Uncovering the History of Seattle's Central Waterfront tour. Photo by Jo Cosme.
Uncovering the History of Seattle’s Central Waterfront
Starts at Occidental Park | Free limited tickets
Thursday July 23, 5:30–7 pm
Thursday August 27, 5:30–7 pm
Thursday September 24, 5:30–7 pm
Thursday October 22, 5:30–7 pm
Join historian Jennifer Ott on a 1‑mile tour as she tells the stories of piers and people, ships and railroads, and Seattle's ever‑evolving landscapes.
Family‑friendly!
Uncovering the History of Seattle's Central Waterfront tour. Photo by Jo Cosme.
About the Tour
The central Seattle waterfront has layers of stories, many of them hidden from view like the beach that once welcomed Coast Salish canoes. Join HistoryLink historian Jennifer Ott on a 1-mile excursion tour across time to explore the piers and people, ships and railroads, and ever-evolving landscape of the waterfront.
Know Before You Go
- This tour starts at Occidental Park, makes its way along the Waterfront and finishes at Pier 62.
- Recommended age: 4 years and older
- The entire tour is outdoors, so please dress for the weather.
- Please arrive 15 minutes early for check-in.
- Group size is limited, register on Eventbrite to reserve your spot for free.
- Tickets are free and will be available two weeks before each walking tour date! Need a reminder? Visit our Eventbrite page, choose the tour date you want, and click “Remind Me” to receive an email when tickets go on sale.
Uncovering the History of Seattle's Central Waterfront tour. Photo by Jo Cosme.
Proudly Partnered with Jennifer Ott
Jennifer Ott is an environmental historian with a particular interest in Seattle’s history of moving dirt, rerouting waterways, and leveling hills. She is a senior historian for HistoryLink.org, and has written for Seattle magazine and the Oregon Historical Quarterly. She is the author of Where the City Meets Sound (2026), Olmsted in Seattle: Creating A Park System for a Modern City (2019), general editor and contributor to Seattle at 150: Stories of the City Through 150 Objects from the Seattle Municipal Archives (2019), co-author of Waterway: The Story of Seattle’s Locks and Ship Canal (2017).
Pier 62. Photo by Jo Cosme.
Accessibility
Friends strives to ensure Waterfront Park, and our events are inclusive, accessible, and welcoming to everyone.
Waterfront Park is an outdoor space in downtown Seattle providing various amenities such as wheelchair accessible seating, shade, water stations, cooling fans, and ADA accessible restrooms.
This tour traverses uneven ground, steep inclines, and may not have access to elevators along the route. Please reach out to [email protected] with any accommodation inquiries or requests.
Please fill out our visitor experience survey here with any feedback on how we can make your experience more comfortable and accessible.
