Fremont is located in north-central Seattle, Washington, right on the shores of Lake Union as it transitions to Salmon Bay. Fremont is a historical community and was settled in the 1860s a few years after the initial founding of Seattle. By 1891 over 5,000 people lived in Fremont. Over the years Fremont has developed a reputation as a hip, quirky neighborhood of Seattle, and has gone so far as to adopt the slogan "The Center of the Universe."
Take a Walking or Bicycle Tour of Fremont
The best way to familiarize yourself with Fremont is to take a walking or bicycle tour, and what better place to start than "The Center of the Universe" or as it is known to locals "The Guidepost." Located in the middle of the Fremont business district at the corner of Fremont and 35th streets, the Guidepost is a typical example of the unusual street art found throughout Fremont. The Guidepost is a street sign with 16 different arrows pointing to locations of interest in Fremont including the Troll, Lenin, Canal Park and the Sunday Market.
Visit the History House
Seattle is well-known as a city of neighborhoods, and the History House celebrates this individualistic heritage. This is not your typical history museum, as the history house focuses on social history, and details the history of each neighborhood of Seattle through photographs, newspaper clippings and other artifacts. The ornate wrought-iron gate and fence surrounding the History House is an art project in itself as is the sculpture garden in front of the building.
Visit the Troll
The 18-foot-tall Troll sculpture is found under the north end of the Aurora bridge in the business district of Fremont, and is publicly funded art project created by volunteer artists in 1990. It is just a couple of blocks away from The Center of the Universe and is of the most visited sites in Fremont.
See Lenin and the Rocket
Just one block west of The Guidepost is a seven ton bronze stature of Russian founding father Vladimir Lenin, which is interestingly juxtaposed just a half a block away from a restored cold-war-era military rocket (installed by the Fremont Business Association) that sits atop a one story building. Attached to the rocket is a plaque with the unofficial motto of Fremont--"De Libertas Quirkas," or Freedom to Be Quirky.
Go to the Sunday Market
If you happen to be in Fremont on a Sunday, then you should make sure to plan a couple of hours to visit the Sunday Market. One the largest flea-markets and farmer's markets in the Seattle area, the Sunday Market is held one block west of the Fremont Bridge on N. 34th Street, and you can find everything from antiques to knick-knacks to fresh tomatoes depending on the season and vendors.
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