Queen Anne Boulevard - History

History

By 1906, the southern portions of Queen Anne Hill were already well connected to downtown Seattle by streetcar routes, but portions of the hill remained relatively inaccessible. The local community club approached the Parks Board to propose a scenic route ringing the hill. The Park Board was not initially enthused. The proposed route was not part of the then recently developed "Olmsted Plan" for Boulevards and Parkways, and the proposed route along standard city streets did not seem to offer the 150-foot (46 m) width that had been established as a standard for boulevards, to allow park-like landscaping.

On the other hand, nearly the entire route offered spectacular views. A deal was struck: the community would agree to pay for the private property that would have to be obtained to widen the streets (including land that would need to be filled or excavated); City Engineer R. H. Thomson would be responsible for contracts and would deal with any necessary regrading of cross streets; the boulevard would eventually be transferred to the jurisdiction of the Park Department, which would landscape and surface the street. A 1907 ordinance authorized this plan and in 1908 it was incorporated into the Olmsted Plan, but in 1910 the project was still mired in lawsuits over land condemnation.

The transfer to the Park Department occurred in 1911; work finally began, and was completed in 1916. Maples, sycamores, oaks, elms, cottonwoods, chestnuts and other trees were planted along the route. This combination of roadway and park, vistas and improved transportation to privately owned land, was not a complete success. New construction impeded many of the views (as did the trees); tree roots attacked sewer lines; sidewalks heaved up to irregular angles as trees outgrew parking strips and shaded houses and yards more than was generally considered desirable. The Parks Department did approve some tree removals, always at the expense of the adjacent landowner.

In 1942 the roads (but not the landscaping) were transferred from Parks to the City Engineer's office. A 1952 proposal by the City Engineer and the Planning Commission to revert the route to "standard" street status was turned down by the City Council.