at a glancein&aroundthe neighbourhood

Location

Indie shops and hip bars pack this bohemian neighborhood on the north bank of the canal. Quirky outdoor sculptures include the gigantic Fremont Troll, lurking under the Aurora Bridge, and the towering Fremont Rocket. Arty residents and tech workers hang out in the area’s eclectic eateries. The Fremont Sunday Market has art, antiques, and food trucks. Cyclists and walkers explore the canalside Burke-Gilman Trail. Fremont is situated along the Fremont Cut of the Lake Washington Ship Canal to the north of Queen Anne, the east of Ballard, the south of Phinney Ridge, and the southwest of Wallingford. Its boundaries are not formally fixed, but they can be thought of as consisting of the Ship Canal to the south, Stone Way N. to the east, N. 50th Street to the north, and 8th Avenue N.W. to the west.

Neighbourhood Vibes

Recreation

Ship Canal

As the Native travelers illustrated, connecting saltwater and freshwater made sense, except for one large problem. Lake Washington was about 29 feet, and Lake Union about 20 feet, above sea level, while Salmon Bay was a tidal inlet with a water level that fluctuated 10 to 12 feet daily.” The Ship Canal opened in 1917 connecting the saltwater of Puget Sound to the freshwater of Lake Washington via Lake Union. It consists of two cuts, the Fremont Cut between Salmon Bay and Lake Union and the Montlake Cut between Lake Union and Lake Washington, and a set of locks at the west end of Salmon Bay. The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks accommodate approximately a 20-foot (6.1 m) difference in water level between Lake Washington and the sound.

Burke Gilman Trail

“Born as a railroad.” The 27-mile trail has become a major transportation corridor that serves thousands of commuter and recreational cyclists. It demonstrates that when the proper facilities are provided many people will chose healthy, pollution-free, non-motorized modes of travel. The trail can at times be busy and even crowded with cyclists, walkers, joggers and skaters. The trail begins at 11th Avenue NW in Ballard and follows along the Lake Washington Ship Canal and north along Lake Washington. At Blyth Park in Bothell the trail becomes the Sammamish River Trail and continues for 10 miles (16 km) to Marymoor Park, Redmond, on Lake Sammamish.

Last Carnegie Library

Seattle’s first public library was opened in 1903 in Fremont and still remains the longest operating branch in the Seattle Public Library history. This historic branch has since been listed on the National Register of Historic Places and named a landmark building by Seattle’s Landmarks Preservation Board. Amenities: FREE public computers, Wifi access, Art by Dennis Evans, and more. Read more from Fremocentrist.com and learn more at Histroy.org

BF Day School

Fremont’s BF Day School predates the public school system! BF Day School is named after the donor Benjamin Franklin Day after he paid for the first three months of rent. Opened in 1893 this school is the longest operating public school in Seattle and has been educating our youth for 125 years, predating Seattle’s public school system. The building is a designated historic landmark and undergone state-of-the-art renovations. Since 2009 it has the largest rain garden in Seattle Public Schools. The Fremont Chamber of Commerce partners with BF Day for annual fundraising events and has a lifetime membership for all their great community work.

Gasworks Park

“Gas Works Park occupies a 20.5 acres (8.3 hectares) promontory between the northwest and northeast arms of Lake Union. Little is known of pre–Euro-American site history, but there were Native American settlements around Lake Union. Native names for Lake Union include Kah-chug, Tenas Chuck, and Xa’ten. In the mid-19th century, Thomas Mercer named it “Lake Union” in expectation of future canals linking it to Puget Sound and to Lake Washington. Dense forests still came down to the water’s edge and the lake drained into Salmon Bay through a stream “full of windfalls and brush, impassable even for a canoe”. (Bass 1947, p33) Lake Union in the 1860-70s was a popular vacation spot with Seattleites for summer house-boating and picnicking.” (Wikipedia)

Woodland Park Zoo

Founded in 1899, Woodland Park Zoo has sparked delight, discovery and unforgettable memories for generations of Northwest families. People who experience the wonders of the natural world are inspired to protect it. That’s why every year we lead more than 1 million people on a journey that inspires a lifelong love of animals, makes science come alive, and gives people the tools to take conservation action. (Woodland Park Zoo)

George Washington Memorial Bridge (Aurora Bridge)

Opened in 1932, the Aurora Bridge, officially called the George Washington Memorial Bridge, is a cantilever and truss bridge that carries State Route 99 (Aurora Avenue North) over the west end of Lake Union and connects Queen Anne and Fremont. The bridge is 2,945 ft (898 m) long, 70 ft (21 m) wide, about 167 ft (51 m) above the water and is owned and operated by the Washington State Department of Transportation. Learn more from fremocentrist.com, History.org or Wikipedia

Education

B F DAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (K-5 grades)

KAPKA COOPERATIVE SCHOOL (K-5 grades)

NORTHWEST MONTESSORI (PK-6 grades)

PACIFIC CREST SCHOOLS (PK-8 grades)

Transportation

* Downtown Seattle: 4 miles / 10-20 minutes by car / 20-30 minutes by transit / 30 minutes by bike * Bellevue: 13.5 miles / 30-45 minutes by car / 75-90 minutes by transit * Redmond: 16 miles / 30-55 minutes by car / 50-60 minutes by transit

Restaurant & Retail

Agrodolce

Located along 709 N 35th St, Seattle, WA 98103

The casual and welcoming trattoria nestled in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood features Southern Italian cuisine and expertly created handmade pasta made with the finest organic and sustainable ingredients in the Pacific Northwest.

Ballroom

Located along: 456 N 36th St, Seattle, WA 98103

Ballroom features giant hand-tossed East coast style pizza by the slice or whole pie.

El Camino

Located along 607 N 35th St, Seattle, WA 98103

El Camino is a casual dining spot in the Fremont neighborhood that has been serving Seattle fresh, vibrant, homemade Mexican food since 1996!

Eve

Located along 704 N 34th St, Seattle, WA 98103

A restaurant that reflects the owners dedication to fine craftsmanship, delicious food, an inviting spa and welcoming service.