Why is the park interesting?

Gas Works Park is an unusual public space located on the shores of Lake Union. The 20-acre site was purchased by the city in 1962, seven years after the plant closed, and opened to the public in 1975.

The park includes most of what is left of the gasification plant. The boiler room was converted into a picnic area, and the exhaust compressor building was converted into an open-air playground that houses a labyrinth for children.

The creators offer a range of different activities for visitors. For those who love sports, there are several baseball and football grounds. Various play areas are available for children. There are hiking trails designed for those who want to walk their dogs, get some exercise, or enjoy nature.

If you love the wonders of the natural world, then you will appreciate the vast wooded area and beautiful stream nearby. With our guide, you will visit a lush garden with many amazing plants.

A wedding, picnic, school reunion, ceremony or other event can be held at Gas Works Park. Some activities may require permission from the park management.

Story

The development of the region where the park is located took place in the middle of the 19th century, when sawmills and canals were built. For the development of industry, workers transported a large amount of coal here.

At the very beginning of the 20th century, plans were outlined to create a plant for converting coal into gas. From 1900 to 1909, a significant amount of building land was purchased. Over time, the plant was built, and for many years it provided energy used for lighting, cooking and heating houses. In addition, other products were produced here: tar for roofing, soot for tires and inks, coal briquettes, sulfur for chemicals, and toluene for explosives.

After that, the city switched to using natural gas, so the government no longer needed the old technologies of the plant and closed it in 1956. In 1962, the Seattle administration invested a significant amount of money to purchase idle land and hired landscape architect Richard Haag to carry out the beautification work.

City officials expected Haag to demolish the structure, but when he announced that he wanted to keep some of the buildings, his idea was met with heavy criticism. People believed that the plant spoils the neighborhood with its appearance. However, Richard was still allowed to keep some of the structures as a relic of the industrial age and build around the park, which opened to the public in 1975.

Currently, Gas Works Park has been expanded into seven sections. The park hosts a large number of free concerts, sports competitions, kite festivals and tournaments. The park's public space remains one of the most popular places in Seattle, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.