Jefferson Park

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HOURS

4 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.

ABOUT THE PARK

Located on Beacon Hill, this popular park offers extraordinary views of downtown, Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. It is also home to the Jefferson Park Golf Course, the Jefferson Community Center and Jefferson Lawn Bowling.

For more about Lawn Bowling at Jefferson Park, see Jefferson Park Lawn Bowling Club.

HISTORY

This site was originally State School Land that was purchased by the City of Seattle in 1898 for a reservoir and cemetery. The City stockade, park nursery, and greenhouse were at this site. The Park was named in 1908 to honor the third president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson. The Olmsted Brothers designed the 18 hole golf course which opened for play in 1915. The Community Center was originally constructed in 1929. An addition was made in 1949, and in 1972 the center was remodeled and expanded. The northwest portion of the site was transferred to the Water Department in 1945 for a reservoir. The unused portion of the Water Department site was developed into a playground by permit with the Parks Department. The lawn bowling green was constructed in 1944, and the Jefferson Park Lawn Bowling Club has operated the site under an agreement with the Parks Department since 1945.
(edited from the files of Don Sherwood, 1916-1981, Park Historian)