The Waterfront Gold Rush of 1888
A prime 80-acre parcel on Lake Washington, featuring a half-mile of water frontage, goes to market with the promise of future manufacturing glory.
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.
80 ACRES for sale on Lake Washington, close to Kirkland. Half a mile of water front. Well located for platting. Herman Chapin, 102 First Street, opposite Occidental Hotel.
“Half a mile of water front. Well located for platting.”
This 1888 advertisement marks the early speculation that transformed the quiet shores of Lake Washington into a booming industrial and residential corridor. Today, that same 'well located' waterfront is home to some of the most expensive real estate in the Pacific Northwest, mirroring the persistent tension between industrial utility and luxury development that defines Seattle's growth.
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