A New Rhyme Proposed to Help Remember Downtown Seattle Streets

Hear me out: Have you ever been lost in the streets of downtown Seattle? It's very easy to do. Did you know some people use catchy rhymes to help them remember the order of downtown street names? IA couple of decades ago, I had a business appointment in downtown Seattle with a lady I had never met before.

She had set up our meeting at 1225 4th Ave, better known as Purple Cafe and Wine Bar. It is located between Seneca and University streets in downtown Seattle.

I was relatively new to Washington state, so I wasn’t familiar with any of the streets in downtown Seattle. Naturally, I got lost trying to find the place. Time was running out before our meeting, so frantically, I looked around on my phone browser trying to get directions.

This was back waaaaaay before Google Maps and Waze were around. I was probably using a printed out MapQuest map.

I was standing around on Spring St like a lost puppy on the sidewalk, so I stopped a kind-looking lady on the street and asked if she would be willing to help me find the address.

“I totally understand getting lost around here,” she replied to my pleas for help. “Just do what I do and remember this rhyme to help you remember the downtown streets:

“James chased Cherry down Columbia,
Marion made Madison mad,
Spring jumped over Seneca,
And University unioned with Union,
But Pike and Pine were always pines.”

Her rhyme was so helpful for me, and as it turned out, SHE was the lady I was supposed to meet up with at Purple! Small world, am I right?

Over the years, however, I forgot that catchy little rhyme she told me that day. I had to look it up just now to remember what she had said. I always struggle trying to recall it whenever I’m driving around downtown Seattle, getting lost on all those annoying one-way streets.

I, therefore, propose a new rhyme, and I hope it catches on. Hopefully, it will help the next lost person in downtown Seattle!

Jimmy CHRACK Corn!
Mary Made Spring Senecamatography!
University UNbrellas Poke Puppies!

I hope my new catchy little rhyme will help you remember the exact order of the downtown Seattle streets: James, Cherry, Columbia, Marion, Madison, Spring, Seneca, University, Union, Pike, and Pine.

GOOD LUCK OUT THERE ON THE STREETS IN DOWNTOWN SEATTLE!

via GIPHY

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