History
The charming Victorian mansions near Volunteer Park bring to the area a sense of prestige. Capitol Hill was home to wealthy timber barons, bankers, shipping magnates and nouveau riche from the Alaskan Gold Rush. It is rumored the neighborhood got its name when many people thought the state capitol would be here (Olympia received that honor).

Description
Capitol Hill is well known for its main drag, Broadway, which is the hub of Capitol Hill’s commercial district. Businesses, eateries, fine dining, and specialty shops line both sides of Broadway and spice up Seattle with their variety, and at times, controversial themes.

Residents
Capitol Hill is a colorful neighborhood that is legendary in Seattle for attracting alternative crowds to its shops, eateries, and parades, while simultaneously catering to its traditional families that have lived in the neighborhood for years.

Rental Housing
Capitol Hill and First Hill have the highest concentration of apartment properties in Seattle. Their close proximity to downtown occasionally make apartments here more expensive than the north Seattle neighborhoods. While it is not usually as pricey as Belltown , rental units can command a price of approximately $1.25/sq.ft. to $1.75/sq. ft. However, if you are looking for that character-rich, vintage unit in a brick building with hardwood floors, these neighborhoods are the best places in which to find it. Heavily developed between 1900 and 1940, Capitol Hill and First Hill offer by far the best selection of vintage rental units in Seattle. Although some apartments are relatively expensive for Seattle, many of the vintage buildings contain studio and one-bedroom units at reasonable prices. There has also been a significant amount of new development recently, making this neighborhood a good choice for newer apartment units as well.

Fun Stuff
Theaters abound, both for movies and performing arts. There are also weekend street fairs and parades held on and around Broadway.  To experience a truly stunning view of the surrounding area, visit the top of the old water tower in Volunteer Park.  In addition to the water tower, Volunteer Park is offers an outdoor amphitheater for concerts and the Seattle Asian Art Museum.