Seattle Parks

The Seattle area is blessed with natural beauty. The Board of Park Commissioners was established in 1887 to oversee development of the Seattle park system. according to the Seattle.Gov page on park history. There is an AMAZING resource on Seattle park history compiled by Donald N. Sherwood known as the Sherwood Park History Files.

Seattle Park Postcards show some of this beauty.

Leschi Park

"4. Listening to the Band, Leschi Park, Seattle."


"A corner of Leschi Park, showing the Tennis Courts and Winding Boulevard, Lake Washington in the background. Seattle U. S. A." "A typical winter day in Seattle where the average winter temperature is 40 F. This photograph was taken March 3, 1914"

Japanese Tea Garden

"Japanese Tea Garden - University of Washington Arboretum" "The Japanese Tea Garden located in the University of Washington arboretum Seattle, Washington, encompassing 4 acres is the largest of its kind outside Japan. This authentic garden includes hand carved granite lanterns, moon viewing stand and a traditional stone face washing basin."

"University of Washington Seattle, Washington. One of the most colorful tourist attractions in Seattle is the Japanese Tea Garden located in the beautiful Arboretum - a moment for reflection."

Kinnear Park

"In Kinnear Park, Seattle, Washington"

"Rustic Pavilion in Kinnear Park Seattle, Washington"

Madrona Park

"26. Madrona Park, Seattle"

Mt. Baker Park

"Japanese Pagoda Lantern in Mt. Baker Park, Seattle, Washington - A Gift from Kojiro Matsukatu of Kobe, Japan"

Seward Park

"Seward Park, Seattle. Blossom time in Seward Park, Seattle, Washington where Japanese cherry trees bloom in gorgeous profusion about a picturesque shrine."

"Seward Park - Seattle, Wash. One of the fine city parks. This shows round flower bed and the Japanese Flowering Peach in bloom."

Volunteer Park

"1744 - Volunteer Park, Seattle, Washington"

"Volunteer Park Gardens and Seattle Art Museum." Ektachrome by J. Boyd Ellis.

"Conservatory - Volunteer Park. Seattle, Wash. The outdoor formal gardens together with the tropical flowers found in the beauty spot afford a wide range of floral display throughout the year" C-33 Ektachrome by F. W. Huhn

"Volunteer Park. One of Seattle's many beauty spots. The Seattle Art Museum may be seen just beyond the water storage reservoir. Lake Washington in the distance."

Pacific Science Center and Arches

I give a lot of face-time to the Space Needle.  I LOVE the Space Needle.  But on this, the 51st anniversary of the opening of the 1962 Seattle World's Fair, I'd like to give a shout-out to the Pacific Science Center and especially the arches.

About December 1961 - Photo used with permission: Courtesy of Seattle P-I Collection, MOHAI (CM)

Did you know the Pacific Science Center was called United States Science Pavilion, or Federal Science Pavilion during the World's Fair? The Pavilion and its arches were designed by the same architect that designed the former World Trade Center "Twin Towers".  Read more about Minoru Yamasaki here on HistoryLink. According to the Pacific Science Center website, the arches will be lit green for Earth Day today and tomorrow. They are certainly beautiful in their native white or lit with a variety of colors for special occasions and fully deserve to be featured in numerous postcards.


"Pacific Science Center - Seattle Center America's Newest Playground - Fountains, pools and graceful arches create a charming setting for the Pacific Science Center - five handsome buildings housing the greatest collection of scientific exhibits ever assembled for public viewing. The Science Center is a prime attraction at Seattle Center located on the 1962 Seattle World's Fair site."



"Pacific Science Center. The magnificent 109-ft. "Space Gothic" arches at the entrance to Pacific Science Center are dwarfed only by the 600 ft. Space needle which towers in the background. Both are outstanding attractions at America's newest playground, Seattle Center, formerly the site of the 1962 Seattle World's Fair." C13086a - Color photo by Max R. Jensen.


"Pacific Science Center. Seattle Center. A constant supply of displays and ideas are presented at this facility the year 'round. No trip to Seattle would be complete without a visit to this outstanding attraction."


"Pacific Science Center, formerly the U. S. Science Pavilion, was a major exhibit at the 1962 Seattle World's Fair. Dramatic architecture and fairyland lighting create an outstanding setting for a world famous collection of scientific exhibits. The Space Needle towers over all." C27899 Color Photo by Max R. Jensen


"Pacific Science Center was a major exhibit at the 1962 Seattle World's Fair as the U.S. Science Pavilion and now is a prime attraction at Seattle Center. Soaring Gothic arches, fountains and fairyland lighting create a beautiful setting for the Center's world-famous collection of scientific exhibits. Seattle's Space Needle towers over all." C13555a - Color photo by Mike Roberts.


"Pacific Science Center. Located in the new Seattle Civic Center, this beautiful structure was permanently constructed for the Century "21" World's Fair held in 1962. This is to be retained and kept up to date as a science center for the entire northwest." C-628 Ektachrome by Clifford B. Ellis.


"Federal Science Pavilion Seattle, Washington." P49501 by Morley Studios


"Seattle Center" "Pacific Science Center - acclaimed as one of America's most beautiful buildings, created to house the greatest collection of scientific exhibits ever assembled. Noted architect Minoru Yamasaki designed five pavilions around a beautiful series of pools and fountains, shown illuminated at night. Pacific Science Center is one of many attractions at America's newest playground, Seattle Center." C13556a - Color by Mike Roberts

Giant Cedar Stumps

The Pacific Northwest has some remarkably giant cedars.  One famous giant cedar stump is thought to be anywhere from 1,000 to 2,000 years old.  It has been an attraction for almost 100 years.
A few mid-century postcards:

"Giant Cedar Stump on Highway 99, Washington - A group of Western Red Cedars - Thuja Placata Don - form a background for the 1250 year old giant which is twenty-five feet in diameter. Annually thousands of tourists drive through this roadside attraction." C-194 Ektachrome by J. Boyd Ellis

Same photographer, same angle and even the same postcard ID number but different car and the backdrop trees are a little larger.

"Giant Cedar Stump on Highway 99, Washington - A group of Western Red Cedars - Thuja Placata Don - form a background for the 1250 year old giant which is twenty-five feet in diameter. Annually thousands of tourists drive through this roadside attraction." C-194 Ektachrome by J. Boyd Ellis


"Washington's Giant Cedar Tree - This relic from a Western Red Cedar more than 2,000 years old stands along Interstate 5 about 14 miles north of Everett. Tourists frequently drive off the Freeway and take the short drive through the trunk. It is preserved at the request of Stillagumish residents. Placed along "Old 99" in 1922, the trunk is still a fond attraction." Color by Kyle Smith

My daughter and I had the pleasure of meeting this ancient tree stump yesterday! It is now situated at the Smokey Point rest area along I-5 (milepost 207) about eight miles north of Marysville. Cars no longer drive through it and a roof has been built over it. The sides look different and I don't know if it's deterioration or that I happened to photograph the backside.



"The Big Cedar Stump. This famous stump remains as evidence of the giant trees which once forested this area. Over 20 feet in diameter and 200 feet tall, the huge "Western Red Cedar" is believed to have been more than 1000 years old. Discovered by early settlers of the area, the following is a resume of its recorded history:
1893 - The Stump was killed by a fire which started in its hollow base
1916 - After the top was removed, Paul Wangsmo and Ole Rodway cut and chopped three spines from the core and cut archways through the stump.
1922 - After cutting the stump off at its base, Ole Reinseth and Slim Husby used horse teams to drag it north 150 yards where it was set on a concrete base.
1939 - The stump, by now cracked, was taken apart and pieced back together just north of Portage Creek, alongside the newly completed U. S. 99. On May 27, Crown Prince Olav and Princess Martha of Norway drove through the stump.
1971 - The stump's final move brought it here."

Another "famous" Washington cedar tree stump postcard I have is

History Link has this information with a slideshow of more postcards of this giant stump.
The article concludes with

Today all that remains is memories and countless postcards of the iconic abode. The original site (described on an old deed, according to Henry Lennstrom as: "The North half of the Northwest quarter of Section 27 Township 31 North Range 5 East W. M.") is notable mainly as an indistinct spot opposite the southeast corner of what is now the Arlington Airport.

Luckily, one publicly accessible vintage stump house still remains in the area. It was one that had originally been built in a huge Western Red Cedar stump by an area farmer named Joseph Kraetz. It was later sold and moved a couple times -- since 1923 it has been an attraction at the Stillaguamish Valley Pioneer Museum (20722 67th Avenue NE) in Arlington.

And the novelty of stump houses still retains attraction for many people. Indeed, from January through June, 2003, the Edmonds Historical Museum (118 15th Avenue N.) mounted an exhibit -- "Home Sweet Home: Living in a Stump House" -- that was graced by a visit from the now elderly son of Axel, Henry Lennstrom.

Ancient trees are uber-vintage!