Seward Park, Forest park along Lake Washington in Seattle, United States
Seward Park covers all of Bailey Peninsula, a forested finger of land jutting into Lake Washington, with about 120 acres of old-growth trees older than 250 years. A flat, car-free paved loop of 2.4 miles circles the peninsula, repaved in 2007, passing small beaches and a southwest playground. Inside, trails and a few car-accessible roads lead to an amphitheater and picnic area.
The x̌ačuʔabš, a subgroup of the Duwamish, gathered resources on Bailey Peninsula long before Seattle existed. The city bought the peninsula in 1911 for $322,000 and named the park after William H. Seward, the Secretary of State who negotiated the 1867 Alaska Purchase.
A stone lantern from Yokohama sits at the park entrance, given in 1931 as thanks for Seattle's help after the Great Kanto earthquake. This gift reflects a lasting friendship between the two cities.
Enter from the north via Lake Washington Boulevard S, from the south via Seward Park Avenue S, or from the west via S Orcas Street. The main parking lot and tennis court sit in the southwest corner. The flat, car-free perimeter loop runs 2.4 miles and was repaved in 2007; interior trails and a few car-accessible roads lead to the amphitheater and picnic area.
Two pairs of bald eagles nest in the park alongside a flock of Peruvian conures that escaped captivity and made this place their home. This surprising mix of native and introduced birds gives the park an unusual character.
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