Seattle Historical Sites

Summary for 8499 Seaview PL / Parcel ID 3426039006 / Inv # DPR026

Historic Name: Golden Gardens Park Bathhouse & Concession Common Name: Style: Colonial - Colonial Revival Neighborhood: Crown Hill/Ballard Built By: Year Built: 1929   Significance In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the National Register of Historic Places. In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Ordinance. Completed in 1929, this architecturally distinctive bathhouse was constructed on the beach near the northern end of Golden Gardens Park. Since the early 1890s, the tracks of the Great Northern Railroad had skirted the base of the bluff overlooking Meadow Point and Shilshole Bay. In 1907, real estate developer Harry W. Treat established the original Golden Gardens Park south of Meadow Point and below NW 85th Street near the end of his streetcar line, the "Loyal Railway." At that time, streetcar lines often terminated at a popular attraction so as to encourage real estate development along the length of the line and to increase ridership outside of regular commuting hours, especially on weekends. The Loyal Railway ran between Ballard and Treat’s Loyal Heights subdivision and terminated at Loyal Way NW and NW 85th Street on the bluff above the park. Until the completion of Seaview Avenue NW in 1933, the park was only accessible from the east via a steep, twisting, dusty footpath or a dusty County road. Until 1913, a shipyard occupied a site on the northern half of Meadow Point. In 1923, the City of Seattle purchased the park, including the northern half then under lease to the General Petroleum Company, which ceased operations in 1930. The northern half was actually located outside of the city limits until it was annexed in 1940. By the 1920s, use of the park had increased to the extent that it was necessary to create a larger parking area, fence off the railroad tracks and construct a pedestrian underpass. However, there were no permanent improvements until the construction of this brick bathhouse in 1929. The previous year, the Parks Department had completed three nearly identical bathhouses at Green Lake, Madrona and Seward Parks. At Golden Gardens Park, the Parks Department prepared a completely different design for the new bathhouse, which featured Colonial Revival stylistic details. The central portion of the building housed a public lobby and locker room, while separate dressing rooms for women and men occupied the north and south ends, respectively. Initially, refreshments and boat rentals were provided by a private concession operated by W.H. Osborne in a small wood frame building. In 1950, a brick concession stand was added to the south end of the bathhouse. Shortly after the construction of this bathhouse, the State of Washington deeded the tidelands south of the park to the city, which then constructed the narrow two-lane Seaview Avenue NW along the railroad tracks. However, the new road terminated at the railroad underpass at the southern end of the park, preventing vehicle access to Meadow Point. In the mid-1950s, the city deeded the tidelands to the Port of Seattle for the construction of Shilshole Marina. This project also widened Seaview Avenue NW and extended the road into the northern end of the park. In the early 1970s, Golden Gardens Park was considered as a site for a new aquarium funded by the Forward Thrust program. Opposition to this plan eventually resulted in the construction of the aquarium on the Central Waterfront. Most of the other city-owned bathhouses have since been converted for other uses, however this building continues to house its original function. It also serves as a teen center with organized programs in the summer months. With its distinctive Colonial Revival stylistic details, this bathhouse is significant for its design and for its association with the development of Golden Gardens Park.   Appearance Completed in 1929, this brick bathhouse occupies a site along the beach at Golden Gardens Park south of Meadow Point and east of the north parking lot. Originally, the one-story building had a side gable main block, which measured 56 feet by 38 feet, with slightly lower side gable wings, which measured 45 feet by 36 feet. Overall, the mostly rectangular plan structure measured approximately 146 feet by 36 feet. In 1950, a concession addition was constructed at the center of the south elevation, measuring 15 feet by 22 feet. Facing west towards Puget Sound, the building originally contained a lobby and locker room within the main block, and dressing rooms and restrooms for women within the northern wing and for men within the southern wing. Later alterations have reconfigured the interior to accommodate a teen activity center. Colonial Revival stylistic details include a symmetrical façade composition, cast stone quoins outlining all of the corners, and an arched center entrance on the principal west elevation with a decorative fanlight and three cast stone voussoirs. The end walls of the wings have small arched window openings within the gable ends embellished with the same cast stone trim details. The main block also features prominent end walls with parapets extending above the rooflines of the adjacent wings. Narrow parallelogram-shaped window openings line the end walls below the roofline but are now covered with wood panels. Originally, the wide arched entrance on the west elevation of the main block was centered between four narrow entrance doors, which alternated with four vertical window openings. The outer doors at either end of the block remain intact, however the inner doors have been filled with brick as has the window opening adjoining the center entrance to the north. The four smaller window openings set high on the wall above the larger windows also remain intact. Originally, each end wing featured four small window openings along the west elevation and a single entrance door at the outer end. Within the northern wing containing the women’s facilities, the window south of center has been filled with brick to accommodate the installation of an additional single entrance door. A double door entrance has also been added to the south of this later entrance. Within the southern wing containing the men’s facilities, the window openings remain intact, however two additional single door entrances have been installed in the northern half. The north elevation presents a blank brick wall below the arched opening in the gable end. A painted wood panel now covers the arched opening within the gable end on the south elevation of the original building. The concession addition covers much of this elevation and contains two overhead metal doors within a single large opening. This block also has a wide entrance door on the east elevation. On the rear east elevations of the main block and the end wings, the original openings remain intact. Each section has five small window openings set high on the wall below the roofline. The main block has five additional vertical window openings aligned below the upper openings, as well as a narrow entrance door at the southern end. All of the building’s intact window openings contain multi-pane sash covered by wire mesh screens. Despite the alterations noted above, this architecturally distinctive building retains good physical integrity.

Detail for 8499 Seaview PL / Parcel ID 3426039006 / Inv # DPR026

Status: Yes - Inventory Classication: Building District Status: Cladding(s): Brick, Stone - Cast Foundation(s): Concrete - Poured Roof Type(s): Flat, Gable Roof Material(s): Metal - Standing Seam, Unknown Building Type: Other Plan: Rectangular Structural System: Brick No. of Stories: one Unit Theme(s): Architecture/Landscape Architecture, Community Planning/Development, Entertainment/Recreation Integrity Changes to Windows: Slight Changes to Plan: Intact Changes to Original Cladding: Intact Major Bibliographic References King County Property Record Card (c. 1938-1972), Washington State Archives. Sherwood, Don. Seattle Parks Histories, c. 1970-1981, unpublished. Seattle Department of Parks. Annual report/Department of Parks. Seattle, WA: 1909-1955.

Photo collection for 8499 Seaview PL / Parcel ID 3426039006 / Inv # DPR026

Photo taken Nov 01, 2000