The City Lays the Foundation for its Future
On the Fourth of July, 1894, Seattle gathered between Lake Union and Lake Washington to lay the cornerstone of the University of Washington's new main building.
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 people of Seattle yesterday showed their conviction that education is essential to freedom by choosing the Fourth of July to lay the corner-stone of the new university building on the site between Lakes Washington and Union. The occasion brought together citizens of diverse views to celebrate popular education in the American spirit. The stone was laid by Grand Master J. M. Taylor of the Masons, with a copper box deposited within containing records of the university, newspapers, and statistics of the state. Chancellor James K. Hayden presided, and speakers included Mayor Byron Phelps, A. A. Denny, Reverend Daniel Bagley, and Edmond S. Meany. The ceremony highlighted the university's transition from its 'baby' beginnings in downtown Seattle to its new, expansive campus, promising a future where the institution would lead in developing the 'resistless spirit of the West.'
“The very fact of the Fourth of July being the day and date of the laying of this corner-stone will add to its worth for all time. Education and patriotism belong together.”
This event marked the official move of the University of Washington from downtown to its current location in the University District. Today, the U-District remains the intellectual heart of the city, still grappling with the same tensions between rapid urban growth and the need for preserving historical and educational spaces mentioned in the 1894 speeches.
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