Queen Anne Boulevard facts for kids
Queen Anne Boulevard is a special road that forms a loop around the top of Queen Anne Hill in Seattle, Washington. It's about 6 kilometers (or 3.7 miles) long. This boulevard is considered a very important landmark in Seattle. It was planned in 1907 and built between 1911 and 1916. The boulevard uses parts of many different streets, like 5th, 7th, 8th, and 10th Avenues West, and several streets named Blaine, McGraw, Wheeler, Fulton, and Raye.
Contents
How Queen Anne Boulevard Was Created
Early Ideas for a Scenic Drive
By 1906, the lower parts of Queen Anne Hill were already well connected to downtown Seattle by streetcars. But some areas higher up on the hill were hard to reach. The local community group wanted to create a beautiful road that would go all the way around the hill. They asked the Parks Board for help.
Challenges and Agreements
At first, the Parks Board wasn't very excited about the idea. The proposed road wasn't part of their big plan for boulevards and parkways, which was called the "Olmsted Plan." Also, the Parks Board usually wanted boulevards to be very wide, about 150 feet (46 meters), so they could have lots of park-like plants. The proposed route used regular city streets that weren't that wide.
However, almost the entire route offered amazing views of the city and water. So, a deal was made! The community agreed to pay for any private land that needed to be bought to make the streets wider. The City Engineer, R. H. Thomson, would handle the building work. The boulevard would eventually become part of the Park Department's area. They would then add plants and pave the road.
Building the Boulevard
In 1907, a city rule approved this plan. By 1908, it was even added to the Olmsted Plan. But there were some delays because of legal problems over buying land. Finally, in 1911, the road was officially given to the Park Department, and construction began. The boulevard was finished in 1916.
Many different kinds of trees were planted along the road, including Maples, sycamores, oaks, elms, and chestnuts. This mix of a road and a park, with great views and better transportation, wasn't perfect. New buildings sometimes blocked the views. The tree roots caused problems for sewer lines. Sidewalks became uneven as the trees grew too big. The Parks Department did allow some trees to be removed, but the homeowner had to pay for it.
In 1942, the roads themselves (but not the plants) were moved from the Parks Department to the City Engineer's office. In 1952, there was a suggestion to change the boulevard back to a regular street. But the City Council said no.
How Queen Anne Boulevard Is Used Today
A Special Place for the Community
Even today, both the Parks Department and the City Engineer's office share responsibilities for the boulevard. Sometimes they disagree, but the boulevard is still a very important part of the Queen Anne neighborhood. People call it "The Crown of Queen Anne." It's like an "urban trail" and a fun place for many people who live in Queen Anne and visitors.
The boulevard is used for many things. People drive on it to get to different parts of the neighborhood. It's also a beautiful place for recreation. People use it at all hours of the day. The trees offer shade in the summer and beautiful colors in the fall. In winter, it's an open and sunny path.
Fun Run and Future Plans
Every July since 1986, a group called the Queen Anne Helpline has held a "Crown of Queen Anne fun run" on the boulevard. The race goes clockwise, starting near the Mt Pleasant Cemetery and ending at Coe Elementary School.
As of 2008, there were plans to make the boulevard even better. These plans included improving sidewalks so there's a sidewalk on at least one side of the road. They also wanted to add signs to show the boulevard's route and create "friendly" crossings where it meets other big roads. Better care for the trees and plants was also a goal. New lighting was planned to make it safer while keeping its historic look. They also wanted to remove things that were blocking the path and make sure parking rules were followed.
The Boulevard's Path
The 1907 city rule describes the exact path of the boulevard. It starts near Prospect Street and goes northeast to Galer Street. Then it generally follows Bigelow Avenue north to Wheeler Street. From there, it goes west to Nob Hill Avenue, then south to McGraw Street, and west again to Second Avenue North. It continues northwest to Smith Street, then west along Smith Street.
The path then turns south to McGraw Street and Second Avenue West, then west to Third Avenue West. It goes northwest to Fifth Avenue West and Smith Street, then north to Ray Street, and west to Eighth Avenue West. From there, it goes north to West Armour Street, then northwest to West Fulton Street, and west to Ninth Avenue West.
The boulevard then turns southwest to Tenth Avenue West and West Armour Street, then south to West Wheeler Street. It goes east to Eighth Avenue West, then south to McGraw Street, and east to Seventh Avenue West. Finally, it goes south to Blaine Street, west to Eighth Avenue West, and south to West Lee Street. The boulevard then goes southeast to West Highland Drive and Seventh Avenue West. West Highland Drive then completes the full loop back to the start.
