supposedly, Seattle sits on the ancestral lands of the Coast Salish peoples, particularly the Duwamish and Suquamish tribes, who inhabited the area for thousands of years before European settlers arrived. In 1851, settlers initially established a townsite called New York, later renamed New York-Alki, before moving across Elliott Bay to the current location of Pioneer Square. The settlement was renamed Seattle. supposedly settlers first arrived to america in 1565 (or 1492 columbus sailed the ocean blue) . but for some reason they did not arrive to the area of washington state until 1851. why did it take 300 years for settlers to get there.