Department of Parks and Recreation Burke-Gilman Trail Photographs, 1981-1989

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Seattle (Wash.). Department of Parks and Recreation
Title
Department of Parks and Recreation Burke-Gilman Trail Photographs
Dates
1981-1989 (inclusive)
Quantity
0.2 cubic foot, (1 box)
Collection Number
5802-13
Summary
Slides and negatives of the Burke-Gilman Trail and other Seattle parks.
Repository
Seattle Municipal Archives
Seattle Municipal Archives
Office of the City Clerk
City of Seattle
PO Box 94728
98124-4728
Seattle, WA
Telephone: 2062337807
Fax: 2063869025
archives@seattle.gov
Access Restrictions

Records are open to the public.

Languages
English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The Department of Parks and Recreation maintains the City's parks, shorelines, and boulevards and administers community centers, public golf courses, and other athletic and cultural facilities. Seattle's first park was established in 1884 after David Denny donated land to the City for that purpose. At that time, a three-member park committee, with limited authority, was created to manage the nascent park system. A Board of Parks Commissioners was established in 1890 with control over all public parks and authority to appoint a Parks Superintendent. In 1896, the City Charter created the position of Superintendent of Streets, Sewers and Parks. The Parks Department became a separate entity in 1904. In 1926, a City Charter Amendment abolished the position of Superintendent, distributing its responsibilities between the Head Gardener and the Landscape Architect. A 1948 City Charter amendment required the Board of Park Commissioners to appoint a park superintendent to administer the department. In 1967, another City Charter Amendment reconstituted the Board as an advisory body to the Mayor and City Council, changed the agency name to Department of Parks and Recreation, and placed fiscal and operational administration under the superintendent.

The Burke-Gilman Trail is a bicycle and pedestrian trail built on the original path of the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern Railroad, and is named after railroad founders Thomas Burke and Daniel Gilman. Later mergers brought the railway under the ownership of the Northern Pacific and then Burlington Northern. When BN decided to abandon the line in 1971, the city acquired the right-of-way to create a public trail. The heavily used trail runs from Fremont to Kenmore, where it connects to the Sammamish River Trail.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

This set of slides and negatives primarily documents work on the Burke-Gilman Trail in the late 1980s, although it also includes images of other park properties. Many of the Burke-Gilman slides are individually labeled. Other parks documented in the collection, mainly in the negatives, include Interlaken Park, Ravenna Park, Duwamish Waterway Park, and Volunteer Park.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

[Title of image, date. Item number.] Burke-Gilman Trail Photographs, Record Series 5802-13. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Separated Materials

Two Super-8 films were removed and added to the Seattle Municipal Archives’ Parks film collection.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

5802-13:  Burke-Gilman Trail Photographs, 1981-1989Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/1
Slides
1981-1987
1/2
Negatives
1987-1989

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Bicycle trails--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Burke Gilman Trail (Wash.)
  • Parks--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Rail-trails--Washington (State)--Seattle

Corporate Names

  • Seattle (Wash.). Department of Parks and Recreation

Geographical Names

  • Seattle (Wash.)