When you first hear that the Seattle nickname is "the Emerald City," you might think that it refers to the Wizard of Oz or that Emerald mines exist in the city. So if you're traveling in for work or vacation, you may wonder, why is Seattle called the Emerald City?
Why is Seattle called Emerald City?
The reasoning behind the nickname of Emerald City Seattle is much more obvious than you may think. Its origin doesn't have to do with emerald mines, nor does it have anything to do with The Wizard of Oz. The real reason behind the Emerald City nickname is their abundance of greenery in the city that stays around all year long.
Even though some of their trees will shed from seasonal changes, many evergreen trees remain green and luscious on a year-round basis. Seattle's nickname goes hand-in-hand with Washington's nickname, which is known as the Evergreen State. As you might guess, this nickname comes from their abundance of evergreen trees.
Has Seattle Always Been Called Emerald City?
Seattle didn't always have the nickname Emerald City. According to the website HistoryLink.org, the nickname first came in 1981 from a contest hosted by the Convention and Visitors Bureau. In 1982, Emerald City's nickname was chosen from many contest entries as the new nickname for this city. Before this nickname, Seattle had other nicknames such as "the Gateway to Alaska" and "Queen City of the Pacific Northwest." Unfortunately, these nicknames just don't have the same ring to them and won't work as good marketing material.
Of course, Seattle has other popular nicknames such as Coffee Capital, Rain City, and Jet City. The nickname of Jet City comes from Boeing, which is based in the area. And of course, Coffee Capital is from Starbucks since they started in Seattle. These names are used casually around town or used as business marketing campaigns to promote the city.
Why Does Seattle Remain Green?
Even though the evergreen trees play a big role in the Emerald City nickname, some other leaves and trees stay green year-round as well. This is caused by various foliage in the city. However, you may be shocked to know that summertime is when Seattle is the least green. Most other states in the country are most green because vegetation usually flourishes around this time. Although Seattle is known for its frequent rainfall, during the summer, it rains much less. In addition, the local lawns tend to fade to brown and dry out. Since environmentalism is a strong value within the Pacific Northwest states, many Washington locals prefer to allow their lawns to get brown instead of keeping them green during the dry season by feeding it water.
If you're traveling in, you'll find that Seattle has so much to offer. Be sure to get to know the locals and spend some time exploring the area when you can. There are so many beautiful sites that are extremely breathtaking in the Emerald City.