Smith Tower - Chinese Room & Observatory
- December 25, 2001
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Rated 4 of 5 by
Laura from Chicago, Illinois
Smith Tower is 42-stories and was the tallest building west of the Mississippi River when it was built in 1914. Fisr you pay for $5 per adult, then you begin your journey up in a person-manned elevator - These are the original beautifully ornate copper and brass elevators. The ride is remarkably smooth, but kind of scary. You go by floors of offices and my stop to pick someone up.
For the observation area, the elevator stops at the Chinese Room on the 41st floor. There are carved Chinese characters decorating the floor the sparse furniture is made of Chinese blackwood apparently carved by hand. It is available for private parties which would be cool, but I think the red carpeting needed to be replaced. I was also fascinated that above it, on the 42 floor is a private residence! How cool.
A main attraction of the Chinese Room is the 'Wishing Chair,' supposedly a gift from the Empress of China. Legend has it that a single woman who sits in the chair and wishes to be married will be a bride within a year. We could not get near it the day we were there. Two giggling 20 or 30-something girls would not remove their derriers from it.
The 4-sided observation deck has great views of Seattle, the Olympic Mountains, Mount Rainier and the Cascades if it is clear. The hours are sporadic, but if you catch it open (they will put out a sandwich-boarld type sign sign on the sidewalk), it is worth a ride up if your stomach can take the hand operated elevator.
From journal Seattle Weekend