Site Report 2

Birds-eye-view of Seattle and environs King County, Washington, 1891

Antique Map Of Seattle - Usgs Topographic Map - 1894

Topographic Map Of Seattle in 1911

Rhododndron in Stevens Court. University District (Seattle, WA). Taken on January 22, 2017. Photographed by Katrina Taylor.

The history of my block specifically was not recorded in detail prior to 1850. However, there is recorded history of the University District and Seattle prior to 1850. Prior to 1850, the University District was covered in forestry and streams while occupied by the Duwamish Native American peoples. In 1855, the U.S. Government took control over the land through a treaty transferring the title of land from the Duwamish Native American peoples. As seen in the 1891 image, you can identify the University District in the back covered with trees and few settlements. In the 1894 image, you can see the slight grade in the University District and the marsh where my block would be located. Soon after, settlers came in and cleared out the land. In the 1911 image, the grid designed society discussed in lecture can finally be observed in the University District community.

Nowadays, there is little to be seen of the original environment. There is so much concrete that covers the University District. There are trees and bushes between the Stevens Court apartments on my block. I doubt this greenery existed before the apartments. There are few large trees that also remain in the area that have stood tall for many decades. Because the land is university owned, I believe that the land was completely renovated and whatever that was there previously was flattened to create all of the buildings that currently lie in Stevens Court. The university did do a good job of not making this a complete concrete jungle by planting greenery between the buildings. My best guess is that the greenery was newly planted after the construction of the apartments. The greenery that does currently exist can be seen in my photo attached. Rhododendron lie between the apartment buildings. This plant is the state flower and is native to this land.