- West Seattle – the oldest and the biggest of Seattle’s neighborhoods – is both a peninsula and a state of mind. The first Euro-American settlers arrived here (on Alki Point) in 1851, but left within a few months, moving to a more agreeable location on the other side of Elliott Bay (the site of present-day downtown Seattle). Orphaned at an early age, isolated by water on three sides, West Seattle has clung to its cultural independence, remaining determinedly aloof even while fighting tenaciously for the bridges, highways, and ferries that have brought it closer to its sprawling neighbor to the east.
- Mount Persis (summitpost.org)
Mt. Persis is Mt. Index’s little sister. One might say Persis is Index’s stunted twin, for the two peaks share a lot of “facial features.” Both are steep walled on the north and east sides and both are rugged but relenting on their south and west sides. This is understandable, as both peaks are part of a granodiorite intrusion emplaced in the early Tertiary Period (50-60 million years ago).