by Paul Talbert, Friends of Seward Park
One hundred years ago, a peninsula known to the Duwamish as sqebeqsed was re-named Seward Park, after Secretary of State William Seward, purchaser of Alaska. Selected for its magnificent virgin forest, the park was subjected to various other visions, as a Japanese garden, amphitheater, fish hatchery, and other features were added, and it became a popular site for car washing, rock concerts, the Rainier District Pow-wow, and other major events.
Throughout 2011, the Seward Park Centennial Committee is celebrating the park’s history with a series of events, the first of which is this Sat., April 23, when we celebrate Earth Day, the Audubon Center’s third birthday, and more than 80 years of Japanese cherry blossoms in the park.
See below for this weekend’s Seward Park Centennial cherry planting ceremony, birthday cupcakes, walking tours highlighting assorted historical and natural history topics, and our first ever urban ecology research symposium. And look for our new book on the Japanese-American cultural legacy in the park system.
Come help us celebrate Seward Park’s first 100 years!
Saturday’s Seward Park Centennial celebrations:
- 7:30 – 10 am: Birds of Seward Park with Sam Woods, meet at Audubon Center
- 9:30-10:30 am: Japanese Lantern and Torii History Walk with Paul Talbert, meet at Audubon Center
- 10 am, 12 noon, 2 pm: Guided Walk to the Eagle Nest with Audubon naturalist, meet at Seward Park Audubon Center
- 10 am – 3 pm: Audubon Birthday Celebration
- 10:30 am – 12 pm: Cherry Planting Ceremony and Japanese Cultural Events with Tazue Sasaki at Bicentennial Lanterns
- 11:30 am – 1 pm: Seward Park Stewardship History Walk with Al Smith meet at Audubon Center
- 12 – 2 pm: Research Presentation with Cornish and Seattle University students at Audubon canopy west of playground
- 12:30 – 2:30 pm: Native Wildflowers and Trees, guided walk with Paul Talbert
- 1:30 – 3 pm: Fish Hatchery Tour with Mikala Woodward, meet at Audubon Center
- 2 – 4 pm: Lichen Walk with Al Smith, meet at Audubon Center
- 2:30 – 3:30 pm: Oak Prairie Walk with Stewart Wechsler, meet at Audubon Center
- 3:30 – 4:30 pm: Earthquake Scarp Walk with Paul Talbert, meet at Audubon Center
For more information on Seward Park’s Centennial celebrations, go here.
Every spring, cherry blossoms festoon Seward park and adjacent Lake Washington Boulevard. Planted in 1929, the original Japanese cherries were part of an international diplomacy effort to strengthen ties and economic exchange between the Pacific Northwest and Japan. Top photo/Jamillah Bomani. Bottom right/do communications
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