyed
306:district
1429:Seaview
1419:Genesee
1260:Ravenna
1188:Madrona
1086:Fremont
1014:Cascade
962:Ballard
697:"98118"
526:Economy
358:British
344:History
310:Seattle
304:) is a
247:Seattle
213:Country
94:scholar
1300:Dunlap
1163:Leschi
997:Bryant
775:
653:
643:
580:
555:
471:Renton
456:Dunlap
326:Leschi
324:, and
233:County
96:
89:
82:
75:
67:
952:Adams
223:State
101:JSTOR
87:books
1389:Alki
1280:SoDo
773:ISBN
683:2019
651:OCLC
641:ISBN
578:ISBN
553:ISBN
388:and
360:and
300:NEER
298:ray-
266:The
243:City
73:news
289:ɪər
259:206
56:by
1468::
759:^
743:.
718:.
672:.
649:.
340:.
320:,
280:eɪ
933:e
926:t
919:v
835:e
828:t
821:v
781:.
753:.
728:.
685:.
657:.
586:.
561:.
292:/
286:n
283:ˈ
277:r
274:/
270:(
123:)
117:(
112:)
108:(
98:·
91:·
84:·
77:·
50:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.