A Brief History of
Discovery Park

Indigenous History

People first visited the rocky shores of the West Point of Seattle 4,000 years ago, long before European settlement.Records indicate that their established village was situated on the north side of Salmon Bay, near today’ s Ballard Locks.This specific group of people were the xa’ tcoabc who lived on Lake Washington,Lake Union,and Lake Sammamish as descendants of the Marpole and Salish tribes.They used the Magnolia Bluff area for hunting and gathering.They gathered plants like camas and bracken, animals such as mussels and periwinkles, and hunted larger mammals further inland like elk, deer,and seals. 3,000 years ago, landslides created sandier beaches, shifting diets towards different shellfish like clams. T­he Duwamish people called the land Pka-dzEltcu, one of this area’s many names

Establishment of Fort Lawton

During the economic downturn of the 1890’s, Seattle sought to build an army post to boost its economy. In 1898, construction of the fort situated on the Magnolia Bluff began, and two years later was named Fort Lawton, dedicated to Maj. Gen. Henry W. Lawton. Seattle had high hopes for the fort as a major artillery base to defend the Puget Sound from naval attacks. However, these hopes were never realized, as the fort remained a small infantry post throughout history, failing to produce the benefits that Seattle had expected.

The War Years

World War II marks the first time Fort Lawton became a very active base for the induction, training, embarkation and debarkation of troops. In fact, it was the second-largest point of embarkation on the west coast. Fort Lawton processed around 793,000 troops for embarkation, 618,000 troops for debarkation, and 5,000 Italian prisoners of war for transport to Hawaii. At the end of the war, 1,150 German prisoners of war were confined at the fort.

A Grievous Injustice

Autumn at Discovery Park will always be associated with a set of tragic events that happened in this park in 1944, at what was then Fort Lawton. In 2024, Friends of Discovery Park raised money to erect two park signs commemorating the 80th anniversary of these tragic events and the civil rights debacle that followed. You can find these two signs easily: one is on the “history wall” behind the Visitor Center; the other is visible just to the north of the loop trail’s post #17 on the official map of Discovery Park. What happened in 1944 was documented some years ago in the book On American Soil, but until Friends of Discovery Park led this effort in 2024, no signage existed in the place where the tragedy occurred. See and read the full text of history wall signs.

85% of Fort Lawton to be surplussed

In 1964 the Secretary of Defense announces that 85% of Fort Lawton is not longer needed by the military and plans to surplus it. Seattle and its citizens want the land back for a park but the price the Army wants to the land is too high for the city.

In 1965 U.S. Representative Brock Adams of Washington State introduces a bill to transfer the surplus Fort Lawton land to the City of Seattle for free but the bill doesn’t pass.

The “Fort Lawton bill”

The King County Forward Thrust Parks Bond passes in 1968 including $3 million for a Fort Lawton regional park.

Cost is still the biggest hurdle to getting the land for the park. The federal government wants to sell the land at 50% of market value. The cost is too high for the city.

Local government leaders and Citizens for a Fort Lawton Park look to Senator Jackson, who offers help by introducing a bill, called “the Fort Lawton bill” that provided surplus land at little or no cost for parks and recreation.

An important provision of the bill is that if a state or local government had given land to federal government for free, like Seattle had done in 1898, then the federal government could return the land for free.

“The Fort Lawton bill,” was signed in October 1970 by President Richard M. Nixon. Communities across the nation would benefit from the bill, obtaining surplus federal lands for recreation and parks.

United Indians of All Tribes

The United Indians People’s Council made a claim on Fort Lawton, citing rights under 1865 US-Indian treaties, that promised “the reversion of surplus military land to their original landowners.”

On March 8th 1970, the nonviolent demonstration began. Led by Bernie Whitebear (Sin Aikst), Bob Satiacum (Puyallup) and indigenous peoples of Western Washington, 100+ Native Americans and supporters occupied areas of Fort Lawton using a base camp just outside the fence line. Famous supporters such as Jane Fonda and Black Panther chapter of Seattle helped increase national attention to the cause.

Four months later, the occupation ended peacefully. Negotiations continued until it was decided a new park would be created for the greater public and the United Indians People’s Council would receive a 99-year lease for 20 acres of the surplus land to become a cultural center.

The United Indians People’s Council continued organizing and formally became the United Indians of All Tribes.
A longtime vision of “an urban base for Native Americans in Seattle,” Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center was completed in 1977.

Friends of Discovery Park, the Master Plan, and Discovery Park begins

Speaking before the Seattle City Council in 1974, then a US District Judge, Donald S. Voorhees recommended that an organization such as the Friends of Central Park in New York be formed to support Seattle’s Discovery Park. Voorhees told Council members that it was important to monitor the actions proposed for the Park and to defend the principles and philosophy found in the 1974 Discovery Park Master Plan.

As a result of Voorhees’ address to the City Council, members of the CFLP met December 4, 1974, to form the Friends of Discovery Park. Charter Board Members elected at that meeting were: Bob Kildall, President, Gerry Lamphier, Frankie Piper, Mike Ruby, Robert Sotnik, Bernie Whitebear, and Thomas O. Wimmer.

West Point Settlement Agreement

Money became available for various capital improvement projects at Discovery Park as a result of the 1991 West Point Settlement Agreement between King County and several community organizations.

Under the Settlement Agreement, King County transmitted $5.3 million to the City of Seattle. This money plus all interest is held in a sub-fund specifically for Discovery Park.The expenditure of that $5.3 million plus interest, is now reviewed quarterly by a Citizens Oversight Committee made up of 1 representative from each of 7 specific organizations (see MOA below) including Friends of Discovery Park. 

Major Road Removals, Restoration Projects

 North Forest Road in Discovery Park, and restores the area to natural conditions. Illinois Avenue in the North Bluff area is removed and replaced with a non-paved path or service road where necessary. Kansas Avenue is closed and portions of the road removed, while still allowing for service vehicle access to utilities. Idaho Avenue is completely removed and closed. These roads and the old theater site adjacent to Idaho Avenue are restored with native plants. This project was recommended by the West Point Citizens Advisory Committee

50^th Anniversary of Discovery Park and Friends of Discovery Park

In 2022 Discovery Park celebrated its 50th Anniversary and in 2024 Friends of Discovery Park on its 50th Anniversary donated a new informational kiosk and educational signage to the park.