The Belltown Pan

ON THIS SITE,  FROM 1978 TO 1982  THE BELLTOWN CAFE  SERVED THE NEIGHBORHOOD  AS A CULTURAL HEARTH AND  HOME TO A GROUNDHOG DAY  ROOT PIE TRADITION. THE CAFE  PROPRIETORS OFTEN TRADED  FOOD FOR ART WITH THEIR  CUSTOMERS. ONE EXCHANGE  RESULTED IN THE CREATION OF  THE "BELLTOWN PAN"; A LARGE  METAL PAN IN THE SHAPE OF A  BELL, FABRICATED TO FUNCTION  BOTH AS AN EXTERIOR SIGN FOR THE  CAFE AND AS A BAKING PAN THAT  WOULD FIT INTO A COMMERCIAL OVEN  ON GROUNDHOG DAY, THE PAN WOULD BE  TAKEN INSIDE AND USED TO BAKE AN  ASSORTMENT OF ROOT VEGETABLES FOR  ALL TO SHARE, THEN RETURNED TO ITS  OUTDOOR POSITION THE FOLLOWING DAY  DURING THIS TIME PERIOD, THE COMMUNITY  ENGAGED IN MANY CİVIC ACTIVITIES INCLUDING  THE PLANTING OF STREET TREES ALONG FIRST AVENUE, AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE APEX  BELLTOWN CO-OP. TODAY, THE NON-PROFIT AFFORDABLE  HOUSING ORGANIZATION, BELLWETHER, OCCUPIES THIS SITE; AND THE ICONIC BELLTOWN PAN LIVES ON AS  SYMBOLIC CALL TO ENGAGE IN COMMUNITY ACTION  FOR THE COMMUNITY GOOD  


Submitted by @TomRMarks