May 7, 2011

Leveling the Hills

In the early 1900s, Seattle decided that they needed more flat land, so they got some shovels and horse carts and shit and went and leveled out a hill or two on the edge of town. That's what this is. And when I say hill, well, note the ladders at the bottom for the scale we're talking about. Get enough people on a project, you can do anything. That's both one of our greatest strengths and our greatest weaknesses as a species.

Seattle, Washington
1910, photographer Asahel Curtis

3 comments:

Verdant Earl said...

Was all that dirt used to grade up the street level in downtown Seattle? I know they rebuilt the city around then on top of the old city.

That Hank said...

No, from what I understand most of this dirt was washed into the bay.

Ms. Moon said...

Our greatest strengths are often our greatest weaknesses. I have seen this over and over and over again.