Archives West Finding Aid

Wilse's map of Seattle's bike paths indicates the "divide" where the 10 mile long path to Lake Washington heads east around the north end of Capitol Hill on its way to the lake. George Cotterill was the assistant city engineer who directed the construction of the bike paths. The Queen City Cycle Club also assisted with the construction. It was opened June 19, 1897. The snake-like cinder path ran between downtown Seattle and Leschi Park, winding around the north end of Capitol Hill. After 10 miles, the cyclists would reach Leschi Heights. Interlaken Boulevard was later developed out of the bike path.

Steamships were most likely operating in the Gold Rush era carrying passengers.

In 1898, more than 500 reindeer were unloaded at Fremont after a transcontinental railroad journey. The reindeer were joined by around 100 Norwegian Samis (Laplanders) who cared for the herd. The reindeer were going to be used to carry food to the starving gold miners on the Yukon River. However, when the trains left New York, it was reported that, while the miners were not starving, the reindeer would still be delivered. From Fremont on March 7, the reindeer were brought to Woodland Park and fenced in. At the Park, they served as a week-long sensation with around 8,000 people coming to see them. During this period, twelve reindeer died from a combination of park grass and snacks fed to them from the crowds. The officer in charge had destroyed their normal diet of moss that was shipped with them, thinking that the reindeer would be fine with hay and grass instead. On March 15, the herd returned to Fremont to prepare for their trip to Alaska. They reached Alaska on January 27, 1899. Later, most of the herd would be lost due to starvation and exhaustion while traveling around Alaska.

Charles L. Denny was the son of Seattle pioneer Arthur Denny, and Elbert F. Blaine was an attorney and former Seattle Parks Commissioner. In 1901, Denny and Blaine formed the Denny-Blaine Land Company and began buying property adjacent to and to the east and north of the Madrona trolley line, which had just recently been built. They filed their Denny-Blaine Lake Park subdivision with the city and began seeking lot buyers. In order to access the Madrona neighborhood, the realtors of the time developed a park on Lake Washington and a trolley car line from the north side of the park up through the “deep wild canyon” that was described as “one of the most scenic trolley rides to be had in the city.” The land for the Denny-Blaine Park was later donated to the City of Seattle by Denny and Blaine, who were also responsible for sub-dividing the surrounding neighborhood. The newly created nieghborhood, Denny-Blaine, named after them is located on Lake Washington between Madison Park and Madrona and contains many beautiful parks. Beginning at the lake is Whitman Place, also known as Denny-Blaine Place, a charming beachside turnaround with esplanade and seawall. Directly uphill is Viretta Park, named for Viretta Denny the wife of C.L. Denny. Just above that is tiny Stevens Park, or Triangle, named for Isaac Stevens, Washington Territory's first governor. Other parks include Minerva Fountain and Park (named for Blaine's wife). The sign above the shelter -- believed by some to have been designed by the architect Ellsworth Storey (1879-1960) states: "Denny-Blaine Lake Park." At one time the shelter served as the office of the real estate firm. Finally, a virtually hidden little Children's Park, dedicated by Charles and Viretta Denny in 1901, lies on the lakeshore at the east end of Howell Street.