Seattle's Famous Gum Wall Spiffed Up for the First Time in 20 Years

A unique landmark has been eradicated, at least temporarily. The Gum Wall located in Post Alley of the Seattle Pike Place Market, has been stripped of its sticky essence.

1 minute read

November 17, 2015, 8:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Gum Wall

f11photo / Shutterstock

The King 5 News broke the news earlier this month that the Gum Wall, located in a corner of the city's famous Pike Place Market, would be scrubbed clean of its adornment for the first time in 20 years. According to the article, "Pike Place Market says a total scrub down is needed because of the sugar in the gum." Since it became a thing 20 years ago, "[t]he Gum Wall has grown to eight feet high and over 54 feet wide, with approximately 150 piece of gum per brick."

Sean Keeley kept a close eye on the Gum Wall's demise in a series of posts for Curbed Seattle. Plenty of Twitter and Instagram post commemorate the occasion, as well as the YouTube video found below.

Fans of the Gum Wall breathe easy: the process of collecting some one million wads of gum will be allowed to begin again.

Tuesday, November 3, 2015 in King 5 News

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Complete Street

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge

Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

February 27, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

Close-up of row of electric cars plugged into chargers at outdoor station.

Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives

A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.

1 hour ago - UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation

Blue train on coastal rail in Southern California.

SoCal Leaders Debate Moving Coastal Rail Line

Train tracks running along the Pacific Ocean are in danger from sea level rise, but residents are divided on how to fix the problem.

March 7 - The New York Times

Woman and two children sit on bench at public transit stop waiting for tram with stroller next to them.

Are Mobility Hubs Child-Friendly?

‘Mobility hubs’ aim to make urban travel easier by connecting travel modes. Adding more services could make them more accessible and useful to women and families.

March 7 - Streetsblog USA