History of Queen Anne Neighborhood in Seattle

History of Queen Anne Neighborhood in Seattle

 

Renowned for its vintage architecture style and elevated hilly neighborhood, Queen Anne never ceases to mesmerize new visitors.

The residential area sits at an elevation of 456 feet, highlighting the steep slope of Seattle’s highest hill. This marvelous highlight of Queen Anne provides a unique identity to this urban settlement.

However, the famous Queen Anne Hill isn’t just a regular geological formation. In fact, there is an intriguing history associated with this quiet yet constantly improving settlement.

This blog walks through the fascinating story of Queen Anne, located in Seattle, Washington.

The Discovery of Queen Anne Hill

Queen Anne formed around 13,500 years ago due to the melting of the Vashon glacier. Surrounded by water from all sides, the hill became a preferred destination for settlers, thanks to its strong interconnectivity.

Around the mid-1800s, the Denny Party, a group of American pioneers, filed a claim to this hill. In 1853, Mr. Denny claimed a stake of 320 acres of land.

In the subsequent years, another pioneer settler, Thomas Mercer, established his claim to the north of the Denny region. This area was known as Eden Hill. However, the thick forest covering and steep slopes made it difficult to carry out activities like farming, so the development of the area was slow.

The 1875 Catalyst

In 1875, a massive hurricane flattened several trees in the dense hilly area. As a result, settlers found the region highly appealing for a progressive settlement.

Over the next decade, the economy flourished due to three main reasons:

  • Timber
  • Coal
  • Real estate

Settlers built their houses based on a unique architectural style called Queen Anne. The sheer dominance of these homes was the reason for the hill’s new name, Queen Anne Hill.

The Various Phases of Queen Anne’s History

Predominantly, Queen Anne transformed into an active suburban area due to its historical phases. Here are the various sections of its historical development:

Table: Queen Anne Historical Phases (source)

Approximate Era Phase
1853 – 1869 Pioneer Settlement
1870 – 1889 Queen Anne Town
1890 – 1916 Economic progress
1917 – 1930 Enhancement of neighborhood
1931 – 1945 The Great Depression and World War II
Beyond 1946 Modern age

Steep Progress of Queen Anne Neighborhood

Queen Anne residents have been highly active in various facets of activities like:

  • Municipal improvements
  • Community activism
  • Urban development projects
  • Robust transportation

In the mid-20th century, construction projects like the Aurora and Queen Anne Boulevard Bridge encouraged the use of automobiles.

Furthermore, some of the following events proved instrumental in developing the Queen Anne community:

  • The installation of an anti-aircraft gun during World War II
  • Seattle World’s Fair in 1962
  • The construction of the famous Seattle Center and its iconic Space Needle

Overall, the Queen Anne neighborhood prospered into a prime attraction due to its active community, robust infrastructure, and connectivity.

Queen Anne Neighborhood Today

Fast-forward to today’s era; the Queen Anne neighborhood has become a safe and vibrant area in Seattle. The easily accessible public transportation, restaurants, coffee shops, bars, and parks are highlights of the area.

In addition to the recreational amenities, hospitals, educational institutes, and dental clinics offer remarkable services to the residents.

The vintage 1800s Queen Anne-style mansions are still a major attraction in the northern sections of the hill. In addition, access to Puget Sound and Lake Union is a testament to its phenomenal waterfront lifestyle.

Wrapping Up

Over the years, the Queen Anne neighborhood has proved to be an outstanding example of continuous progress. The turning point of its development was the 1875 hurricane that helped flatten the thick forest.

Since then, the Queen Anne neighborhood has adapted to various challenges. Being a hilly neighborhood with good transportation, this region continues to function as a crucial facet of Seattle, Washington.

If you are looking for Dentist in Queen Anne or in general Seattle area, pls contact our local dental office Pure Dental arts

 

 

 

 

 

Root Canal treatment: Common misconceptions

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The purpose of this month’s post is to talk in depth about a commonly misunderstood procedure, the Root Canal!

1) “When you do a root canal on my tooth, I will be left with a dead tooth, right?” 

This belief about a “dead tooth” resulting from a root canal is a very common belief. However, it is not true. According to Clifford Ruddle, one of the leading authorities in the dental world regarding root canals: “anybody that’s even been remotely involved in dentistry, would know that any “dead” tooth would be exfoliated and rejected by your own immune system. An endodontic tooth is a vital tooth because the body perceives it as vital because there is a PDL attachment, a suspensory ligament that slings the tooth from the cementum to the surrounding bone.  So, the tooth is vital, interpreted as an integral member of the arch, and it can function in complete health.”

So, a properly root canal treated tooth is still a functional and living tooth, because the body doesn’t reject it, and because it can still sense pressure sensations, but not pain sensations.

2) Aren’t root canals needed before you do crowns?

I get asked this by patients at least a few times per month. The answer is that if a tooth needs a crown, that doesn’t mean it a needs a root canal automatically. However, the reverse is true sometimes. If a tooth (a back tooth in particular) needs a root canal, it will sometimes need a crown.

3) Just when exactly are root canals needed? Only when there is pain?

Root canals are needed for the following reasons:

  • When the tooth has severe nerve pain that shows no signs of improving
  • When there is evidence of an abscess forming around the root as seen on an x-ray or in the mouth
  • When there is a large cavity that looks like it is right up against the nerve, as seen on an x-ray.

Of the three reasons above, the first one involves pain. There may or may not be any pain associated with the second and third reasons, although those reasons are just as equally valid as the first one. A way to think about it is this, sometimes heart surgery is needed because a patient is feeling pain, and the doctor finds out that this is being caused by heart disease. However, sometimes a patient will need heart surgery even if he doesn’t feel any pain, especially when his cardiologist finds that he has severe heart disease. Pain is not the only indicator of when something is wrong.

4) My tooth has a large cavity that is close to the nerve. The other dentist says I need a root canal. I don’t understand why I can’t just have a filling. After all, it doesn’t hurt.

Again, pain is not the sole indicator of whether or not to do a root canal. When you have a cavity that is right up on the nerve, there is a significant chance that during the filling procedure, the nerve may get irritated irreversibly. Whether or not this will happen cannot be predicted, although we can say that the chances of it happening are significant. If it doesn’t happen, then you are lucky, as the filling will be enough for the time being. But if the nerve does get irreversibly irritated, there will often be immense pain that doesn’t go away, and, a root canal will be the only cure (besides extracting the tooth). So you will end up paying for a filling, a root canal, and a crown, as opposed to just a root canal and a crown.

5) I’ve been told that root canals take a long term and are extremely painful. Is this true?

Root canals can take anywhere from 1-2 hours. True, it is one of the longer procedures we do. But stories of root canals taking 5, 6, 7 hours are greatly exaggerated. Furthermore, with modern anesthetic techniques, there is no reason for you to be in pain during the procedure. In fact, modern root canals are painless.

After the root canal, you may have some pain and possible swelling, but we often prescribe medication to deal with these issues if needed.

6) Aren’t root canals expensive?

Most insurances cover Root canal procedure so that your out of pocket expense is low. We at Queen Anne Dental also offer flexible payment plans to help our patients get the treatment that they deserve. We have helped out many patients who do not have insurance, who otherwise would have chosen to have their teeth extracted due to not being able to afford root canals. If you need a root canal, but are not able to afford it, call our office at 425-947-2727 and ask about your options.

 

Chew gum to prevent cavities?

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Is Xylitol Really the Ultimate in tooth Decay Prevention?

The effectiveness of Xylitol products (such as gum and candy), in preventing tooth decay, has now been commonly accepted by the public. Very often I get patients telling me “I should never again get a cavity because I chew Xylitol gum.” But how effective is Xylitol at preventing decay?

It’s important to understand that in the realm of science, belief does not always coincide with reality. An example: my mother used to tell me as a young child not to play in the cold, as the cold weather will cause me to get sick. We now know that it’s the Rhinovirus that causes the common cold, not a drop in temperature. It’s always important to re-examine our beliefs, no matter how deeply ingrained, and to cross check them against what the current research says.

So what is the conclusion regarding Xylitol? According to this recent scientific article (linked below), the following conclusions were made:

http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2015-archive/march/new-research-shows-clinical-evidence-unclear-on-effects-of-xylitol-products-preventing-dental-carie?nav=news

1) There is insufficient high-quality evidence to prove that xylitol prevents tooth decay, 

2) The best evidence for preventing tooth decay is still brushing with fluoride toothpaste and eating less sugar,

3)  There are side effects for Xylitol that are often not reported such as bloating, diarrhea and laxative effects.

The upshot is that brushing, flossing, and proper use of fluoride is still the gold standard for preventing decay. The study is not saying that Xylitol does not work, but merely stating that so far, the research and statistics are insufficient, and more investigation is warranted. So the next time your friend tells you that she quit brushing and flossing because she now chews Xylitol gum, you will now know what the proper response is!