Woodland Park (Seattle) facts for kids
Woodland Park is a large public park in Seattle, Washington. It covers about 90.9 acres and is located in the Phinney Ridge and Green Lake neighborhoods. The park was once the private property of Guy Carleton Phinney, who owned a lumber mill and developed real estate.
After Phinney passed away in 1893, the city decided to turn his estate into a park. In 1902, a famous company called Olmsted Brothers from Boston was hired to design Seattle's parks, including Woodland Park.
The park is divided into two main parts by a major road called Aurora Avenue N. (also known as State Route 99). The western side of the park is home to the Woodland Park Zoo. The eastern side, often called Lower Woodland Park, is connected to the zoo by special bridges that go over the highway. This part of the park has many fun things to do, like walking trails, a special area for dogs to play off-leash, picnic spots, and fields for sports. You can also find a miniature golf course, places to play horseshoes, a BMX bike track, and an area for lawn bowling. Lower Woodland Park is right next to Green Lake Park.
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Animals Living in Woodland Park
Woodland Park is a home for many different kinds of animals. You can find various birds and mammals here. There are also some reptiles and amphibians. Some of the most interesting animals you might see are coyotes, rabbits, and barred owls. You might also spot red-eared slider turtles, which are turtles that were released into the park.
Common Birds in the Park
Many types of birds live in Woodland Park. Some of the most common ones include the American crow, American goldfinch, and American robin. You might also see Anna's hummingbirds, majestic bald eagles, and barn owls. Other birds include the Bewick's wren, black-capped chickadee, and bushtit. Look out for European starlings, house finches, and different kinds of woodpeckers like the hairy and downy woodpeckers. You can also spot northern flickers, Oregon juncos, rock doves, spotted towhees, and Steller's jays. Various gulls, sparrows, swallows, and waterfowl also make their home here.
Mammals and Other Creatures
The park is also home to several mammal species. You might see coyotes, coypus (which look like large rodents), and feral rabbits. There are also brown rats, western gray squirrels, mountain beavers, and North American beavers. For reptiles and amphibians, the most common ones are red-eared sliders, spring peepers (a type of frog), and garter snakes.
Warren G. Harding Memorial
In 1925, a special monument was built in Woodland Park. It was there to remember a speech given by President Warren G. Harding on July 27, 1923. More than 30,000 Boy Scouts were gathered at Woodland Park for a big national event called a national jamboree. President Harding spoke to them that day. Sadly, it was one of the last speeches he ever gave, as he passed away just six days later in San Francisco.
The memorial was taken down in 1977. Today, the spot where it stood is covered by the African Savanna exhibit inside the Woodland Park Zoo. However, two parts of the memorial still exist. These are two life-sized bronze statues of Boy Scouts that used to salute the image of President Harding. They were moved to the main office of the Chief Seattle Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
