Hillman City
Hillman City is a neighborhood in Seattle, King County, Washington, United States.
Hillman City was settled in the 1890s and is named after the colorful Clarence Hillman, a Realtor/Con Artist that made his fortune selling real and imagined plots of land to out of state speculators.[1] Hillman City was never as populous as Columbia City to the North, but it did have a stop on the Rainier Streetcar line. Hillman City was included as a part of the Southeast neighborhood that was annexed into Seattle proper in 1907.[2]
Today, Hillman City is centered on the intersection of Rainier Avenue and Orcas Avenue, with a small, somewhat beleaguered old business district with some fine historic buildings. It tends to be seen by locals as a less-gentrified version of its neighbor Columbia City, but many expect that - given its classic housing stock, walkable core and proximity to booming Columbia City - reinvestment and renewal are not far off. Housing prices have appreciated considerably, despite the downturn in the economy. However some worry that the neighborhood may lose its identity as the neighborhood changes.[3] The Hillman City Neighborhood Alliance has increased the quality of life by organizing neighborhood patrols and litter cleanups. While rundown buildings, graffiti, and litter still dot the neighborhood, it is now considered more of a nuisance than a threat.[4]
Part of Hillman City's growing prosperity seems to be based on location. The City's new Link Light Rail, though no longer featuring a Graham Street station (which would have been closer), offers a station at Edmunds Street, within walking distance. Increased foot traffic has already helped several new local businesses thrive, including a West African restaurant and a bakery. In the other direction, Seward Park and its wealthier neighborhoods are a ten-minute walk down Orcas.
A major local initiative has been the transformation of Hitt's Hill, which overlooks Hillman City's retail core, from an overgrown and trash-strewn lot into a local park and green belt.[5]
The Hillman City Hellcats [1] are the neighborhood's softball team.
References:
- ^ http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&File_Id=3080
- ^ http://clerk.ci.seattle.wa.us/~public/annexations/annex_list.htm
- ^ http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/realestate/2003895938_realneighborhood230.html
- ^ http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/realestate/2003895938_realneighborhood230.html
- ^ http://www.seattle.gov/hittshill/default.htm
The Hillman City Business Association (HCBA)
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