First Hill | It's historic, quiet and convenient

In 1992, the First Hill Improvement Association posted markers on major thoroughfares welcoming passers-by to "Seattle's First Neighborhood."

Although First Hill may now often be overlooked by some as a residential option, in the 1890s it was Seattle's most desired address.

Today, only a handful of the old homes remain on First Hill.

They include the century-old Stimson-Green Mansion, designated as a landmark, which can now be rented for wedding receptions and other celebrations.

The photogenic mansion also serves as headquarters for the nonprofit Washington Trust, which helps fund historic preservation in the state.

Much of the remainder of what makes up present-day First Hill is occupied by some of the Puget Sound area's most vital medical institutions, giving this section of the city the nickname "Pill Hill."

It's also the home of the landmark St. James Cathedral, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

There are 5,000 regular parishioners at the massive Catholic Church with its twin towers looming over First Hill and downtown Seattle.

Kelly Cash, a real-estate agent with Windermere Real Estate in Seattle, says that about 10 percent of the structures in First Hill are presently used as residential units.

About 97 percent of these units are rental properties, according to a Downtown Seattle Association estimate calculated in 2006.

Although Belltown is considered the hottest Seattle neighborhood in or near downtown, First Hill offers a quieter alternative, giving "convenience without being in the fishbowl," says Cash, a former resident of First Hill.

The median price of a condominium on First Hill that sold during the past six months was $285,000 and ranged in price from $200,000 to $1.25 million, according to figures compiled by the Northwest Multiple Listing Service.

By comparison, the median price of a condo sold in downtown Seattle, Belltown and Lower Queen Anne was $411,000 in June, according to the real-estate service.

In 1939, the Seattle Housing Authority built the city's first integrated housing project on the south end of First Hill at Yesler Terrace, which still stands overlooking downtown.

Today, Seattle's "first neighborhood" continues to attract a wide variety of people.

"It's a great microcosm of society," Cash said. He says he would gladly move back from his home in Magnolia if only First Hill offered him a yard.