On a sunny Seattle Sunday morning jog from the Locks to Golden Gardens we came upon the Leif Erikson statue at Shilshole. The statue is an impressive 17 feet tall in an equally impressive setting of runes. The statue is a tribute to the Scandinavian (Danes, Finns, Icelanders, Norwegians, and Swedes) immigrants to this area, particular Ballard, unveiled originally in 1962 for the World’s Fair. The recent refurb was the brainchild of the Leif Erikson International Foundation (LEIF). For more of the story (saga is appropriate here) see the LEIF website. Leif Erikson (c. 970 – c. 1020) was a Norse explorer considered the first European to set foot in North America. Who first set foot in North America seems to be an open question. However, LEIF’s promotion of Leif has got legs, much as the statue does.
Yes, I do! Swedish, but I have a coffee mug that says "Leif landed first." I knew I needed to go to Seattle!
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