Revelers celebrating the Seahawks’ Super Bowl victory Sunday night damaged the historic pergola in Pioneer Square, breaking wire glass panels and spray-painting graffiti on the ornate iron structure built in 1909.
Dozens of people climbed to the top of the structure at the intersection of 1st Avenue and Yesler Way, designed by Seattle architect Julian Everett as a stop on the Yesler and James Street Cable Car Company line. Video from Sunday night showed people sitting and standing on the glass panels, with several shirtless men perched atop the pergola as crowds gathered below.
Wire glass at the top of the pergola was broken and its ornate iron columns were vandalized with graffiti during the post-game celebrations. An Instagram post by Pioneer Square, the Seattle Parks Foundation, and the Alliance for Pioneer Square asked the public to consider donating $12 or more to the Seattle Parks Foundation to help support park recovery.
The incident marks the second time the national historic landmark has sustained major damage. On January 15, 2001, a commercial truck hit the pergola while turning a corner, causing so much destruction that the structure had to be closed for more than a year. It reopened on August 17, 2002, after extensive repairs. Following that incident, Seattle’s parks department installed structural poles and bollards to protect the landmark.
The damage raises questions about crowd control during major celebrations and whether the city should restrict access to fragile historic structures when large gatherings are anticipated. Police have not announced any arrests related to the vandalism.
