NSWA members and guests enjoyed a “Stories in Stone” walking tour of downtown Seattle on July 15 with David Williams, former NSWA president, naturalist and writer.
Most people do not think of looking for geology from the sidewalks of Seattle, but for the intrepid geologist any good rock can tell a fascinating story. All one has to do is look at building stone in downtown Seattle to find a range of rocks equal to any assembled by plate tectonics. Building stones provide the foundation for constructing stories about cultural as well as natural history.
On this 1.5-mile walk, we explored stone ranging from 3.5-billion years old to 120,000 years old, a wall of fossils, and rock used by the Romans to build the Colosseum. We discussed history, geology, and architecture and learned new ways to appreciate the urban wilds of Seattle.
David’s next book will be Too High and Too Steep: Reshaping Seattle’s Topography. He is also the author of The Seattle Street-Smart Naturalist: Field Notes from the City and Stories in Stone: Travels Through Urban Geology.