Walk Where Jimi Walked

225px-JamesAGarfield_HS_(2).jpg If you went to Garfield High, wish you'd gone to Garfield High (you know you do), or just want to walk the same halls that Jimi Hendrix, Quincy Jones, and Bruce Lee did then head to 23rd and Alder on Saturday for the "Bulldog Bash Before the Smash."

Garfield High, you see, is being gutted (much as Roosevelt just was), to replace its circa 1920 wiring, circa 1970 murals, and circa Armageddon wall colors with modern things like non-asbestos insulation, non-lead paint, and a computer network called "Internet."

If you didn't know that Jimi Hendrix attended Garfield, then you obviously haven't spent much time around Seattlest; we mention that we went to the same high school as the guitar god roughly every 17 seconds.

As Garfield students, we and our friends fantasized about finding lost Hendrix lyrics in an old locker (when we weren't fantasizing about Anna Noble). We did once convince the school secretary to let us see Hendrix's report card in the school vault, but we never found any lyrics--or the guts to ask Anna out.

The Bash schedule is as follows:

1924-1955 (Golden) Grads: 10:00am-11:00am
1956-1969 Graduates: 11:00am-Noon
1970-1979 Graduates: Noon-1:00pm
1980-2005 Graduates: 1:00-2:00pm
Musical Groups: 10:40am-3:00pm
Hotdogs and Soda: Noon-2:00pm

If you want to walk where Kenny G and John Keister did, have a great afternoon at Franklin.

Photo by Conner Lee

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By Seth in News on June 8, 2006 10:56 AM

Comments [rss]

austinhendricks

Bruce Lee was, however, born on the same day as Hendrix, 2 years earlier.

COMTE

This boasting-by-association reminds me of when my younger brother briefly attended Alameda H.S., and claimed (never substantiated to my knowledge) that he'd been assigned the same locker previously used by Jim Morrison.

But then, the most famous person to come out of my H.S. was probably the guy who placed second in State Cross Country back in 1976...

Seth

Oh how I was waiting for someone to call me on this--thank you David Adams!

Bruce Lee did NOT go to Garfield, but his girlfriend did, and according to his biography he spent lots of time at the school. Maybe not attending classes, but quite possibly making out in that little courtyard behind the Graphics room.

David Adams

Sorry to dissapoint you but Bruce Lee didn't go to Garfield. I did though, and I still have nightmares about forgetting my locker combination.

Dustin

As much as I'll miss the random falling ceiling tiles, it won't be the same without the wall art. Crack open a Faygo for a New Yorker, y'hear?

Tricia

The event will feature a lot of music, including a band featuring Sammy Drain, who was a personal friend of Jimi's! The music -- spanning five decades of alums -- will last from 11 to 2:30! Come and see it!

Daniel

I'm so glad I went to Garfield high. Having been exiled to PA, I'm pretty disappointed I won't be able to walk the oh-so run down halls of GHS once more before the remodel.

Lala

As an almost irrationally proud alumna of Garfield High, I'll be there. Also, be sure to pick up the magazine put out by the Messenger - it's beautiful, informative, and just one dollar!