Getting Sticky at the Seattle Gum Wall

Visiting quirky places is all part of the fun of traveling. The Post Alley gum wall in Seattle is one of my favorites! It’s located right beside Pike Place Market and has been a growing tourist attraction since it began in the early 1990s.

No one is really sure who began the tradition of adding gum to the alley walls, but it began appearing here in 1993. The Market Theater, which is located in Post Alley, tried to scrape off the gum a few times but they eventually gave up. Pike Place Market officials finally named the gum wall a tourist attraction around 1999.

Since then it has continued to grow with more wads of gum and some newer additions like business cards, money, notes, and artwork. Some people have gone even further, the strangest thing I could see on the wall was a tampon!

The gum is so thick that in many areas along the wall that you can’t see the brick anymore! The side that receives the most sunlight has slowly been bleached and the colorful bubble gum colors are fading. New gum is added on top of the old each day.

Gum alley really is a bright and humorous place that left me with a smile on my face. A must see if you’re visiting Seattle. Don’t forget to bring some gum!