Episode 1

A Contested Waterfront

Published on: 28th February, 2025

Dive into the history of Seattle's Central Waterfront, uncovering layers of colonial empire building, settler place-making, and Indigenous displacement, and highlighting the significance of Native inclusion in the planning of the new Waterfront Park.

As the episode reveals, "Even though it’s changed dramatically over time, repeatedly, you can still see traces and touch points of the past wherever you go on the Waterfront," reminding us that the past is always present in the landscape and that the Oculus is ever watchful.

This series is hosted by Dominic Black and Kiku Hughes

This episode features guests Coll Thrush, Valerie Segrest, and Jennifer Ott

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About the Podcast

An 8-Year-Long Emergency
Seattle, an Earthquake, and a Doomed Waterfront Highway
Why was the replacement of the Alaskan Way viaduct an eight-year-long emergency? Because everyone - from governors to stakeholders to community groups - cares deeply about the Seattle central waterfront.

An 8-Year-Long Emergency: Seattle, an Earthquake, and a Doomed Waterfront Highway is an exploration of the complicated story behind the replacement of the viaduct following the 2001 Nisqually earthquake. Featuring interviews and engaging discussions with historians, politicians, transportation planners, and community organizers, each episode is set against the backdrop of the waterfront's history.

As the podcast reveals, "Even though it’s changed dramatically over time, repeatedly, you can still see traces and touch points of the past wherever you go on the Waterfront," reminding us that the past is always present in the landscape.

About your host

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Kiku Hughes