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Rainier Valley
The Rainier Valley is both a neighborhood and a geographical feature that extends six miles southeast of downtown Seattle, almost to Renton. The Rainier Valley neighborhood is generally the upper (north) end of the valley between Beacon Hill and Mount Baker, but the name also refers to the entire length of the valley including communities such as Columbia City and Rainier Beach.
Homesteaded in the 1880's, the valley has been a first stop for many immigrants. The end of the Vietnam War in 1975 saw the arrival of refugees from Indochina. Hispanics from Latin America took advantage of good property values and Rainier Avenue became multicultural and multilingual. Along with the vestiges of the neighborhood's Italian heritage such as Oberto Meats and Borrachini's Restaurant are Mexican bodegas and Vietnamese restaurants offering Phò. Today, almost a century after the Italians settled "Garlic Gulch," Rainier Valley remains Seattle's most racially diverse community.
Don't miss the Columbia Summer Fest and Heritage Festival, held in mid-August, where the community shows its spirit and pride. The Rainier Valley Historical Society grew out of the Pioneers of Columbia City, who had their first meeting in April of 1891.
The subject that's on everyone's mind in Rainier Valley is the coming of Sound Transit's Light Rail. Here are some places to learn more:
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