Madison Park (Seattle) facts for kids

Madison Park is a fun place in Seattle, Washington. It's a big park, about 8.3 acres, which is like 6 football fields! You can find it right next to Lake Washington. The park is split into two main parts. On one side, there's a cool swimming beach and a dock where boats can stop. On the other side, you'll find a playground, a big open field for games, and tennis courts. There's even a special playhouse for younger kids called Madison Park Co-op near the beach.

Getting to Madison Park: Old Ways

Long ago, people used different ways to get to Madison Park.

Cable Cars to the Park

For about 19 years, a special cable car line ran right to Madison Park. It started all the way from Elliott Bay in downtown Seattle. Imagine a train pulled by a hidden cable! This made it easy for people to visit the park. By 1910, the cable car line stopped going all the way to the park.

Ferries Across Lake Washington

Before big bridges, ferries were a popular way to travel. From the 1880s until 1950, ferries regularly sailed from Madison Park. They would take people across Lake Washington to Kirkland. When the Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge was built in 1940, fewer people needed the ferries. After 1949, when tolls were removed from the bridge, the ferry service finally stopped.

Steamboats at the Park

From about 1890 to 1910, Madison Park was also a busy spot for steamboats. These boats traveled all over Lake Washington. They would stop at Madison Park to pick up and drop off passengers. It was a lively place with boats coming and going!

Gallery