YOU’RE INVITED: Friends of Seattle’s Olmsted Parks to tour Hiawatha on Saturday

(WSB file photo)

While Hiawatha Community Center and Playfield await their future, if you’re interested, tomorrow (Saturday, August 19th) brings a unique chance to learn about Hiawatha’s century-plus-long history. Friends of Seattle’s Olmsted Parks invites you to a free walking tour, 10 am-noon. All they ask is that you RSVP – the link for that, and details of the tour, are here.

5 Replies to "YOU'RE INVITED: Friends of Seattle's Olmsted Parks to tour Hiawatha on Saturday"

  • Community Member August 18, 2023 (5:11 pm)

    Does the park name commemorate the historical 1100’s Iroquois leader, or the fictional Indian in the Longfellow poem?

    • WSB August 18, 2023 (5:42 pm)

      The latter per this excerpt from the Seattle Parks website: “Originally identified as the “West Seattle Playfield” in the newly annexed West Seattle (1907), it was named in time for the dedication, upon proposal of Park Commissioner Ferdinand Schmitz, to honor the hero of a poem by Longfellow: Hiawatha.”
      https://www.seattle.gov/parks/allparks/hiawatha-playfield

  • Community Member August 18, 2023 (7:30 pm)

    Well….     Motivations were a bit different in 1907. Here’s some info about Longfellow’s Hiawatha: https://www.nps.gov/long/learn/historyculture/hiawatha.htm
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    Here’s some info about the real hero: https://www.history.com/news/iroquois-confederacy-hiawatha-peacemaker-great-law-of-peace
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    I think it is time for a change. Either keep the name with an intentional re-centering on an historic leader. Or completely rename the park and community center. It’s odd that this hasn’t been done already.

    • B August 19, 2023 (1:29 am)

      Thank you for sharing this important context! I hope the City reconsiders the naming of this park.

    • Barbara August 21, 2023 (8:20 am)

      Thank you for sharing these links and after reading them, I agree it’s time for a change. I hope the local Duwamish tribe would be asked to chose a new name that honors our native local tribe.  I attended this very informative and enjoyable tour. The guide preceded the tour with an acknowledgement recognizing native people as traditional stewards of this land. Changing the name of this park would help with further recognition.  

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