Pioneer Square in Seattle in King County, Washington — The American West (Northwest)

Great Northern Tunnel

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, September 17, 2011

1. Great Northern Tunnel Marker

Inscription. Completed in 1905, this one mile long railroad tunnel provided access to the new passenger depot and the expanded freight yards south of King Street. The tunnel was built at the suggestion of City Engineer R.H. Thomson to relieve growing street congestion in downtown Seattle.

Erected 1989 by Historic Seattle Museum of History and Industry, Pioneer Square Businesses, and King County.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1905.

Location. 47° 36.008′ N, 122° 19.753′ W. Marker is in Seattle, Washington, in King County. It is in Pioneer Square. It is at the intersection of South Main Street and 4th Avenue South, on the left when traveling east on South Main Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 390 South MainStreet, Seattle WA 98104, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Washington’s Puget Sound Region.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast,

in the Pacific Northwest,

and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor.

Globally, it is in North America,

in the Cascade Range,

in the Inside Passage,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: A Community Takes Root (within shouting distance of this marker); Japanese Farmers and Alien Land Laws (within shouting distance of this marker); Reclaiming our Roots (within shouting distance of this marker); A Thriving Nihonmachi (within shouting distance of this marker); Vindication, Healing, and the Legacy of Justice

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(within shouting distance of this marker); Wartime Incarceration (within shouting distance of this marker); Starting Over After the War (within shouting distance of this marker); Gordon Hirabayashi (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Seattle.

Great Northern Tunnel image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, September 17, 2011

2. Great Northern Tunnel

The marker is seen on the lower right hand corner of the photo.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 11, 2011, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 1,262 times since then and 55 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 11, 2011, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.