West Seattle is the area west of the Duwamish River and was annexed by Seattle in 1907. Thanks to the city's many hills, lakes, and bays, all Seattle neighborhoods are distinct. However, none is more a world unto itself than giant West Seattle. It is only minutes from city center travelling down Highway 99 and across the West Seattle Bridge. On September 28, 2006, Seattle Times columnist Ron Judd, in a humor piece titled "How to tell the truth about the Pacific N.W.," described West Seattle in an imagined Q&A explaining the NW to a non-local: Q: What should I know about West Seattle?