You wouldn't know it just from walking the sidewalks of Pioneer Square, but beneath those cubed glass floor panels rests a whole other Seattle. Once home to sailors, shysters, prostitutes and Seattle city bigwigs of both high and low moral character, the remnants of Seattle that sit one floor below Pioneer Square tell the story of Seattle's growth.

When the Great Fire of Seattle leveled most of the city in 1889, many of the city's existing problems were addressed with a radical plan. The fact that the city was built on mud-flats, along with a sticky problem of erupting sewage pipes, led to the idea of raising the city up a level and leaving the past 15 feet underfoot.

The Underground Tour takes you back to that era for 90 minutes, told by outgoing guides with a healthy tongue-in-cheek style combined with a fun level of sarcasm and group participation. While the remains beneath the Square aren't much to look at, the lavish stories of Seattle's historical figures and events and the fact that an unseen network of walkways and rooms still exist beneath the city are reason enough to pay this uniquely Seattle attraction a visit.

Details:
The tour starts in the historic bar of Doc Maynard's in Pioneer Square.
CASH & TRAVELER'S CHECKS. NO CREDIT CARDS. $10.00 adults, $8.00 seniors (60+) and $8.00 students (13-17 or with valid college ID), $5.00 children (7-12). 6 and under are free, but may find the lengh of the tour challenging. The tours operate on a first come first serve basis. It is recommended arriving about half an hour prior to a tour.

Doc Maynard, one of the many Seattle figures you'll hear about on the tour

For more of historic Seattle, you may also want to pay a visit to the Klondike Gold Rush Museum, located right across the street, or do a little browsing on the Web with these .

• Return to Seattle City Guide
• Photo Gallery: Seattle Landmarks