The Home Front



Cruising along Seattle's Waterfront

After spending nearly two weeks in Anacortes, we departed for Seattle on August 25^th.  It was nice to see our friends Neil and Jessie at Elliott Bay Marina on Red Thread who would be leaving in September for their journey down the West Coast to Mexico and then on to Australia.  The young energetic newlyweds would be seeking new careers in a new country.  We joined others prior to their departure for an emotional and fun bon voyage party.  It has also been great to reconnect with old friends and spend time with family. 


The Great Wheel

We are currently enjoying the fall/winter months bonding with our younger grandchildren while helping out with daycare.  Then there’s catching up on the many fun activities in Seattle, including a ride on “The Great Wheel” along the Seattle waterfront and visiting the expanded Pike Place Market. 

Pike Place Market, Seattle

The new Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI) at Lake Union is also a must see. 

Museum of History and Industry, Seattle

The mission of the museum is to inspire others through historical exploration of Seattle’s past and the people who have shaped the Puget Sound region.  The new museum is high-tech with interactive displays so visitors can delve deeper into the events and people that shaped the past, and those who are shaping the future. 

Inside MOHAI Museum

We found the historic photographs and displays to be more interactive than those presented at the previous museum site.  Wanting to take advantage of the remaining warm sunny days we took in several city parks, including Carkeek Park located northwest of the Ballard District. 

Carkeek Park

This 216-acre park is named after Mr. and Mrs. Morgan Carkeek, a once prominent builder and contractor of Seattle.  Morgan Carkeek came to Seattle in 1875, investing in Puget Sound Stone Yards and Builders Masonry.  He built many of the major pioneer stone buildings in Pioneer Square and the barracks at Fort Lawton as well as other building sites.  He also organized the first street railway in Seattle.  

Train Approaching Carkeek Park and Pedestrian Overpass

Carkeek Park overlooks Puget Sound and offers a sandy beach, picnic tables, and trails.  A stairway from the park area passes over the railroad tracks down to the beach.  It’s great fun watching trains pass underneath the pedestrian overpass!  One of the most expansive and intriguing parks in Seattle is Discovery Park. Discovery Park is a 534 acre park on the shores of Puget Sound in the Magnolia neighborhood northwest of Elliott Bay Marina. 

Discovery Park, Fort Lawton

We rode our bicycles through the Park which includes the United Indians Daybreak Star Cultural Center, the West Point Lighthouse, and historic Fort Lawton.  Located along high bluffs overlooking the sea with expansive views of Puget Sound, the site would serve as a strategic fort location over the years.  In 1894, Northwest Brigadier General Elwell Otis reported to the Secretary of War that a fort should be built in Seattle 6 miles northwest of downtown to keep domestic peace.  

Fort Lawton Frozen in Time

The growing population was restless with “exhibitions of lawlessness.”  Washington had been a state for only 5 years and depression was lingering with many still jobless.  From 1899-1908, twenty-eight wood frame Colonial Revival buildings were constructed around an oval parade ground.  During WWI troops at Fort Lawton numbered 428 and during WWII at least 20,000 troops at a time were stationed at the post.   Fort Lawton served as the second-highest Port of Embarkation for troops and material to the Pacific Theater with more than 1 million troops passing through, both before and after the War.  The post was also used as a prisoner-of-war camp with more than 1,000 Germans imprisoned there and approximately 5,000 Italians were passed through en route to Hawaii for imprisonment.  Troops were once again dispatched at Fort Lawton during the Cold War for the Korean conflict.  In 1964, the Army declared 85 percent of Fort Lawton land surplus, and available for a public park.  By the mid 1970’s large portions of land had become parkland.  Smaller parcels were transferred periodically to Seattle Parks during the 1980’s and 1990s through the Federal Lands to Parks program. 

Colonial Style Buildings at Fort Lawton

Today, Discovery Park is enjoyed by thousands of visitors walking the extensive trails and enjoying the peaceful, expansive views.  A few of Fort Lawton’s Colonial buildings serve as private condos while other buildings are boarded up, frozen in time.  There’s a sense of peace and stillness while walking the forested paths and sidewalks of a bygone military fort. 

West Point Lighthouse

The Indian Cultural Center located on the northwest end of the Park is open to the public and visitors can also walk/bike to the 1881 West Point Lighthouse.  We will continue to enjoy the many sights and sounds of Seattle over the coming months while making plans for our next boating adventure. 

Seattle Skyline

Where will we go next and how will the story end?  Should we continue down the West Coast through the Panama Canal and beyond? Or perhaps have the boat shipped to Europe or the Mediterranean?  What about Japan or Australia?  So many choices and logistics to consider.  We hope to share new adventures in a fourth blog in the near future while staying in touch with family and friends.