A Brief History of the Seattle Southside Region

The Duwamish people have lived in the area surrounding the Duwamish River (modern-day Seattle Southside) for centuries, perhaps even thousands of years, as indicated by their oral traditions featuring stories about the last ice age (“History of the Duwamish People,” n.d.). They lived in cedar longhouses, hunted and fished in local waters and used rivers to trade with other tribes and neighboring people. In modern times, two canoes estimated to be up to 300 years old were discovered at the bottom of Angle Lake by scuba diver, William Westlake Walker (“History,” n.d.)

Although the first European known to have seen the area was British explorer, George Vancouver in 1792, the area was not settled by Europeans until the arrival of the Collins Party in 1851 (Class, H.C., 2007). Members of the Collins Party were soon joined by notable pioneers Stephen and Joseph Foster in 1852. Joseph Foster was notable in that he served in the early Washington Territorial Legislature, acted as a packer and scout in the Indian War, and he was the first superintendent of local schools (Stein, 1999). Today, the name Foster is on local schools and the Foster Links Golf Course where the Foster homestead was originally located (“Tukwila History,” n.d.).

In the early days of European settlement, pioneers found the soil near the river to be fertile, so many homesteaders spent the later half of the nineteenth century growing hops, hay, fruit, and vegetables (Stein, 1999). The industrialization of the region started with the construction of Military Road in 1853 which connected Fort Steilacoom and Fort Bellingham, and continued with the Seattle-Tacoma Interurban Railway in 1902 (“History,” n.d.). Military Road's history is so fascinating, we recommend taking a historic drive down it! Following the first World War, Des Moines Memorial Drive became a place for those who had lost loved ones in the fighting to memorialize their dead, and remains today as a testament to the region's dedication to its fallen war heroes. In the 1920's, the Pacific Coast Highway acted as a primary route between the cities of Seattle and Tacoma, which resulted in dozens of new restaurants, hotels, and gas stations in the area (Dorpat & Crowley, 2003). During Prohibition, this also included speakeasys and bootlegger gin joints!

In 1942 the Port of Seattle decided to accept a Civil Aeronautics Administration challenge grant to build an airport, and located a place south of Seattle near Bow Lake that they wanted to use. The Port didn’t have enough money to buy the land, so they approached the City of Tacoma, Port of Tacoma, and Pierce County to offer a joint-partnership. One of the conditions of the partnership was the name – Seattle-Tacoma Airport. In the midst World War II, construction on the future airport began in 1943 and was officially dedicated on Halloween of 1944 (Dorpat & Crowley, 2003). In 1947, with the shift in commercial carriers United, Northwest, and Western Airlines moving from Boeing Field to the new airport, the name was changed to what it is today – Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. (City of SeaTac Blog)

In the 1960s, Seattle Southside’s central location and crossing highways resulted in further development and construction. This construction boom culminated in the opening of Southcenter Mall in 1968, which would eventually become Westfield Southcenter. At the time, Southcenter Mall was one of the largest malls in the state. Nowadays, it is the largest mall in the Pacific Northwest (Stein, 1999).

Today, Seattle Southside’s history of innovation in transportation continues as the area is a central hub of Sound Transit’s Link light rail which currently connects the cities of SeaTac and Tukwila to Seattle, and will eventually go as far north as Everett, and as far south as Tacoma. Hotels, restaurants, and attractions continue to spring up around Pacific Highway and the Duwamish River, making Seattle Southside a must-visit location for leisure and business travelers for years to come. If we've just whetted your appetite for Seattle Southside history, you should check out the Highline Heritage Museum, which focuses on local history.

References

Brodin, P. (2017, February 15). Joseph Foster Tree firmly rooted in city's history | Tukwila's Story. Retrieved from http://www.tukwilareporter.com/life/joseph-foster-tree-firmly-rooted-in-citys-history-tukwilas-story/

City of SeaTac Blog. (2023, February 11). How SeaTac Got Its Name. Retrieved from https://cityofseatac.wordpress.com/2023/02/11/how-seatac-got-its-name/

Class, H. C. (2007, July 22). Des Moines Historical Society Time Line Index. Retrieved from http://dmhs.org/timeline/history.html

Dorpat, P., & Crowley, W. (2003, May 31). SeaTac -- Thumbnail History. Retrieved from https://www.historylink.org/File/4181

History. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.seatacwa.gov/our-city/visiting/history

History of the Duwamish People. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.duwamishtribe.org/history

Stein, A. J. (1999, January 29). Tukwila -- Thumbnail History. Retrieved from https://www.historylink.org/File/2091

Tolley, N. (2018, August 22). Seattle Southside History: Des Moines Beach Park.

Tukwila History. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.tukwilawa.gov/visitors/about-tukwila/tukwila-history/