Timeline

Timeline

The hill has played an important role in the Rainier Valley for more than a hundred years—first as the site of a major employer and later as the catalyst for a neighborhood movement.

We believe that this unique history, in addition to the prominent hilltop location, adds to the park’s appeal.

Hitt Fireworks Company

In 1905, Thomas Gabriel Hitt founded the Hitt Fireworks Company on the hill.

The family-run company became an international leader in fireworks, pyrotechnics displays and

special effects in movies such as Gone With the Wind. From 1918 to 1974, the company provided fireworks for every major fireworks show in Seattle.

An overview of the Hitt Fireworks Company is available on the HistoryLink website.

After the closure of the company, the factory buildings were removed and the site left vacant for many years—an invitation for illegal activity that drove neighbors to band together to acquire the land for better purposes.

Park Purchase

In 1998, the Friends of Hitt’s Hill partnered with the Cascade Land Conservancy to secure the funding necessary to purchase the site and designate it as a public park.

In November, 2000, the Seattle City Council committed a large portion of the funds, but it wasn’t until the summer of 2001 that the entire amount was successfully raised and Hitt’s Hill became a new Seattle park.

The Friends of Hitt’s Hill has continued to have an active role in the park, helping to transform the former industrial site into a human- and wildlife-friendly park.