Seattle’s Gum Wall lost 2,350 pounds of gum in a massive 2015 cleanup
Seattle's Gum Wall is a unique, albeit unconventional, tourist attraction located in Post Alley near Pike Place Market. Despite a massive 2015 cleanup that removed over 2,000 pounds of gum, the tradition of visitors adding their own sticky contributions has persisted.
Why it matters
It highlights how impromptu public habits can evolve into recognized cultural landmarks and the challenges of maintaining urban sanitation versus preserving local character.
Some landmarks are built with steel, stone or glass. Seattle has one made largely of something far less permanent: chewing gum. Tucked beneath the famous Pike Place Market, the Seattle Gum Wall has spent decades attracting curious visitors who come to stare, take photographs and, in many cases, add their own sticky contribution. What began as an impromptu habit among people waiting for a theater show eventually grew into one of the city’s strangest attractions. And despite a massive cleanup that stripped thousands of pounds of gum from the walls in 2015, the tradition did not disappear for long.Where to find Seattle's Gum WallThe Gum Wall sits along Post Alley, a pedestrian passage running beneath Pike Place Market and connecting the market area with the streets farther south toward Seattle’s waterfront and ferry terminals. Finding it from Pike Place Market is relatively easy.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in