"White Center had the reputation of being just outside the boundary of the civilized world." White Center poet, Richard Hugo (1923-1982)
White Center, a 2.5 square-mile community in Seattle's tightly packed southside, is proof that not every fight (or competition for that matter) has to be settled with a fight. In 1918, two eager investors made a coin toss that would ultimately decide a part of Seattle's future. George White and his pal Hiram Green agreed to toss for the right to name the small growing neighborhood. During a time when a trolley car route defined the success of an outlying neighborhood, being able to claim the namesake of a new community was an important stamp of notoriety for a real estate developer. But being gentlemen and wise investors, White and Green kept to civil discourse and flipped for the choice. George White won the coin toss and ceremoniously named the semi-rural area White Center. He also managed to route the Seattle trolley past its doors, which effectively put White Center on the proverbial real estate map.
Housing ranges from single detached homes to apartments, some of which are within walking distance of the commercial center
"White Center had the reputation of being just outside the boundary of the civilized world." White Center poet, Richard Hugo (1923-1982)
White Center, a 2.5 square-mile community in Seattle's tightly packed southside, is proof that not every fight (or competition for that matter) has to be settled with a fight. In 1918, two eager investors made a coin toss that would ultimately decide a part of Seattle's future. George White and his pal Hiram Green agreed to toss for the right to name the small growing neighborhood. During a time when a trolley car route defined the success of an outlying neighborhood, being able to claim the namesake of a new community was an important stamp of notoriety for a real estate developer. But being gentlemen and wise investors, White and Green kept to civil discourse and flipped for the choice. George White won the coin toss and ceremoniously named the semi-rural area White Center. He also managed to route the Seattle trolley past its doors, which effectively put White Center on the proverbial real estate map.
Housing ranges from single detached homes to apartments, some of which are within walking distance of the commercial center. Other housing options to consider include a condo for rent or a private house for lease. Some houses in White Center may offer attached apartments with paid utilities as well.
Before moving, be sure you have all the correct documentation with you to secure a place: your ID, previous pay stubs, letters of reference and a security deposit are good places to start.
White Center's geography is part of what makes the community so famous. Its relatively tiny jumble of densely packed streets overlaps the metropolitan boundaries of three different areas: Seattle, Burien and unincorporated parts of King County. In 2010, Burien successfully brought its section of White Center into its fold, although you would never know there had been a change by walking its streets. White Center neighborhoods remain distinctively their own off-beat examples of a community with its own personal image.
North White Center (unincorporated sections): White Center's start began in the vicinity of what is now 16th Avenue SW and Roxbury and has remained the main commercial district. It has also remained the heartbeat of this community. Residents are fond of pointing out the diversity and cooperative spirit that has made this area so successful. The multicultural landscape lends to the variety of restaurants, stores and support networks, which includes a neighborhood house and a community development association.
South White Center (Burien): South White Center lacks the hustle and bustle of the developed commercial district, but it has its pockets of favorite living areas. Tree-lined cul de sacs in the southwest part of this neighborhood are great places to start your apartment search, with units that include the occasional one-bedroom apartment for rent. It's conveniently close to State Route 509, which hooks up with the downtown Seattle area, as well as Burien central and Sea Tac.
Hiram Green didn't do so badly, either: his willingness to flip for what today would amount to the governing stake in Internet broadcasting allowed him to purchase five profitable acres at its center that later became the area's key landmark. And while White Center's history can't always be said to have been as genteel as White and Green's deal, their handshake has become a symbol of what is today, a vibrant, cooperative and multicultural community.
The City of Seattle is currently considering annexing the rest of the community -- a move that seems imminently practical to many residents, since their addresses are technically listed as Seattle. White Center is sometimes referred to as North Highline, an unincorporated area that still retains many of the interesting buildings of its past, like one of Hiram Green's early developments, the Southgate Roller Rink (since renamed the Southgate Event Center).
Become a tourist for a day
Take a stroll down the commercial center of the community. Take in some ethnic cuisine, browse the stores and enjoy the flavor. It's unlike many other parts of Seattle.
Pack light and leave locked
Etiquette in White Center is the same as in any other big city neighborhoods: don't leave irreplaceable valuables in your car overnight or unlocked. It's just common sense.
Prepare for the wet stuff
There's a reason why it's blindingly green around here, and that's the rain. Gray skies and light drizzle come and go during the summer, but so does the hot sun, so prepare for surprising bursts of beauty. You'll notice that people get a little crazy when they see the sun -- a healthy response after those wetter winter occasions. Singing and dancing in the sunshine is to be expected.
