A look at the historical timeline of Seattle, even long before it was Seattle, shows a rich legacy. Its well-positioned port location in the teeming Pacific Northwest waters made it prime real estate in ancient as well as in modern times. From early Native American tribes who made their homes in its beauty and lived off the abundant land to the settlers who built and grew the city, Seattle has in many ways been a “boom and bust” sort of town. Since its founding in 1851, relatively late in U.S. history, there have been gold rushes and labor strikes, business peaks and valleys, fires and earthquakes, but always steady growth. Over the years Seattle has quietly grown from being a far-flung port town to being nationally recognized as one of the most livable cities in the United States.