Volunteer Park is a 48.3-acre (19.5Â ha) park in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, USA.
History
Seattle, What to Do? - Volunteer Park - Welcome to Seattle, a city that straddles the modern world and the natural one. In this edition of "Seattle, What to do" we are your tour guide to Volunteer Park in the Capitol Hill neighborhood...
Volunteer Park was acquired by the city of Seattle for $2,000 in 1876 from J.M. Colman. In 1885 it was designated a cemetery, but two years later it was named "Lake View Park," and Lake View Cemetery was developed on an adjacent plot of land. The park then became known as "City Park." In 1901, it was renamed "Volunteer Park" to honor the volunteers who served in the Spanishâ€"American War. J. Willis Sayre, a Seattle theatre critic, journalist, and historian, who had fought in the war, had actively lobbied local officials to rename this park. From 1904 to 1909, the Olmsted Brothers prepared formal plans for the park.
Features
The park includes a conservatory (a designated city landmark), completed in 1912; a water tower with an observation deck, built by the Water Department in 1906, a fenced-off reservoir; the dramatic Art Deco building of the Seattle Asian Art Museum (a designated city landmark); a statue of William Henry Seward; a memorial to Judge Thomas Burke; and a sculpture, Black Sun, by Isamu Noguchi (colloquially referred to as "The Doughnut") around which a scenic view of the Seattle skyline that prominently includes the Space Needle can be seen, as well as several meadows and picnic tables. The wading pool is operational in the summer months and operated daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Volunteer Park is also well known for its extensive dahlia garden in season. There are also Koi ponds at the park which contain fish during the summer months.
Events
The park hosts various free concerts and outdoor theater events throughout the summer.
References
External links
- Parks Department page on Volunteer Park
- Seattle Photograph Collection - University of Washington Library
