From Fire to Fortune: A Walking Tour of Historic Seattle's Jewish Gilded Age

Seattle was built by strivers: merchants, dreamers, and newcomers who arrived with little and shaped everything. Among them was a small but remarkable Jewish community whose story winds through every corner of the city's founding decades. 

Join local historian and author Karen Treiger for From Fire to Fortune: A Walking Tour of Seattle's Jewish Gilded Age for a lively walking tour through the streets of Old Seattle that brings her newly released book, Standing on the Crack: Legacy of Five Jewish Families from Seattle's Vibrant Gilded Age, out of the archives and onto the streets where history actually happened. 

Following the journey of the Singerman family and their neighbors, you'll explore the people, places, and pivotal moments that transformed a muddy frontier outpost into one of the Pacific Northwest's great cities. Along the way, you'll walk through the aftermath of the Great Fire of 1889, discover how the waterfront rose from the ashes, and hear stories of early immigrants who built businesses, synagogues, and community bonds against the odds. You'll explore the frenzy of the Klondike Gold Rush, the Jewish merchants who outfitted the prospectors, and learn how a scrappy open-air market called Pike Place came to define Seattle's civic identity.  

Karen brings this history to life with the depth of a scholar and the warmth of a storyteller. Whether you're a lifelong Seattleite, a curious newcomer, or a history lover who thinks you've heard it all, this tour will show you the city's founding through eyes you haven't met before.  

Tour Dates: Choose the date that works for you. All three tours cover the same route and stories: July 12, August 9, and September 14. 

Registration & Suggested Donation: This tour is $10 to support WSJHS programming. Your generosity is appreciated but never required. 

Meeting point and additional details will be provided upon registration. 

No prior knowledge needed. All are welcome.