| About Seattle | | Print | |
|
SHORELINE, WASHINGTON Shoreline -- The City of Shoreline is located immediately north of Seattle. The area was settled first by homesteaders and soon after, by vacationers. Over time a community formed, and even though Seattle’s boundaries continue to push farther north, Shoreline has preserved its autonomy and incorporated as a city in its own right in the 1990s.
Horse, Boat, and Train Prior to the arrival of settlers little evidence exists for any major Indian encampments in the Shoreline area despite the access to Puget Sound. The first people to homestead - clear the land of timber and set up small farms arrived in the 1880s. Boats were used to transport goods the short distance down the coast to Seattle. Introduction of the railways greatly opened Shoreline to development. In 1888, the Seattle, Lakeshore and Eastern Railways were completed along the shores of Lake Washington. But the railway that had the largest impact on Shoreline was the Great Northern, which ran from Seattle to Minnesota. In 1891, the portion that ran through Shoreline was completed, and this provided a direct link to downtown Seattle. Dreaming of escape from the urban center for a more bucolic environment and encouraged by the rail lines, many people - even as early as the 1890s - came to buy property in the area. Shoreline was close enough for people to enjoy country living and still work in the city. And, for the influential, the area was ideal for summer and vacation homes. Construction of the Interurban - a light-rail system - was begun in 1902 and another boost for development. By 1910, electric trains were running between the city of Everett to the North and the City of Tacoma to the south. Able to achieve speeds of more than 30 miles an hour, the Interurban was the primary method of transport for Shoreline commuters and small farmers for nearly 3 decades. Even though early Shoreline was home to many folks who worked elsewhere, like every community it also had businesses of its own. Lumber mills processed Cedar, Douglas Fir, and Hemlock - abundant in the area; and when the land was cleared, it became home to farmers raising chickens and produce such as berries. In 1907, the Portland Ship Building Company built a small shipyard along the shores of Puget Sound. One of the boats built there was the S.S. Duwamish, a fireboat for the Seattle Fire Department. The Duwamish, a 121-foot steel vessel, could suck in and shoot out water at a rate of 22,800 gallons a minute. The Duwamish put out fires along the shore for more than 75 years, and is now (1999) a national historic landmark. Not all businesses in the Shoreline community were as laborious as logging or boat building. In fact, they were centers of fun. Echo Lake, located at the far north, close to Snohomish County border, was from a popular swimming beach from 1916 to 1966 (In the early days, it cost a nickel to get in).
Not the Scenic Route By the 1930s, the Interurban had outlived its usefulness. America was turning automotive, and cars were the preferred method of travel. By 1939, the Interurban rails were sold for scrap metal and paved roads crisscrossed the community. Aurora Avenue, or Highway 99, was originally a bumpy wagon-trail that closely paralleled the railroad tracks. By 1912, it was paved with brick all the way to the county line. As the Interurban Railway faded away, Aurora Avenue became the most heavily trafficked road in the community. Then Interstate-5 was built east of Aurora Avenue in the 1960s and has since been the carrier of the greatest volume of traffic through Shoreline with thick gridlocks during rush hour. Still, many find Shoreline a pleasant place to live and north-south commute to Seattle remains part of their everyday lives. In 1995, the city incorporated and is today home to more than 50,000 people, and the 12th largest city in Washington state. |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|