This post is neither about the city in Colorado, The Northern Lights nor the Roman goddess (Best known for introducing the sunrise every morning and for turning her boyfriend into a cicada). It is a photo essay about Aurora Avenue in Seattle.
Locals have undoubtedly seen some of the businesses shown in photos below.
Non-locals, at least those in the U.S., undoubtedly have similar streets where they live. Aurora is a hodgepodge of businesses in what might be described as a “transition” area. Aurora Avenue has been in “transition” ever since the Seattle portion of the I-5 interstate highway was completed in 1964. I-5 made the old route between Canada and Mexico, US Highway 99, obsolete. Aurora Avenue was U.S. Highway 99 in North Seattle.
In recent years there has been some new construction on Aurora, mostly mid-rise medium to high-end apartments, a new Starbucks and a high speed bus line. But parts of Aurora Avenue are still pretty seedy and unseemly. Prostitutes and drug dealers are a common site. Cheap (quality, not price) motels are all long Aurora and I would not advise anyone to stay at any of them. The motels are mostly remnants of the glory days when US 99 was the main north-south highway.
These motels, and many of the other “highway” focused businesses, won’t be with us long. Many of those pictured in this essay have already disappeared. Nonetheless, these businesses are a part of the American story and their existence is worth recording.
Aurora is not all bad of course. The Avenue goes over the scenic Aurora Ave. Bridge most famous for one of Seattle’s finest and most exclusive restaurants, Canlis. Aurora also now connects directly to the new tunnel under downtown Seattle and Aurora is a great bus and car commuting route for many in North Seattle. The avenue also bisects the beautiful Woodland Park, home of the Zoo and the wonderful park at Green Lake. And I would be remiss if I overlooked the fact that Aurora goes right through Evergreen-Washelli Cemetery in which both my parents and my maternal grandparents are buried and where I will also end up some day.
I think I first started this project over 20 years ago. Procrastination should not be a goal, but often I seem to treat it as such. Anyway, I finally finished this project and below are the pics which I think capture at least some of the essence of Aurora Avenue through its (mostly) neon signs:
Aurora Neon
I’m torn between making a reservation at The Thunderbird or The Marco Polo. Have to check to see if breakfast is included.
Great pictures. I enjoyed seeing that one can sleep off the highway, and also can enjoy dial phones. We all have transition zones, but this one is dramatic and tells its history.