Writes of Way ~ Seattle Street Names and History

Originally published on Crosscut.com in 2011, an article on Dave Niehaus Way S -- the honorary designation of 1st Avenue S as it runs alongside T-Mobile Park. www.writesofway.org/dave-niehaus...

More information on the closure, namesake, and history of the Seattle BNSF Railway facility Balmer Yard www.writesofway.org/balmer-yard/

Howell Place ~ Writes of Way ~ Seattle street names origins and history This street was named in 1923 by Ordinance 45722, which provided that: That certain alley in the City of Seattle, being the alley in Block one (1), Yesler & McGilvra Addition, running from East Howell...

This short Madrona street, formerly an unnamed alley, was named in 1923 for E Howell Street, itself named for Jefferson Davis Howell (1846–1875). www.writesofway.org/howell-place/

Vista Avenue S ~ Writes of Way ~ Seattle street names origins and history This street was created in two stages: the southern portion of this street in 1971 as 25th Avenue S, part of the plat of Beacon Vista; the northern portion in 1976, part of Goodwin's Addition. A year ...

This street was named for its view from Beacon Hill, not of Beacon Hill. www.writesofway.org/vista-avenue...

This University District street, built sometime between 2002 and 2005, received its name in 2016 as part of a bill to improve emergency wayfinding. It was named, of course, for Eastlake Avenue NE (the University Bridge), in whose right-of-way it was built. www.writesofway.org/eastlake-pla...

This Queen Anne street was established in 1923 as Lee Place and received its current name in 1924. It was likely named for the Queen Anne Standpipes, a pair of water towers nearby that were built in 1900 and 1901 and served the neighborhood until 2007.

https://www.writesofway.org/tower-place/

This street was created in 1977 to connect the proposed NOAA Western Regional Center to Sand Point Way NE. NOAA stands for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which took over the northern portion of the old Sand Point Naval Air Station.

https://www.writesofway.org/ne-noaa-drive/

#OnThisDay in 1891, Chevra Bikur Cholim incorporated in Seattle. https://historylink.org/File/99

Like Heights Avenue SW, this West Seattle street was created in 1924 as part of the plat of Hunnel Heights, an Addition to the City of Seattle.

https://www.writesofway.org/heights-place-sw/

This West Seattle street was created in 1924 as part of the plat of Hunnel Heights, named for James (1857–1925) and Mamie Hummel (1868–1951). Why it wasn't Hunnel Avenue instead, I'm not sure.

https://www.writesofway.org/heights-avenue-sw/

Seattle Now & Then: The Gatewood School (click to enlarge photos) Set five-or-so blocks east of Puget Sound and 200 feet above it, Gatewood Elementary School is also only a half mile west of – and about 320 feet below – the h…

Not quite — the school district named the school, supposedly after the nearby subdivisions he 𝘥𝘪𝘥 name after himself… pauldorpat.com/2017/08/05/s...

Gatewood Road SW ~ Writes of Way This West Seattle street was created in 1909 as part of the Replat of Blocks 2, 5, and 6, Lincoln Beach Park. Based on its proximity to the Gatewood Acre Tracts and Gatewood Gardens subdivisions, it w...

This West Seattle street, created in 1909 as part of the Replat of Blocks 2, 5, and 6, Lincoln Beach Park, was named for developer Carlisle Gatewood (1860–1947), after whom Gatewood Elementary School and the Gatewood neighborhood itself are also named.

www.writesofway.org/gatewood-roa...

About ~ Writes of Way Welcome to Writes of Way! I’m Benjamin Lukoff, a local historian born, raised, and living in Seattle. As I write in my inaugural post, I’ve been an “address nerd” since I was very young, and a major c...

Hi! I’m Benjamin Lukoff, a local historian born, raised, and living in Seattle. Writes of Way tells the stories behind the names of Seattle’s streets. writesofway.org/about #NameStudies #names #onomastics #LocalHistory #LocalHistorians #Seattle #names #streets #StreetNames #cities #history