In
1887, a wealthy lumber mill owner and real estate
developer named Guy C. Phinney paid $10,000 for
342 acres of land along what we now call Phinney Ridge
and down the slope to Green Lake. He kept 180 acres
for himself and spent $40,000 constructing an elegant
English-style estate, complete with formal gardens.
He named it "Woodland Park." There was a
conservatory, promenade, hunting lodge, the "Woodlands
Hotel," and even a menagerie. The animal collection
featured North American animals like black bear and
deer, but there were African ostriches as well. The
upper portion, where the zoo is today, was almost
completely cleared of trees. A winding road led down
to the lake's edge through the more forested portion
of the estate. The park's main entrance was at N.
50th St. & Fremont Ave. N., as it is today.
At the entrance, there was a stone.
click to enlarge |
click to enlarge |
The
stone arch entrance, with Phinney's rules
posted at the right. The gate house where
he and his family lived is at the left.
|
The
Woodlands Hotel, located where the African Savanna
exhibit is today. |
Phinney
generously opened his estate to the public as long
as they obeyed his conspicuously posted rules. He
permitted no foul language, firearms or dogs (which
would be "shot on sight," stated the rules).
Living things, plants and animals alike, were protected
from abuse of any kind.
Seattleites
used the newly developed system of streetcar lines
to make their way out to Woodland Park from Seattle,
then still concentrated on the hills around Elliott
Bay. Phinney had tracks installed down the hill to
the town of Fremont and purchased his own streetcar,
which was white and had "Woodlands" painted
on the sides. It was popularly referred to as "the
White Elephant," because of its color. Phinney
hired a driver, and used the streetcar to go back
and forth to his office downtown.
Guy
Carleton Phinney died in 1893, only 41 years old.
He left his estate unfinished.
By
1899, there was considerable public interest in acquiring
the Phinney estate and the City Council passed a resolution
authorizing the purchase of the park for $100,000.
The move was controversial, however, due to the feeling
of many people that the price was too high and the
park located too far out of town (at the turn of the
century, the area around Green Lake was still virtually
undeveloped). The Mayor also opposed the acquisition
and vetoed the purchase, but the City Council overturned
the veto and the papers were signed on December 28,
1899.
If you have comments
or suggestions about this page please send an e-mail to Dana
Payne
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