On our latest trip to Seattle we did an unusual tour, Bill Speidel’s Underground Tour. It was something I would thought of it someone hadn’t mentioned it to me a few years back. I was surprised at how much fun we had exploring Seattle’s underground.
After we checked in and got armbands, we were able to grab drinks while we waited for our tour to start. I was actually a little shocked at how many people were there for the evening underground tour. The popularity of this tour took me by surprise in a good way. I thought we would be one of a few people, lol.
Eventually Clay gave us a hilarious introduction and told us about the “war” between Seattle and Tacoma, how the city sewer system was built. He also talked about the houses of Negotiable Affections, and about the Great Seattle Fire of 1889 which destroyed the city of Seattle. As a site note, not many Seattleites were upset by the destruction of the city, as it was a way to start over and rebuild the city better than it had been originally. He did a great job on giving us some Seattle history in a very comical way.
Once he was finished, we broke into smaller groups with different tour guides. Our guide was Justin, and he gave us a little more history as he lead us all over the area around Pioneer Square. I lost track of how many buildings we went down into and around. All I know is it was a lot of steps in and out. Happily he didn’t go too fast, and I was able to keep up 
He told a lot of stories, but the one I remember the most was about how the city had a lot less men than women. I think he said it was like 10-1. He also talked about how many of those women in town were “seamstresses.” Apparently it was a booming business back in the day and they were making quite a bit of money. There were many stories and facts, but I can’t remember them all to share on my post. Take the tour and you can hear them all Like they say on their brochure, it’s history with punchlines!
As far as the details of the tour, here they are. It’s a 75-minute guided walking tour which begins beneath Doc Maynard’s Public House. Later the tour spills into historic Pioneer Square, Seattle’s birthplace. Eventually we went plunging underground for an exclusive, time-capsule view of the buried city. The tour ends in Rogues Gallery and the Underground Gift Shop. Tours start every hour on the hour everyday, but hours vary depending on the time of year. You can get more details, as well are pre-order tickets on their website. We had a great time on Bill Speidel’s Underground Tour!
