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With a nod to Charles Dickens’ title The Tale of Two Cities, I would like to share The Tale of Two Wallingfords.

Have you given any thought to places around the world named Wallingford? Wallingford, Connecticut, for example. Civic groups in our area are occasionally confused with their counterparts there when it comes to email, whether it’s messages sent to the wrong organization or email addresses that need to be distinguished.

Wallyhood writer and former board member of Historic Wallingford, Patti Gray Whann, wondered about other Wallingfords back in 2024. She reached out to various places named Wallingford and successfully connected with Mark Hoskins, Deputy Mayor and Councillor, who hails from Wallingford in the United Kingdom. At the time, Patti was preparing to travel to the UK, but unfortunately was not able to arrange a meeting. Fast forward to 2026: This spring, Mark communicated that he and his wife, Jacki (also a Councillor), would be vacationing in the Pacific Northwest and hoped to visit our Wallingford. As Patti would be out of town, she asked members of Historic Wallingford to arrange a visit with the Hoskinses during their stopover.

As a member of Historic Wallingford and the Wallingford Chamber of Commerce, I was delighted to coordinate their visit. My wife, Rhonda, and I picked them up after their tour of the Space Needle. After a brief stop at the Fremont Troll, we headed to Wallingford for lunch.

As we entered Wallingford on N 45th Street, Jacki took note of the Wallingford Dry Cleaners—seeing their town name on a business here was a delight. Later in the day, we watched with concern as she walked into 45th Street traffic to get a good photo of the Wallingford sign atop the QFC! That familiar name was calling her.

Lunch was on the patio at Julia’s, and groups from the Wallingford Chamber of Commerce and Historic Wallingford joined us. Representing the Chamber were Francisco Barros from Key Bank, Matt Evans from Pacific Northwest Shop, Parnel Lettunich of Cedarhouse Flowers, and Carrie Johnson with the Sparkling Wallingford Society. Historic Wallingford was represented by Patrick Long and Tyson Baty, as well as Rhonda and myself. Local historian Feliks Banel was also in attendance. During lunch, we discovered a shared concern about the importance of supporting local small businesses. After lunch, a stop at Pacific Northwest Shop was in order, where Matt explained the Small Biz Bingo and the Third Thursday Sip & Stroll series, both organized through the Chamber. Mark and Jacki took photos and a bingo card to share with those at home.

In visiting with Mark and Jacki, we learned about their service as Councillors (yes, that is the spelling) for the Town of Wallingford, and Mark’s role as Deputy Mayor. Surprisingly, these are voluntary positions encompassing ceremonial duties as well as legislative responsibilities. They are heavily involved in organizing a three-day carnival each June, run by a team of 750 volunteers and drawing 10,000 people to celebrate the historic architecture and heritage of Wallingford, UK. This vast volunteer effort earned them The King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS), which was presented just this month. We were struck by the strength of the volunteer effort in England, especially compared with how difficult it can be here to find volunteers for community events and civic leadership. What can we learn from their example, and how might we do better?

As my wife Rhonda noted, our Wallingford is a blink of an eye on the timeline of history, compared to the rich and ancient heritage of Wallingford, UK. However, it was also clear that both places share a deep appreciation for their history and sense of place. We told the Hoskinses about our annual Wallingford Parade for Seafair, which will celebrate its 75th anniversary next year, as well as our weekly summer farmers market and St. Benedict School’s Great Wallingford Bratwurst Festival—all beloved traditions in our neighborhood.

After lunch, the tour took us to Wallingford Center, where architectural historian Sarah Martin shared the history of our Wallingford and the home styles found here. Jacki noticed that most houses here have stairs leading to the front door, while homes in Wallingford, UK, are generally at street level, allowing people to park their cars in the lawn area in front of their homes.

Artist Melinda Hannah visited next, taking us to the upper level of the Wallingford Center. There, the hallway to the apartments felt like stepping back in time, with beautiful old-fashioned windows in the stairwell. Melinda showed us several of the portraits she has created of heritage homes around the neighborhood, and gave our guests a signed calendar of her works. After a brief stop at Cedarhouse Flowers, the tour ended with dessert at the beautiful craftsman bungalow home of Patrick Long. Patrick’s family celebrated the 100th birthday of their home with a party a few years back, complete with period dress and research information about their home, which they have tended and loved dearly over the years—it was a good example to share. Jacki was impressed by their finished basement, as in the UK, basements are primarily cellars.

After their neighborhood tour, our guests were dropped off at Pike Place Market to search for the fish vendors tossing salmon, and then to enjoy other parts of Seattle at their leisure.

In the next installment, I’ll cover interesting cultural aspects of Wallingford, UK, along with ancestral connections that tie our two Wallingford locations together.