Gas Works Park, Public park on Lake Union in Seattle, United States
Gas Works Park is a site on the north shore of Lake Union in Seattle where old industrial buildings stand beside open green spaces. The preserved steel towers and pipes create a contrast with the lawns, from which you can look out over the water and the city.
A company operated a plant here from 1906 to 1956 to produce gas from coal. The city purchased the land later and converted it into a public space, leaving the structures standing.
The name recalls the site's former purpose, with towers and machinery now serving as landmarks for the city. Families use the lawns for picnics, while others appreciate the preserved steel structures as a backdrop for photographs.
A hill in the middle offers a good vantage point over the lake and works well for kite flying. A barn at the edge serves as a play area, and the adjacent trail continues along the shore.
The towers are the last surviving remains of a coal gasification plant in the United States. Since 2008 the site has recorded at least 14 fall-related incidents at the structures, including three deaths, and access to the ladders, catwalks and platforms is closed; a 2025 lawsuit sought to have the towers declared a public nuisance.
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