The Struggle Over Seattle's Early Park System
City commissioners argue that selling the centrally located City Park could fund a sprawling, water-front recreation area on Lake Washington.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The park commission met at its office in the Bailey block yesterday afternoon to discuss its annual report. Attention is again called to the importance of a park system. Referring to the rejection by the council of the commission's proposal for the sale of the City park and purchase with the proceeds of a larger and more suitable tract, the commission gave its reasons: 'The ground occupied by the City park is exceedingly high and dry, and such a large area in the midst of the city would be very costly to maintain.' They argued that selling this land could purchase a much larger tract surrounded by Lake Washington, specifically the Bailey peninsula. They envisioned a park of 150 to 300 acres that could be easily reached by small steamers and offer a beautiful lake shore drive. The board concluded that in view of the economic stringency, selling the City Park would allow the city to acquire a more desirable space and provide employment through its improvement.
“The ground occupied by the City park is exceedingly high and dry, and such a large area in the midst of the city would be very costly to maintain.”
This 1894 debate echoes Seattle’s century-long struggle to balance dense urban green space against regional, accessible parkland. While the City Park (Denny Park) remained, the vision of transforming the city's relationship with its lakefront eventually evolved into the extensive park boulevards residents enjoy today.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.