Seven hills of Seattle facts for kids
The city of Seattle in the United States is sometimes called the "City of Seven Hills." This name refers to the many hills Seattle was built on. However, there isn't a clear agreement on exactly which seven hills count. Many other cities around the world are also known for their seven hills, like Rome and Constantinople (now Istanbul).
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Seattle's Main Hills
A historian named Walt Crowley thought these were the most likely "seven hills" of Seattle:
- First Hill: This hill is sometimes called "Pill Hill." That's because it has many hospitals and clinics.
- Yesler Hill: Today, this area is known as Yesler Terrace.
- Cherry Hill: This hill is east of First Hill. It used to be called Second Hill or Renton Hill.
- Denny Hill: This hill was changed a lot. Workers moved huge amounts of dirt to make it flatter. This process is called "regrading." Now, the area is known as the Denny Regrade.
- Capitol Hill
- Queen Anne Hill
- Beacon Hill
These hills are even connected to seven large rocks in Seattle's Seven Hills Park.
Other Hills People Mention
Some people also think these hills could be part of the "seven hills" list:
- West Seattle: This area was once its own city. Seattle added it in 1907.
- Magnolia
- Crown Hill: This area became part of Seattle later, in 1954.
- Mount Baker
How Seattle's Hills Formed
Seattle's hilly landscape was mostly shaped by the Pleistocene ice age. During this time, huge sheets of ice called glaciers moved across the land. Most of Seattle's hills are either drumlins or drift uplands. Drumlins are oval-shaped hills made of material left behind by glaciers. Drift uplands are also areas raised by glacial deposits. Beacon Hill, First Hill, Capitol Hill, Queen Anne Hill, and Mount Baker are examples of drumlins. Magnolia and West Seattle are drift uplands.
The "Seven Hills of Seattle" Walk
Every year, the Seattle-Bergen Sister City Association holds a special walk. It's called the "Seven Hills of Seattle" walk. Seattle's sister city is Bergen, Norway. Bergen is famous for its own seven mountains.
