Seattle's queer history: Out from the underground

A classic brick building sits at the corner of Cherry Street and First Avenue in Pioneer Square. It's attractive but unassuming, with a coffee shop and bookstore among its occupants.

Passersby may not guess that it also holds a special place in Seattle's history.

Take a few steps below street level, through a set of doors thrown wide for visitors, and you'll find yourself inside what was once the city's first gay community center. It's now home to Beneath the Streets, known for its underground history tours. And in the summer, it's the first stop on a walk through Seattle's queer legacy.

As tour guide Terrilyn Johnson explains, this section of Seattle sits atop a network of tunnels that were once city streets. Seattle was first built at sea-level and had to be raised in the late 1800s to avoid flooding. New streets were literally built on top of old ones, creating a maze of underground chambers.

"When they created the underground, they unwittingly created safe spaces for queer people," Johnson said.