O.O. Denny Park facts for kids
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O.O. Denny Park is a large city park in Kirkland, Washington. It covers about 47 acres, which is like 35 football fields! The park has approximately 0.25 miles of shoreline along beautiful Lake Washington. You can find BBQ grills and a covered area by the lake. Most of the park is a wild forest with Denny Creek running through it.
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Discovering O.O. Denny Park's Past
O.O. Denny Park has a long and interesting history. It was once the country home of a man named Orion Denny. His parents, Mary Ann and Arthur A. Denny, were among the first people to settle in Seattle. Orion called his property "Klahanie."
How the Park Came to Be
The land became a public park in 1922, opening as a Seattle city park. Later, it was managed by the Finn Hill Park and Recreation District. In 2011, the area around the park, called Finn Hill, became part of Kirkland. Then, in 2013, O.O. Denny Park was officially given to the city of Kirkland to manage.
Amazing Nature: Trees and Wildlife
O.O. Denny Park is special because it has many very tall trees. Some of these trees are over 150 feet high! You can see grand firs, black cottonwoods, western hemlocks, and cedars.
Giants of the Forest: The Douglas Firs
Many Douglas fir trees in the park stand over 200 feet tall. They are some of the tallest trees you can find in the Seattle area. One famous Douglas fir is named "Sylvia." She is about 600 years old! Sylvia's trunk is over 26 feet around. She was once the biggest fir tree in King County. In 1993, a big windstorm broke off her top, but she is still 255 feet tall and a true giant.
Home for Bald Eagles
The park is also an important place for wildlife. It is one of four special areas in Kirkland where bald eagles build their nests and raise their young. All these protected eagle nesting spots are along the Lake Washington shoreline.
