Considered Seattle’s most densely populated neighborhood, capitol of Seattle’s diverse life style community with an eclectic night life and musical scene; Capitol Hill is a fascinating combination of stately 19th century mansions, affordable and luxury apartments and a vibrant commercial area along Broadway and Pike.
According to the Seattle City Clerk’s Neighborhood Map Atlas, Capitol Hill is the designation for an uber-neighborhood consisting of Broadway, Stevens, Montlake, Portage Bay and Madison Park, but Broadway and Stevens (from 15th Ave E to 23rd or 24th Ave NE) make up what is normally understood to be Capitol Hill. Its common boundaries are I-5 on the west, 520 & Interlaken Park on the north, 23rd or 24th Ave E. on the east and Madison Ave and E Pike on the South.
Capitol Hill boasts several jewels of the Seattle Park system including Volunteer Park, home to the Seattle Asian Art Museum, Conservatory, water tower observatory; Interlaken Park with hiking and bike trails overlooking Portage Bay; and Cal Anderson Park with an impressive fountain, wading pool and the Bobby Morris playfields. Formerly known as Lincoln Reservoir, the drinking water reservoir was covered in 2005 and renamed after Washington’s first openly gay legislator, Forbes.com recognized it one of the top 12 urban parks in the nation in 2009. In the Stevens neighborhood, the Miller Community Center also includes a regulation size soccer field.
Public schools include Lowell Elementary, a city-wide draw for both APP and Special Ed, Stevens Elementary, Nova High School and Seattle Central Community College. Several prominent religious institutions are located in Capitol Hill including St. Mark’s Cathedral, seat of the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia; St. Joseph Catholic Church; and Temple De Hirsch Sinai, the largest Reformed synagogue in the Pacific Northwest.
Capitol Hill is served by several bus routes to downtown and the UW, including 8,9,10,11,14,43,48,49. A new Link Light Rail station is opening soon next to Cal Anderson Park on Broadway & Denny.