Benjamin Donguk Lukoff's Avatar

Benjamin Donguk Lukoff

@lukobe.bsky.social

Writer, editor, father, husband; author of the book Seattle Then and Now (https://www.google.com/books/edition/Seattle_Then_and_Now/6WXRDwAAQBAJ?hl=en) and the blog Writes of Way (https://writesofway.org/). בנימין 동욱 Луков 🗽 🌊 ✡️☯️

237 Followers  |  482 Following  |  22 Posts  |  Joined: 12.09.2023  |  1.8006

Latest posts by lukobe.bsky.social on Bluesky


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S Camano Place This street, created in 1931, was almost certainly named for Camano Island (known as ʔəw̓alus in Lushootseed), which is located, as Wikipedia tells us, in Puget Sound “between Whidbey Island and the…

This Rainier Valley street, created in 1931, was named after Camano Island in Puget Sound. www.writesofway.org/s-camano-pla...

14.02.2026 02:32 — 👍 3    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

"The SAVE America Act is voter disenfranchisement masquerading as election security. It compromises voter privacy and would not add any additional security to our elections -- while creating barriers for eligible voters." — Steve Hobbs, Washington Secretary of State

14.02.2026 02:31 — 👍 30    🔁 11    💬 0    📌 0
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Parshall Place SW This West Seattle street was created in 1946 by Ordinance 75595 and expanded nearly 40 years later by Ordinance 112188. However, it was named after an earlier Parshall Place, created in 1909 as part…

This West Seattle street (more of an alley, really), which was created in 1946, resurrects the name of an earlier neighborhood street named for real estate man Louis Ayers Parshall (1870–1950). www.writesofway.org/parshall-pla...

11.02.2026 17:42 — 👍 3    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0
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Croft Place SW This West Seattle street was created in 1920 as part of Homecroft, an Addition to the City of Seattle, filed by the Puget Mill Company, who once owned Washington Park (see Arboretum Drive E)…

This street was created in 1920 as part of the Homecroft plat, Seattle's contribution to the movement which “encouraged wageworkers to become competent backyard gardeners rather than yeoman farmers.” (It ended up becoming just another residential neighborhood.) www.writesofway.org/croft-place-...

07.02.2026 07:12 — 👍 1    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0
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Glenwilde Place E This short Montlake street, which runs just over 150 feet from E Roanoke Street between 24th and 25th Avenues E in the south to the alley to the north, was created in 1925 as part of the plat of…

This short Montlake street was created in 1925 as part of the plat of Glenwilde, an Addition to the City of Seattle, filed by E.F. Barnum and his wife, Sarah Barnum, and named for that subdivision.

www.writesofway.org/glenwilde-pl...

03.02.2026 23:48 — 👍 5    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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S Eastwood Drive This street was created in 1955 as part of the plat of the Lowrain Park Addition, filed by A.L. Wood and J.E. Wood of Lowrain Park, Inc. Their full names would appear to be Adlai Lorain Wood (1891…

This street was created in 1955 as part of the plat of Lowrain Park, filed by Adlai Lorain Wood (1891–1981) and Jack Earl Wood (1919–1995), his son. My guess is they named the street after themselves, the subdivision being in the southeasternmost part of the city. www.writesofway.org/s-eastwood-d...

03.02.2026 05:42 — 👍 2    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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E McGilvra Street This street was created in 1919 as part of the plat of the Loch-Gilvra Addition to the City of Seattle, filed by Oliver C. McGilvra (1867–1955) and Charles L. Denny (1861–1919) as executors of the…

This street was created in 1919 as part of the plat of the Loch-Gilvra Addition to the City of Seattle, filed by the executors of the estate of John J. McGilvra (1827–1903). He and his wife were the first settlers in what is now Madison Park, in the mid-1860s. www.writesofway.org/e-mcgilvra-s...

31.01.2026 04:17 — 👍 1    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0
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N Menford Place This street was created in 1907 as part of Tronstad’s Addition to the City of Seattle, filed by Norwegian immigrants Nils and Bertha Tronstad and another couple. It appears to have been named after…

This Wallingford street was created in 1907 as part of Tronstad’s Addition, filed by Norwegian immigrants Nils and Bertha Tronstad and another couple. It appears to have been named after the Tronstads’ first child and only son, Menford Tronstad (1904–2001). www.writesofway.org/n-menford-pl...

29.01.2026 19:45 — 👍 1    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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The Insurrection Act has been invoked 30 times. Two of them were in Seattle Thanks to “Operation Metro Surge” in Minnesota, the Insurrection Act of 1807 has been in the news lately. Today I learned that, of the 30 times the act has been invoked, two of them were in Seattle…

Thanks to Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota, the Insurrection Act of 1807 has been in the news lately. Today I learned that, of the 30 times the act has been invoked, two of them were in Seattle — 3 months apart — thanks to anti-Chinese rioting in 1885 and 1886. www.writesofway.org/insurrection...

22.01.2026 07:09 — 👍 0    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

Let’s be clear — if Trump doesn’t end up invading Greenland, or doesn’t end up doing any other of his seemingly unlimited batshit insane, illegal and corrupt crimes, it WON’T be “evidence that we were overreacting.” It will ONLY be BECAUSE WE DIDN’T UNDER-REACT.

21.01.2026 14:53 — 👍 708    🔁 173    💬 15    📌 9

Sorry, but it's always going to be Sea-Tac to me @portofseattle.bsky.social 😉https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1GXPJzcV9K/

14.01.2026 02:07 — 👍 0    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

Before the first 🇪🇸Barcelona Superblock...
Before the first 🇬🇧London LTN...
Before the 🇳🇱Groningen circulation plan...
🇺🇸Seattle built the Stevens Neighborhood Traffic Diversion Demonstration Project.

LET'S REVIVE THIS IDEA FOR A 21ST CENTURY SEATTLE

12.01.2026 22:02 — 👍 103    🔁 19    💬 4    📌 1
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S Raymond Street This street was named in 1906 as Raymond Avenue, part of Replat Tracts 30 & 31 Sunnyside 5 Acre Tracts, by Herbert R. Raymond (1862–1933) of New Brunswick, Canada, and his wife, Minnie M.

S Raymond Street was named by and for Herbert R. (1862–1933) and Minnie M. Raymond (1874–1947). His obituary described Herbert as "formerly one of the Pacific Northwest’s prominent shoe merchants and leading civic spirits."

www.writesofway.org/s-raymond-st... www.writesofway.org/s-raymond-pl...

12.01.2026 22:44 — 👍 3    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0
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Several school districts switch to remote learning amid ICE activity Minneapolis Public Schools remains closed through the weekend out of an ‘abundance of caution.’

Noem is right. Domestic terrorism IS happening in Minneapolis. kstp.com/kstp-news/to...

11.01.2026 17:40 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
George Harrison - Ding Dong, Ding Dong
YouTube video by GeorgeHarrisonVEVO George Harrison - Ding Dong, Ding Dong

Happy 2026, everyone. youtu.be/SrXswIbWA7Y?...

01.01.2026 07:27 — 👍 1    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

On the one hand, not a fan of the home fireworks.

On the other though, can’t really fault people for celebrating 2025 finally coming to an end.

01.01.2026 07:25 — 👍 38    🔁 2    💬 1    📌 0
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E Olive Lane This portion of E Olive Street was renamed E Olive Lane by Ordinance 100274 in 1971. It is unclear why. For some reason, as the quarter section map shows, the name change wasn’t extended into the…

New articles on E Olive Lane, E Olive Place, and E Olive Street, all named after Olive Julia Bell Stewart (1846–1921), who was 5 when the Denny Party landed at Alki Point in 1851. www.writesofway.org/e-olive-lane/ www.writesofway.org/e-olive-place/ www.writesofway.org/e-olive-stre...

27.12.2025 06:03 — 👍 4    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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Triton Drive NW This street was established in 1926 as part of North Beach, an Addition to the City of Seattle, which overlooks Puget Sound. Just as my assumption is NW Neptune Place was so named because Neptune is…

Triton Drive NW, a North Beach street with a view of Puget Sound, was likely named after Triton, son of Neptune, Roman god of the sea. NW Neptune Place is nearby. www.writesofway.org/triton-drive...

22.12.2025 06:39 — 👍 1    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

Book project!!

18.12.2025 08:34 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Seattle may force owner of rare open space to sell The Talaris property in Seattle has been the subject of debate over how it should be developed for decades.

This is huge news regarding Talaris in Laurelhurst www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...

16.12.2025 16:08 — 👍 7    🔁 3    💬 0    📌 0

This street was established in 1926 as part of North Beach, an Addition to the City of Seattle, and has excellent views of Puget Sound. I assume Neptune being the Roman god of the sea was the inspiration behind the name. www.writesofway.org/nw-neptune-p...

11.12.2025 05:28 — 👍 2    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

Man, I need to log in here more often :)

01.12.2025 19:20 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
Google Street View screenshot of a sign for Diagonal Avenue South hanging vertically from the end of a leaning pole

Google Street View screenshot of a sign for Diagonal Avenue South hanging vertically from the end of a leaning pole

it might be time for a renaming

13.11.2025 22:03 — 👍 13    🔁 2    💬 1    📌 0
Google Street View screenshot of a sign for Diagonal Avenue South sitting askew on a leaning pole, the sign itself appearing diagonal from the camera's point of view

Google Street View screenshot of a sign for Diagonal Avenue South sitting askew on a leaning pole, the sign itself appearing diagonal from the camera's point of view

show, don't tell

13.11.2025 22:01 — 👍 120    🔁 13    💬 1    📌 0

Oh dear, I love those photos

18.11.2025 17:52 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 2    📌 0
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The Stranger Should Cover SPS More or Consider Not Endorsing in Seattle School Board Races Over 20 years The Stranger’s endorsees have made up 34 of 36 School Board members even though The Stranger does not cover SPS consistently.

I very strongly agree with this from @awongpublic.bsky.social. And I was happy with 3 of the 4 school board endorsements the Stranger made this year! But overall they’re doing more harm than good by making school board endorsements when they don’t regularly cover the district.

12.11.2025 22:22 — 👍 27    🔁 3    💬 3    📌 1
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Live Updates: Hamas Says It Agrees to Release All Hostages in Gaza

I’m sure there are people who are unhappy about this. www.nytimes.com/live/2025/10...

03.10.2025 20:26 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
A screenshot of two social media posts. The first, from user jrbloom54, reads: "If, as liberals claim, people need $20.00 phr. ($3,466.00 per month) for flipping burgers or serving in fast food joint as a 'Living wage.' Shouldn't that also be the minimum Social Security payment for retirees who paid into the system all their working lives?" Below this post, there is a reply from user stonekettle that says: "Now you're getting it."

A screenshot of two social media posts. The first, from user jrbloom54, reads: "If, as liberals claim, people need $20.00 phr. ($3,466.00 per month) for flipping burgers or serving in fast food joint as a 'Living wage.' Shouldn't that also be the minimum Social Security payment for retirees who paid into the system all their working lives?" Below this post, there is a reply from user stonekettle that says: "Now you're getting it."

14.09.2025 21:06 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

And the idea that you should run if you think you could do a better job is ridiculous. I know a lot of people I think could do a better job than her, but there are reasons why a school board position wouldn't be the right thing for them at this time.

28.08.2025 17:18 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

Oh, those blocklists. It doesn't take much to get added to them...

28.08.2025 17:15 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

@lukobe is following 20 prominent accounts