If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 93

Lake Washington Boulevard, Seattle, Washington

Published by Edward H. Mitchell (1867-1932) of San Francisco, California the picture is of the Lake Washington Boulevard that runs a total of 8 miles from the Arboretum at the north end to Seward Park at the southern end.  Mitchell was a prolific postcard publisher focusing on scenes mostly from the western United States.  The card has a divided back and required a one-cent stamp dating it to around 1900-1920.  The section of the road shown on this vintage postcard is by Leschi.  As seen on the card the most of the boulevard hugs the shoreline.  It is a scenic route and one popular among cyclists.  Originally, before automobiles were so common, it was conceived as a bike path .  Now it is closed to car traffic ten days a year for recreational use. 

There are several parks in the Leschi neighborhood.  Near here was once the end of the Lake Washington Cable Railway trolley line.  There was an amusement park that included a casino, gardens, boat rentals and a zoo.  The zoo animals were donated to the city in 1903 and the site was sold to the city in 1909 becoming one of the earliest parks.  Today the hillside shown as woods on the card is full of houses and condominiums, a mixture of old and new.

This area of Seattle was a former campsite of the Nisqually tribe lead by Chief Leschi.  The land was supposed to have remained in the hands of the Nisqually but in 1854 a treaty took away native lands and eventually led to an attack on the settlement in 1856.  Two of the settlers and many of the tribe members were killed.  The chief was held responsible and later executed by order of the governor of Washington in 1859.  Today Leschi Park has rose gardens and exotic trees, a rolling hillside and is well manicured.  There are pathways through the terrain, a tennis court, children’s playground, and restrooms. 

Another nearby park, Frink Park, had been a natural woodland park as early as 1883.  The City purchased additional land in order to connect Leschi and Frink parks.  Friends of Frink Park help to preserve the natural urban forest. 

Two other parks in the neighborhood, Ware Park and Powell Barnett Park have playfields and venues for music events. 

For additional information see:

http://www.mitchellpostcards.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leschi,_Seattle