North Beacon Hill

Today was another beautiful late fall day and I returned to North Beacon Hill to explore the area west of Beacon Avenue. I really enjoyed my 8.2 mile walk along the streets between I-5 and Beacon Avenue from S Lander to S Spokane. The highlight was the 12th Avenue S Viewpoint which offered spectacular views of the Seattle skyline, the cascades, Seattle's container port and Puget Sound.

Once again, most of the streets had well-tended sidewalks (a few close to I-5 had no sidewalks)




and lovingly tended gardens.

Sculpting trees and hedges seemed to be in favor.

There were a few apartment houses near Beacon Avenue and near Spokane Street. This one named "Golf Court" was very close to the golf course. There were a few other older, well-maintained, two story, brick apartment houses with names. Some of the newer apartment houses were not as architecturally appealing.

I passed one apartment complex that had multiple buildings and was very well maintained. With very few exceptions, the entire area was tidy and showed real pride of ownership. This neighborhood is high enough above I-5 that the noise level is much lower than in a similar neighborhood to the south.

Along Beacon Avenue, in addition to what I'd seen yesterday, I spotted two pubs, a few more dental offices, a taco truck and an Italian restaurant. I could see that there were more restaurants north of Lander. The Delite Bakery is at 15th and Lander. I stopped in and observed a busy business which may be worth a return visit.

The Beacon Hill Branch of the Seattle Public Library was open and cheery.

There is a colorful mural on the side of a bank.

This area is home to the Institute of Divine Metaphysical Research,

Beacon Hill First Baptist Church,

Saint Peter Catholic Church

and Saint John Chrysostom Byzantine Catholic Church.

Along the way, I spotted yard art,

tree swings and tree art





and two Little Free Libraries.

This was a great walk in a great neighborhood. I saw quite a few people out walking children, walking dogs, just walking, working, jogging and shopping.

North Beacon Hill

Today was sunny and brisk, perfect weather for a walk. I returned to North Beacon Hill for a 6.6 mile walk along streets east of Beacon Avenue S from S College to S Spokane Street.

Beacon Avenue S is the main street and the location of the Beacon Hill Light Rail Station. The train runs underground (16 stories down) through this area and there are apartments and commercial businesses near the station. I've taken the light rail through this station but never gotten out or ridden the elevator. I hope to return and do just that and enjoy the station's artwork.

The Beacon Hill Branch of the Seattle Public Library is across Beacon Avenue,

a bank, a supermarket, a medical/dental center, an auto repair shop, a few tax preparation offices, a few cafes, a yoga studio, a travel agency, a gas station/food shop, a bike shop, a TV/VCR repair shop, a few salons, a few restaurants - I noted El Quetzal and Kusina Filapina (with a mural on its side) - and a storefront for the Lee Family Association are nearby.

The streets were not filled with parked cars, probably because of the 2 hour limit for non-neighborhood residents.

Half a block from Beacon Avenue, the neighborhood becomes mostly single family homes - a mix of many older but with some modern homes.

Beacon Avenue is at the top of a hill and the adjacent streets are flat but a few blocks east, they slope down - necessitating a few staircases. Today, I could see Lake Washington and the Cascades.

This area is home to Christ the Son of God Lutheran Church,

El Centro de la Raza (in the old Beacon Hill School) and Santos Rodriguez Memorial Park (an adjacent street is named S Roberto Maestas Festival Street)

and a small triangular park (Stevens Place) with a large tree and a bench.

Along the way, I spotted a few tree swings, a porch swing,

garden art,










and some lovingly tended gardens and parking strips.

This walk was made even more enjoyable by the quality and quantity of the sidewalks in the neighborhood. In many areas, I walk in the street because there are no sidewalks or the sidewalks are poorly maintained and pose a risk of tripping or slipping on leaves or moss. With the exception of 21st and 22nd Avenues between College and Bayview, all the streets had sidewalks and only one small stretch was covered with leaves.

North Beacon Hill

Today, my husband joined me for a 5.9 mile walk in the North Beacon Hill area. We walked streets between Jefferson Park Golf Course (pictured in a prior post) and S Bayview Street from 20th to 25th Avenue S.

Streets east of 23rd were hilly and bordered on green areas. We could see the Mount Baker Light Rail Station and Franklin High School as we walked east on McClellan.

Homes and streets here were a real mix with many being older and modest but with new homes mixed in.

This area is home to Blaine Memorial United Methodist Church (which advertised a Japanese service)

and Kimball Elementary School

with its decorated sidewalk and Community Day School Association Before and After School Programs and Summer Camp.

The terrain levels out along 23rd and the streets east of 23rd are more tailored and prosperous looking.

We even saw a few houses with solar panels on their roofs.

Along the way, we spotted well-tended gardens,

tree-lined streets,

vegetables planted in parking strips,

an espaliered tree,

a staircase

and what may have once been a corner store, converted to a church and now for lease.

This was an interesting walk through a varied neighborhood where each street is unique.