Washington

Graphite is also the name that Mary Olsen chose for the multi-use art hub she conceived of and built in Edmonds, Washington. And once you visit the place, you’ll recognize that the name is spot-on, because sketching in pencil – in other words, drawing with graphite – is often the first step in producing a work of art.

Just south of Seattle, after crossing the Duwamish River, old Highway 99 emerges from a heavily industrialized area and passes through the communities of Tukwila and SeaTac. Drivers will notice that this is where the four-lane roadway becomes International Boulevard. The name came about a few decades ago, in part to give more cachet to the arterial as it runs right past SeaTac International Airport. But it also reflects the growing diversity of the area, as recent waves of immigrants from Latin America, Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe have settled there, thanks to relatively affordable housing options and plenty of hospitality and other airport-related jobs that recognize multilingual employees are an asset.