Self-Guided Visit
Pike Place Market Self-Guided Visit
Walk the multi-level market and the lower levels (Down Under), including the wooden column near Princess Angeline's reported activity center.
- Duration:
- 2 hr
Photo coming soon
Museum / Historical Site
Pike Place Market
Seattle's 1907 public farmers' market on the Elliott Bay waterfront, built on land once home to Princess Angeline (Kikisoblu), daughter of Chief Seattle, whose presence is among several reported spirits including longtime market director Arthur Goodwin.
85 Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98101
Wheelchair Accessible
Research-Backed · 5sources
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Free to enter; purchases at individual market stalls vary.
Access
Wheelchair OK
Multi-level market with elevators; some lower levels reached by stairs.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1907 · Opened August 17, 1907 as one of the U.S.'s oldest continuously operating public farmers' markets · Sited above the former waterfront home of Princess Angeline (Kikisoblu), eldest daughter of Chief Seattle · Saved from urban-renewal demolition by a 1971 citizen-led ballot initiative · Listed on the National Register of Historic Places (1971) · Approximately 10 million annual visitors
Pike Place Market opened August 17, 1907 at the corner of First Avenue and Pike Street on the Elliott Bay bluff. The market was created by Seattle City Council ordinance in response to public outrage at price gouging by middlemen — particularly during a 1906-1907 spike in onion prices — and was designed from the start as a 'direct from producer to consumer' venue where farmers could sell directly to urban consumers.
Frank Goodwin, a property developer who owned the bluff site, recognized the market's commercial potential and worked with the City to develop the surrounding complex. Goodwin commissioned a planned series of arcades and buildings, including the iconic main arcade with its 'Public Market Center' clock and neon sign (added 1927). His nephew Arthur Goodwin (1887-c.1956) served as Market Director from 1918 to 1941, during which time he expanded the market's footprint, modernized its facilities, and authored Markets: Public and Private (1929), a standard reference on public-market management.
The site has deep indigenous history. Before settler colonization, the Elliott Bay shoreline was part of the homelands of the Duwamish people. Princess Angeline (Kikisoblu, c.1820-1896), the eldest daughter of Chief Seattle (Si'ahl), lived in a waterfront cabin near the future market site after the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliott displaced most Duwamish people from their traditional villages. She continued living in Seattle for over four decades, working as a laundress for settler families, and died at her cabin on May 31, 1896 — eleven years before the market opened above her former home.
The market declined through the mid-20th century and was slated for demolition under a 1960s urban-renewal plan. Architect Victor Steinbrueck led a citizen-led 'Save the Market' campaign that culminated in a successful 1971 ballot initiative protecting the market. The Pike Place Market Historical District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places that same year. Today the market is operated by the Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority and welcomes approximately 10 million visitors annually.
Sources
- https://www.pikeplacemarket.org/market-history/
- https://www.historylink.org/File/23000
- https://www.legendsofamerica.com/wa-pikemarket/
- https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2022/aug/17/flying-fish-and-ghosts-the-tales-and-history-of-pi/
- https://www.axios.com/local/seattle/2024/10/16/spooky-haunted-places-markets-hotels-ghosts
Hunched apparition reported on lower-level (Down Under) corridors near a wooden columnCold air emanating from a specific wooden column on the lower levelSilhouette in upper-level Goodwin Library windowsHumming melodies near former barber locationFootsteps in empty corridors after closing
The Pike Place Market's most-cited haunting concerns Princess Angeline (Kikisoblu, c.1820-1896), the eldest surviving daughter of Chief Seattle. The market complex was built atop the waterfront site of her cabin, which she occupied for decades after the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliott. According to Legends of America, Axios Seattle, and Seattle Terrors coverage, her hunched apparition — described as small, stooped, and dressed in dark period clothing — has been reported most frequently in the lower levels of the market (the 'Down Under') near a rough wooden column said to emit cold air. The Spokesman-Review's 2022 feature placed her among the market's most enduring ghost stories.
This venue's lore is treated with editorial care given the indigenous-displacement context. Princess Angeline was a real historical figure whose final decades were shaped by the violent displacement of the Duwamish people from their homelands. The ghost narrative here is framed as a story about presence on ancestral land rather than as a sensationalized 'curse' or 'indigenous-burial' trope. The Duwamish Tribe remains a living community in the Seattle region.
A second well-cited spirit is Arthur Goodwin (1887-c.1956), the market's director from 1918 to 1941, whose silhouette has been reported peering down from the windows of what is now the Goodwin Library on the upper level — a meeting room named in his honor. The 'Fat Lady Barber,' identified in ghost-tour material as a barber who worked the market in the early 20th century and hummed while she cut hair, is reported on the lower levels with humming heard near her former chair location. A small-boy spirit is associated by ghost-tour lore with developer Frank Goodwin's nephew or a related figure; this attribution is less well-anchored.
Reported phenomena across the market include unexplained cold spots, hummed melodies, footsteps in empty corridors after closing, and partial apparitions. Multiple ghost-tour operators run Pike Place Market routes nightly.
Notable Entities
Princess Angeline / Kikisoblu (c.1820-1896, eldest surviving daughter of Chief Seattle)Arthur Goodwin (1887-c.1956, Market Director 1918-1941)'Fat Lady Barber' (unnamed early-20th-century market barber)
Media Appearances
- Spokesman-Review 2022 'Flying Fish and Ghosts' feature
- Axios Seattle 2024 haunted-places feature
Plan Your Visit
2 ways to experience Walking Tour Booking Required
Pike Place Market Ghost Tour
Multiple operators run Pike Place Market ghost tours after market hours, including Seattle Terrors, Market Ghost Tours, and Ghost City Tours.
- Duration:
- 1.5 hr
Sources & Further Reading
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pike Place Market family-friendly?
Family-friendly public market; daytime self-guided exploration suitable for all ages. Evening ghost tours typically recommended for ages 8+. Overall family fit: High.
How much does it cost to visit Pike Place Market?
Free to enter; purchases at individual market stalls vary. This location is free to visit.
Do I need to book in advance?
No advance booking is required, but checking availability is recommended.
Is Pike Place Market wheelchair accessible?
Yes, Pike Place Market is wheelchair accessible. Terrain: Multi-level market with elevators; some lower levels reached by stairs..