In honor of July 4, I would like to mention one of Seattle’s most famous events, the Independence Day picnic of 1854 hosted by Thomas Mercer. The story goes that whilst serving up some small batch treats, Mercer proposed the name Lake Washington for what was then known by a variety of names—Lake Geneva, Lake Duwamish, or
> 1875 - Since no canal had been built, the coal industry relied on rail to move coal from the east side of Lake Washington via barge to Union Bay ...
Physical of evidence of that remains. Eighteen wood coal railroad cars sank off a barge in 1875. They are almost perfectly preserved and still sit on the bottom of the lake full of coal, roughly in the middle of Lake Washington off of Madison Park, about 200 feet down. (Thanks to exploration diver Scott Boyd for this info. https://www.boydski.com/diving/Lake_Washington_Wrecks.htm )
Fun post! Love the map from 1918 that resembles yellowy Kroll classics that I used as navigation aids as a kid. The post also reminds me that a game changing event in modern Seattleites’ understanding of Lake Union was development of this great urban trail and associated signage: https://www.seattle.gov/parks/allparks/cheshiahud-lake-union-loop
Thanks for your note. Yes, the Cheshiauhud Lake Union Loop is a great addition to the collective understanding of the history of this landscape. And, of course, Kroll maps rock.
The Cheshiauhud Loop, as the tail's website notes, was named for the Native American leader who was well known to white settlers. The chief had obtained five acres from David Denny for, essentially, nothing (see Jean Sherrard's article in the Seattle Times, 4/16/2023) – which was just, since after all it was Duwamish land anyway. Eventually he sold it for a good profit. Most events here begin, of course, with an acknowledgement that they take place on unceded Duwamish land. But now we know that there are at least five acres that were acquired by whites for a fair price.
John Cheshiauhud was a canoe ferryman and guide most of his adult life. I suspect he was living in 1890 at the location David Denny needed to build his streetcar bridge. I suspect Denny gave his old friend a retirement package with that 5 acres. Both got what they wanted!
Being from out of state, I don't know the elevations of the lakes relative to the sound. But, I wonder, in 167 years, will the salt water of the sound reach Lake Union with sea level rise?
Lake Union is 20-22 feet above sea level, plus it has the Locks in the way, but in 167 years, we could get a big enough earthquake to take out the locks and re-equilibrate everything.
Hi David, you wrote:
> 1875 - Since no canal had been built, the coal industry relied on rail to move coal from the east side of Lake Washington via barge to Union Bay ...
Physical of evidence of that remains. Eighteen wood coal railroad cars sank off a barge in 1875. They are almost perfectly preserved and still sit on the bottom of the lake full of coal, roughly in the middle of Lake Washington off of Madison Park, about 200 feet down. (Thanks to exploration diver Scott Boyd for this info. https://www.boydski.com/diving/Lake_Washington_Wrecks.htm )
Roger, thanks for the link and story about those train cars. It's such a fascinating image. DBW
Fun post! Love the map from 1918 that resembles yellowy Kroll classics that I used as navigation aids as a kid. The post also reminds me that a game changing event in modern Seattleites’ understanding of Lake Union was development of this great urban trail and associated signage: https://www.seattle.gov/parks/allparks/cheshiahud-lake-union-loop
Thanks for your note. Yes, the Cheshiauhud Lake Union Loop is a great addition to the collective understanding of the history of this landscape. And, of course, Kroll maps rock.
The Cheshiauhud Loop, as the tail's website notes, was named for the Native American leader who was well known to white settlers. The chief had obtained five acres from David Denny for, essentially, nothing (see Jean Sherrard's article in the Seattle Times, 4/16/2023) – which was just, since after all it was Duwamish land anyway. Eventually he sold it for a good profit. Most events here begin, of course, with an acknowledgement that they take place on unceded Duwamish land. But now we know that there are at least five acres that were acquired by whites for a fair price.
> as the tail's website notes
Should be "trail's" website.
John Cheshiauhud was a canoe ferryman and guide most of his adult life. I suspect he was living in 1890 at the location David Denny needed to build his streetcar bridge. I suspect Denny gave his old friend a retirement package with that 5 acres. Both got what they wanted!
Being from out of state, I don't know the elevations of the lakes relative to the sound. But, I wonder, in 167 years, will the salt water of the sound reach Lake Union with sea level rise?
Lake Union is 20-22 feet above sea level, plus it has the Locks in the way, but in 167 years, we could get a big enough earthquake to take out the locks and re-equilibrate everything.