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Renaming streets of Seattle’s Fremont to the U District

Below is a lookup table for name changes from the 1870s to the present day in neighborhoods north of Lake Union in Seattle: Brooklyn (west U District); Latona; Wallingford (originally Edgewater); Fremont; part of north Queen Anne; and part of eastern Ballard.

The data north of Lake Union

Here is a link to the data as a csv, shared with creative commons license.

1893 Sanborn Street Names2019 Street NamesAddition nameNotes
TremontFifteenth Ave NEBrooklyn Addition
ColumbusUniversity Way NEBrooklyn Addition
BroadwayBrooklyn Ave NEBrooklyn Addition
BrooklynTwelfth Ave NEBrooklyn Addition
BoylestonEleventh Ave NEBrooklyn Addition
SummitRoosevelt Ave NEBrooklyn Addition
LeddyNinth Ave NELakeview
EdwardsEighth Ave NELakeview
CormodeSeventh Ave NELakeview
Pasadena StPasadena Place NELatona 1st
Hester StInterstate 5 (Sixth Ave NE)Latona 1stSixth Ave NE until I-5 in 1960s
KingsleyFifth Ave NEHarrison Heights Add
CloughFifth Ave NELatona Add
MiltonFourth Ave NEHarrison Heights Add
LoganFourth Ave NELatona Add
CooperLatona Ave NEHarrison Heights Add
LatonaLatona Ave NELatona Add
ThackeryThackeray Pl NEHarrison Heights Add
GladstoneSecond Ave NELatona Add
ScottSecond Ave NEHarrison Heights Add
BismarckFirst Ave NELatona Add
DickensFirst Ave NEHarrison Heights Add
EastEastern Ave NLake Union Add
StoneSunnyside Ave NLake Union Add
WilliamCorliss Ave NLake Union Add
DayBagley Ave NLake Union Add
RichardMeridian Ave NLake Union Add
Park StMeridian Ave NLake Union 2nd Add
PointBurke Ave NLake Union Add
Sixteenth StBurke Ave NLake Union 2nd Add
ElmerWallingford Ave NLake Union Add
Fifteenth StWallingford Ave NLake Union 2nd Add
CharlesDensmore Ave NLake Union Add
Fourteenth StDensmore Ave NLake Union 2nd Add
HansonWoodlawn Ave NLake Union Add
Thirteenth StWoodlawn Ave NSmith & Burns Add
EdgewaterAshworth Ave NEdgewater Second Add
DepotInterlake Ave NEdgewater Second Add
Jay StreetCarr Pl NEdgewater Addition
Vermont StAshworth Ave NEdgewater Addition
Berkshire StInterlake Ave NEdgewater Addition
Depot StVacated (Interlake Ave N)Edgewater Addition
FranklinNE Forty-fifth StBrooklyn Addition
DartmouthNE Forty-third StBrooklyn Addition
GarfieldNE Forty-fourth StHarrison Heights Add
ClemsonNE Forty-third StLatona 1st Add
GrantNE Forty-third StHarrison Heights Add
BeaconNE Forty-second StBrooklyn Addition
LincolnNE Forty-second StLatona Add
MayoNE Forty-second StLatona 1st Add
FederalNE Forty-first StBrooklyn Addition
ManhattanNE Forty-first StLake Union Add
BoiseNE Fortieth StLake Union Add
ChesterNE Fortieth StBrooklyn Addition
WorthN Thirty-ninth StLake Union Add
Lancaster StNE Thirty-eighth StBrooklyn Addition
SearsN Thirty-eighth StLake Union Add
UmatielaN Thirty-seventh StLake Union AddUmatilla in plat; Umateila in 1893 Sanborn
GeorgeN Thirty-sixth St1893 Sanborn
HarrisonNE Pacific StLatona Add
SpokaneN Northlake WayLatona Add
Lake AveNE Pacific StLatona 1st Add
Lake AveNE Pacific StLakeview
HenryN Thirty-fifth StLake Union Addbecame Bewett St for some time
OliverN Thirty-fourth StLake Union Addbecame Ewing St for some time
SectionN Northlake WayLake Union AddWas N 30th St until 1914, ord 33626
Twelfth StreetInterlake Ave NSmith & Burns Add
Eleventh StreetStone Way NSmith & Burns Add
Tenth StreetMidvale Ave NSmith & Burns Add
Ninth StreetWoodland Park Ave NSmith & Burns Add
PearlWoodland Park Ave NDay's La Grande Add
Motor AveWoodland Park Ave N3rd Motor Line Add
AlbionAlbion Pl NDenny & Hoyts Add
DionWitman Ave NDenny & Hoyts Add
Norwood AveWitman Ave NDay's La Grande Add
Eighth StWitman Ave NWoodland Add to Salmon Bay City
Michigan AveWitman Ave N3rd Motor Line Add
AuroraAurora Ave NDenny & Hoyts Add
Grand AveAurora Ave NDay's La Grande Add
Seventh StAurora Ave NWoodland Add to Salmon Bay City
Park AveWinslow Pl N3rd Motor Line Add
DracoLinden Ave N5th Motor Line Add
Woodland AveLinden Ave NDay's La Grande Add
LindenLinden Ave N2nd Motor Line Add
Sixth StLinden Ave NWoodland Add to Salmon Bay City
Lake AveFremont Ave NDay's La Grande Add
CampaignFremont Ave NMotor Line Add
Fifth StFremont Ave NWoodland Add to Salmon Bay City
Evanston AveEvanston Ave NDenny & Hoyts Add
Plymouth AveEvanston Ave NB F Day's 1st
ClevelandEvanston Ave NMotor Line Add
Fourth StEvanston Ave NWoodland Add to Salmon Bay City
ThurmanDayton Ave NMotor Line Add
CreonDayton Ave NDenny & Hoyts Add
Dayton AveDayton Ave NB F Day's 1st
Third StDayton Ave NWoodland Add to Salmon Bay City
Sunset PlFrancis Ave NB F Day's 1stWas Sunset until at least 1912
AnrudFrancis Ave NSunset Heights Add
CampusFrancis Ave NDenny & Hoyts Add
NyePhinney Ave NB F Day's 1st
Second StPhinney Ave NWoodland Add to Salmon Bay City
OnsumPhinney Ave NSunset Heights Add
Pallas StGreenwood Ave NDenny & Hoyts Add
Pandora StPalatine Ave NDenny & Hoyts Add
Lombard1st Ave NWDenny & Hoyts Add
Tiney St2nd Ave NWDenny & Hoyts Add
La SalleGreenwood Ave NSunset Heights AddLabelle on 1893 Sanborn
Delaware StGreenwood Ave NB F Day's 1st
First StGreenwood Ave NWoodland Add to Salmon Bay City
First Ave NWPalatine Ave NRoss Hill AddStill 1st Ave NW in 1912 Baist
Navy View Pl1st Ave NWRoss Hill AddStill Navy View Pl in 1912 Baist
Adams CtPalatine Ave NPalatine Hill Add
Spruce1st Ave NWCanal Add
Clinton2nd Ave NWCanal AddWas Baker Ave until at least 1912
Crawford PlBaker Ave NWWilliam Crawford Tracts (1905)
Chicago Ave1st Ave NWPalatine Hill Add
Bath3rd Ave NWCanal Add
Harmon Ct2nd Ave NWPalatine Hill Add
Peck CtBaker Ave NWPalatine Hill Add
Section3rd Ave NWDenny & Hoyts Add
Crawford St3rd Ave NWPalatine Hill Add
Hawthorn Ave6th Ave NWRoss Add
Pine Grove StN Fiftieth StLake Union 2nd Add
Victoria StN Forty-ninth StLake Union 2nd Add
Compton StN Forty-eighth StLake Union 2nd Add
Garland StN Forty-seventh StLake Union 2nd Add
Woodland StNE Forty-sixth StLake Union 2nd Add
Prospect StN Forty-fifth StSmith & Burns Add
WyadotteNE Forty-fifth StLake Union Add
AllenN Allen Pl2nd Motor Line
HuntN Allen PlSmith & Burns Add
VermontNE Allen St3rd Motor Line Add
MohawkNE Forty-fourth StLake Union Add
HuronNE Forty-third StLake Union Add
HoricomNE Forty-second StLake Union Add
MortonNE Forty-fourth StMotor Line Add
MichiganNW Forty-fourth StPalatine Hill Add
Motor PlaceNE Motor Pl5th Motor Line Add
HarrisonNE Forty-third StMotor Line Add
HowardNE Forty-third St3rd Motor Line AddHarmon on Sanborn
Margin StreetN Forty-second StSunset Heights Add
Margin StreetNW Forty-second StRoss Add
ChathamN Forty-second StDay's La Grande Add
WabashNW forty-third StPalatine Hill Add
LyndaleN Forty-second StB F Day's 1st
FirstN Forty-second StTerrace Hill?
Hennepin AveN Forty-first StB F Day's 1st
Diantha AveN Forty-first StDay's La Grande Add
Albert StNW Forty-first StRoss Add
Ross PlNW Forty-first StWilliam Crawford Tracts (1905)Ross Pl still in 1912 Baist
ForneyNW Forty-first StZwick's AddRoss Pl in 1912 Baist
ForneyNW Bowdoin PlRoss Add
ClarendonN Fortieth StCanal Add
HenryNW Fortiety StRoss AddWas Ross Place in 1912 Baist
BowdoinNW Bowdoin PlCanal Add
Bowdoin plN Bowdoin PlB F Day's 1st
FranklinN Fortieth StDay's La Grande AddBecame Nicolett Ave by 1893
FranklinNW Thirty-ninth StRoss Add
CornellN Thiry-ninth StB F Day's 1st
MapleN Thirty-ninth StDay's La Grande Add
Fremont StN Thirty-Eight StHoyt Add, Edgwater Add
KilbourneN Thirty-sixth StHoyt Add, Edgewater Addchanged after 1912
BlewettN Thirty-fifth StHoyt Add, Edgewater Addchanged after 1912
EwingN Thirty-fourth StHoyt Add, Edgewater Addchanged after 1912

The reason

This is a continuation of work on the list of all structures built in Seattle in 1890. Along the way I’ve created a lookup table for the major Seattle rename in 1895; for Ballard; and for West Seattle, Georgetown, Beacon Hill and the Rainier Valley. These renaming tables are available in one package downloadable from figshare.

Like the Ballard list, this was created by hand. I was unable to find an ordinance changing the street names after the annexation of north Seattle in 1891. Instead I relied on plat maps like this one for the Lake Union Addition via the Washington State Digital Archives; the 1893 Sanborn map available through the Library of Congress; and the 1912 Baist map posted by Paul Dorpat and Ron Edge. Plus, of course, lots of coffee.

Thackeray Place

Thackeray Place should not exist in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood.

It runs north from NE 42nd St to NE 50th St, between 2nd Ave NE and Latona Ave NE. It’s a block east of Dick’s on 45th.

42nd St, 50th St, 1st Ave, and 5th Ave are the boundaries of the 1889 Harrison Heights Addition to the City of Seattle (annexed in 1891). J. A. Gould and Anna L. Gould, the owners, had the civil engineers draw a simple box around their property and didn’t bother to make their streets match those adjacent.

But when the streets were renamed and woven together in the 1890s, 1st and 2nd Avenues bent west at 42nd while Latona, 4th and 5th bent east. Space for an extra road was left in between: Thackeray Place.

Streets flow around Thackeray

The Goulds were apparently fans of literature. They riffed on Latona Addition’s Lincoln Street by naming their east-west streets after Presidents Grant and Garfield. But they gave their north-south streets names unique to their plat: Dickens, Scott, Thackery [sic], Cooper, Milton, and Kingsley.

I presume that’s Charles Dickens, Walter Scott, William Makepeace Thackeray, James Fenimore Cooper, John Milton, and Charles Kingsley.

John Milton is the only from the list that wasn’t writing in the 1800s, so I wonder if there is a lesser-known Milton from that time?

The bigger question is why Thackeray was kept. Perhaps City Engineer R. H. Thomson was a fan.

Do you have a favorite Thackeray novel? Should I start with the Book of Snobs?

Eastern Ave

Eastern Ave North is the most eastern of the “North” avenues in Seattle.

It is at an interesting nexus that has changed over time.

Eastern is North

It was originally named East Street in the 1883 Lake Union Addition plat by Ballard, Stone, Andrews and Burnett. As you may have guessed, it was the street most east in the addition. That plat, along with Magnolia, north Queen Anne Hill, Fremont, Wallingford, Latona, Brooklyn, and Montlake were all annexed into Seattle in 1891. Sometime apparently after 1893 and before 1895 East Street was renamed Eastern Avenue.

(I see it in an 1893 Sanborn map, but it is not mentioned in the 1895 street renaming ordinance. Of course there was at least one other East Street in that ordinance, which became 20th Ave and 20th Ave S. I haven’t found another ordinance covering this area of Seattle)

The streets running perpendicular to Eastern Avenue are labeled North until one block east. Then they are labeled Northeast. The first avenue east of Eastern is First Avenue Northeast. So the streets east of First Avenue Northeast are Northeast as well. Eastern Avenue and the avenues west are North.

But until 1961, Eastern Avenue North was simply Eastern Avenue, its perpendiculars North, streets to the east were East, and avenues to the east were Northeast.

Say that ten times fast.

Related articles

For more about Fremont’s platting and street naming, see Valarie Dunn’s great article Fremont in Seattle.

By me:

4 Comments

  1. I saw your post via Wallyhood. I, too, have been interested in Seattle history and have a variety of books that have been looking for a good home. You seem to be focused on streets–are you interested in other aspects of Seattle history? I am wanting to gift some of them. If you are interested, I would inventory what I am willing to part with at this time. I am retired and realizing that I am narrowing my focus primarily to to the Duwamish and Seattle creeks.

  2. […] This street appears to be named for the British writer William Makepeace Thackeray (1811–1863), best known for his 1848 novel Vanity Fair. As local historian Rob Ketcherside explains in his blog post on “Renaming streets of Seattle’s Fremont to the U District”: […]

  3. […] Local historian Rob Ketcherside explains in his blog post on “Renaming streets of Seattle’s Fremont to the U District”: […]

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