Chief Seattle's Grave

Pay your respects at this popular spot for tourists and historians. Seattle's gravestone is surrounded by a mound of grass and a walkway, and surrounded by two carved, cedar canoes. Visitors often leave gifts and mementos next to his grave and the city that was named in his honor can be seen across Puget Sound. Chief Seattle died in Suquamish June 7, 1866. The spelling of 'Sealth' on his grave marker that was later donated in 1890 was probably an effort to render the pronunciation more correctly, unfortunately the result of this effort toward accuracy has been the spread of a completely inaccurate version of the Chief's name. No Puget Sound area newspapers covered the actual funeral ceremony, and there is no indication that any of the founding pioneers of the area came to pay last respects.