SEATTLE — A piece of Seattle history came down Tuesday – or rather, 1 million little pieces.
Crews cleaned up the city’s famed “gum wall” near Pike Place Market, where tourists and locals have been sticking their used chewing gum for the past 20 years.
The wall is plastered with wads of gum in a kaleidoscope of colors, some stretched and pinched into messages, hearts and other designs. People also have used the gooey gobs to paste up pictures, business cards and other mementos.
On Tuesday, powerful steam cleaners were melting it all off.
Emily Crawford, a Pike Place Market spokeswoman, said market leaders decided now was as good a time as any to wipe the wall clean. But they expect people will start leaving gum on the space again soon.
“It’s an icon. It’s history,” said onlooker Zoe Freeman, who works near Pike Place. “The market is famous for the gum wall. But it also draws rats.”
Pike Place Market hired a contractor, Cascadian Building Maintenance, to take on the cleaning. They chose steam over pressure-washing to conserve the historic market’s brick walls.
On Tuesday, a fruity, sweet smell wafted through the alley as workers in protective suits blasted the dried gum with moist air.
By Crawford’s rough calculation, there are about 2,200 pounds of gum on the walls.
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