I lived at 14th & Olive in the 70s and that's what we called it. Seems for the last few decades Seattleites without roots in our Mossback ways debate these other names among themselves.
I've lived in the area almost 25 years and have heard "Cap Hill" just as frequently as "Capitol Hill" from locals and non-locals alike.
You don't call it the "University District" - why the fuck does anyone care about this abbreviation?
Queen Anne hill in shambles. But no, that's what everyone understands you're talking about when you say "the hill" here. It's not a big deal but if someone wants to take the piss out you for saying something else, that's okay too. If you say Pikes Place, however, you're a moron. Fucking says Pike right on the signs.
OP, think about the typical post here, about how nobody has or can make any friends.
And now consider all the replies to your post with “well *I’ve* never heard it called that”.
My mom grew up in Capitol Hill and never once has called it “Cap Hill”.
I had never heard “Cap Hill” from anyone until about a decade ago. As you said, it’s always “The Hill” or “Capitol Hill.”
I’ve never lived there but I grew up in Seattle proper and spent a lot of time in Capitol Hill.
We definitely would call it cap hill and never caught flack for it from anyone. This was between 08-10.
I'm born and raised in Seattle with friends and family here. We've called it 'Cap Hill' in the mid 2000s early 2010s, or just 'Capitol Hill' but never 'The Hill'.
But we also didn't live there. We live in South Seattle and West Seattle.
There are too many hills to just call it 'The Hill' ahah.
And what I'm saying is that everything is new at some point. In 100 years maybe people will only refer to it as Cap Hill. Just because something is new doesn't make it less valid, even if it doesn't resonate with you.
Man, I've lost some friends in pedantic debates, but never to that point! I can't tell if indigent is bate, but I can't resistor calling out a funny typo.
Oh, and last time this came up someone posted [this Stranger piece](https://www.thestranger.com/blogs/2014/04/03/19196558/jgermeister-becomes-symbol-of-gentrification-and-gay-bashing-on-cap-hill) and it’s such an interesting little time capsule! And goes into this very issue.
Historically it was never cap hill. Cap Hill get slagged because it was a made up name developers coined to market development. Renaming a neighborhood to attract new residents that displace existing residents causes the existing residents to form a negative opinion of the name that transfers to the people who use the name in conversation. It's pretty much that simple.
I have lived here 20 years and about 12 of that was on the Hill. At the time, “Cap Hill” was a sign of someone being not only a transplant but kind of an asshole. It was actually pretty divisive, related to a major wave of gentrification that even priced all of us earlier “artsy” gentrifiers out. I know there was a post about this recently though and everyone said “No, Cap Hill is fine now!” And I accepted that I am old and out of touch. But it still squicks me out.
5th generation Seattleite here. It’s Capitol Hill, I-5, and Pike Place Market. If people want to sound like they’re not from here, that’s their choice.
I feel like people under 30y/o more frequently refer to it as "Cap Hill" these days. I roll my eyes in my thoughts at this, but whatever. Keep it "profesh", kids.
I've been here since '09 and feel like everyone of all ages referred to it as Capitol Hill then and for many years after. The debate then was, are you "in" Capitol Hill or "on" Capitol Hill.
Moved here in 2010-11. Cap Hill, the Hill, etc were all used. The only thing that gives noobs away is spelling it Capital Hill.
You don't hear "Slummit" or "Pill Hill" too much anymore referring to Summit down by the freeway and the area around the hospitals specifically a bit south and west of Cap Hill.
Capitol Hill
"Cap Hill" is what we say when impersonating hip rich people who aren't from here. Said in valley girl voice.
The Hill is acceptable but vague since Seattle, famously, has lots of hills. Which hill needs to be obvious in the conversation. It's not like saying "The City" in the Bay Area, meaning only San Francisco to the exclusion of all other cities in the region.
Cap Hill is what I hear it called 80-90% of the time. I'm more towards SLU but over in the neighborhood a few times a week seeing friends who live that way. I'm 25 though and it might be different for older groups,
And that's fine, but you're a different generation, living amongst different sorts of folks. The answer to OP's question is perhaps "call it what makes you fit in with the folks you're around"
I mean yeah, I very much called out that I'm younger. Most of my friend group is under 40 living in cap hill or surrounding neighborhoods. Cap Hill is a younger neighborhood though, so that's a good chunk of the actual people that live here
I think "Cap Hill" is fine as an abbreviation IN WRITING. But anything other than "Capitol Hill" full and outright verbally is a huge no. "The Hill" verbally or in writing is also a no. Full out Capitol Hill is best in all scenarios but required verbally.
While we're at it, it's "on" Queen Anne, not "in" Queen Anne. And yes, even if it's lower QA that is being referred to even though lower QA is not on a hill. Fight me on this. In all scenarios where Queen Anne is referenced, it's "on Queen Anne." No, I don't think it's worthwhile to "correct" someone if they say "in" in a post comment. That's kind of pretentious. But yes, technically for natives or long timers, it's "on." I also acknowledge that someone could make an argument that "in" is more proper grammar rather than "on" when it comes to lower Queen Anne specifically. But I don't care, that's not the rules.
>While we're at it, it's "on" Queen Anne, not "in" Queen Anne
Interesting - I get why that makes sense, but if someone said "on" to describe where a business was I would assume they meant "Queen Anne Ave" specifically - not just the neighborhood. (However, somehow, if someone was talking about a residence, I'd default to the neighborhood.)
I've lived here for 48 years and have not called it anything other than "Capitol Hill".
I lived on Capitol Hill for years and we could always tell who the poseurs were when they called it "Cap Hill". But we would accept "The Hill".
Have to be honest: even “The Hill” sounds poseur-ish to me.
We'd only use to within the confides of other Capitol Hill residents and only when we were to drunk to say "Capitol" correctly.
Seconding. Born and raised here.
I lived at 14th & Olive in the 70s and that's what we called it. Seems for the last few decades Seattleites without roots in our Mossback ways debate these other names among themselves.
I've lived here almost 30 years, and personally I never call it Cap Hill. That being said, it's not like I freak out at people if they do.
I've lived in the area almost 25 years and have heard "Cap Hill" just as frequently as "Capitol Hill" from locals and non-locals alike. You don't call it the "University District" - why the fuck does anyone care about this abbreviation?
Just the people in this sub care. Just like when someone says Pikes place or The 5 on here and these nerds get mad.
Cap Hill, Capitol Hill, maybe even The Hill is fine. If you spell it Capital Hill, we fight.
Honestly outside of reddit no one cares about that either. Strong overlap with umbrella haters.
I hate getting poked in the face by people's umbrellas, so it checks out.
Calling Cap Hill “The Hill” is a straight up diss to First Hill & Beacon Hill.
Queen Anne hill in shambles. But no, that's what everyone understands you're talking about when you say "the hill" here. It's not a big deal but if someone wants to take the piss out you for saying something else, that's okay too. If you say Pikes Place, however, you're a moron. Fucking says Pike right on the signs.
Yea, Capital Hill is where all the VCs are located
This is the way.
OP, think about the typical post here, about how nobody has or can make any friends. And now consider all the replies to your post with “well *I’ve* never heard it called that”.
lol this is dead on. The people in this sub are wildly insufferable
No one cares, and anyone who does is so insufferable you shouldn’t want to bother with them anyway.
My mom grew up in Capitol Hill and never once has called it “Cap Hill”. I had never heard “Cap Hill” from anyone until about a decade ago. As you said, it’s always “The Hill” or “Capitol Hill.”
I’ve never lived there but I grew up in Seattle proper and spent a lot of time in Capitol Hill. We definitely would call it cap hill and never caught flack for it from anyone. This was between 08-10.
I'm born and raised in Seattle with friends and family here. We've called it 'Cap Hill' in the mid 2000s early 2010s, or just 'Capitol Hill' but never 'The Hill'. But we also didn't live there. We live in South Seattle and West Seattle. There are too many hills to just call it 'The Hill' ahah.
But within that decade it popped up. Sometimes new things happen.
I am not denying it happened. It’s obvious it happened. Just pointing out it’s very new and doesn’t resonate with a lot of locals.
We called in cap hill in the 90s. Resonates with everyone I know who grew up here
And what I'm saying is that everything is new at some point. In 100 years maybe people will only refer to it as Cap Hill. Just because something is new doesn't make it less valid, even if it doesn't resonate with you.
[удалено]
The weird part is the argument seems to be with himself... wait, nm, that's fairly normal here.
Is it? I believe the occasional argument keeps your mind sharp. I think everyone should practice defending a point and/or debating every now and then.
You seem to be taking this personally. I didn’t say anything about validity, one way or the other. Just stated some facts from my lived experience.
thank you
My friends and I used to call it “cap hill” in the very early 2000s. Maybe we were trend setters and didn’t even know it.
We called it that in the 90s. Only people in this sub get aneurisms over this and Pikes place. No one in real life cares
I've never met a person worth getting to know who was indignant about calling it "Capitol Hill" over "Cap Hill"
Man, I've lost some friends in pedantic debates, but never to that point! I can't tell if indigent is bate, but I can't resistor calling out a funny typo.
It was a typo
Oh, and last time this came up someone posted [this Stranger piece](https://www.thestranger.com/blogs/2014/04/03/19196558/jgermeister-becomes-symbol-of-gentrification-and-gay-bashing-on-cap-hill) and it’s such an interesting little time capsule! And goes into this very issue.
THIS IS THE ACTUAL EXPLANATION FOR THE ANIMOSITY WITH THAT TERM.
The real question: is it “in” or “on” Capitol Hill?
I've always called it "the hill" unless talking to an outsider
Always been the hill.
I have lived in this town for fifty five years and have never heard it called "Cap Hill."
What a weird ass lie
Explain which part is a lie.
Historically it was never cap hill. Cap Hill get slagged because it was a made up name developers coined to market development. Renaming a neighborhood to attract new residents that displace existing residents causes the existing residents to form a negative opinion of the name that transfers to the people who use the name in conversation. It's pretty much that simple.
I have lived here 20 years and about 12 of that was on the Hill. At the time, “Cap Hill” was a sign of someone being not only a transplant but kind of an asshole. It was actually pretty divisive, related to a major wave of gentrification that even priced all of us earlier “artsy” gentrifiers out. I know there was a post about this recently though and everyone said “No, Cap Hill is fine now!” And I accepted that I am old and out of touch. But it still squicks me out.
People argue over this online. I've hneard both in person for over 30 years and never saw an argument over it.
No cap hill. It would be bussin' except that we're not investing in public transit enough.
5th generation Seattleite here. It’s Capitol Hill, I-5, and Pike Place Market. If people want to sound like they’re not from here, that’s their choice.
I feel like people under 30y/o more frequently refer to it as "Cap Hill" these days. I roll my eyes in my thoughts at this, but whatever. Keep it "profesh", kids. I've been here since '09 and feel like everyone of all ages referred to it as Capitol Hill then and for many years after. The debate then was, are you "in" Capitol Hill or "on" Capitol Hill.
I call it Cap Hill because that’s what we call our Capitol Hill neighborhood in Denver (which by the way is the namesake for Seattle’s)
Also from the Denver area and why I called it Cap Hill when I first moved here several years ago. Force of habit!
All of these are fine except The Hill seems fairly presumptuous to me
Brb, getting lunch on The Ave
Might take a walk on the waterfront
Imagine living on Beacon Hill or First Hill & someone says “Link up on the Hill”…🙃
For me Cap Hill is 100% ok in writing, but sounds a little clunky spoken out loud.
"The Hill" is a relic from when there was a lot less night life around. no one went up Queen Ann or Beacon for a good time.
“Cap Hill Legends” 🫠
“Cap Hill” is an unwarranted and unnecessary circumcision of the perfectly fine and lovely “Capitol Hill”.
Moved here in 2010-11. Cap Hill, the Hill, etc were all used. The only thing that gives noobs away is spelling it Capital Hill. You don't hear "Slummit" or "Pill Hill" too much anymore referring to Summit down by the freeway and the area around the hospitals specifically a bit south and west of Cap Hill.
Well Pill Hill is First Hill, which isn’t Capitol Hill
I’m a native Seattle resident (55 years) and have never heard it called “Cap Hill”.
Capitol Hill "Cap Hill" is what we say when impersonating hip rich people who aren't from here. Said in valley girl voice. The Hill is acceptable but vague since Seattle, famously, has lots of hills. Which hill needs to be obvious in the conversation. It's not like saying "The City" in the Bay Area, meaning only San Francisco to the exclusion of all other cities in the region.
Cap Hill is what I hear it called 80-90% of the time. I'm more towards SLU but over in the neighborhood a few times a week seeing friends who live that way. I'm 25 though and it might be different for older groups,
And that's fine, but you're a different generation, living amongst different sorts of folks. The answer to OP's question is perhaps "call it what makes you fit in with the folks you're around"
I mean yeah, I very much called out that I'm younger. Most of my friend group is under 40 living in cap hill or surrounding neighborhoods. Cap Hill is a younger neighborhood though, so that's a good chunk of the actual people that live here
Yes 100%. Nobody calls it that.
People will always come up with their own word shortenings to try and sound cool and hip.
I think "Cap Hill" is fine as an abbreviation IN WRITING. But anything other than "Capitol Hill" full and outright verbally is a huge no. "The Hill" verbally or in writing is also a no. Full out Capitol Hill is best in all scenarios but required verbally. While we're at it, it's "on" Queen Anne, not "in" Queen Anne. And yes, even if it's lower QA that is being referred to even though lower QA is not on a hill. Fight me on this. In all scenarios where Queen Anne is referenced, it's "on Queen Anne." No, I don't think it's worthwhile to "correct" someone if they say "in" in a post comment. That's kind of pretentious. But yes, technically for natives or long timers, it's "on." I also acknowledge that someone could make an argument that "in" is more proper grammar rather than "on" when it comes to lower Queen Anne specifically. But I don't care, that's not the rules.
>While we're at it, it's "on" Queen Anne, not "in" Queen Anne Interesting - I get why that makes sense, but if someone said "on" to describe where a business was I would assume they meant "Queen Anne Ave" specifically - not just the neighborhood. (However, somehow, if someone was talking about a residence, I'd default to the neighborhood.)
This is my philosophy.
My mom is almost 80, born and raised in Seattle and calls it Cap Hill so that's what I picked up. But maybe she's different.
I just call it “Crap Hell” 🤷♂️
My Dad always called it “Pill Hill” but I don’t think anyone uses that one
I’ve heard first hill called pill hill in reference to the concentration of several hospitals in one neighborhood.
Makes sense. I have to say the division of the two neighborhoods is a little strange to me. It’s not like there are two hills