UW Botanic Gardens: Washington Park Arboretum Walking Tour

The city first acquired Washington Park from the Puget Mill Company in 1900. By 1904, the city hired the Olmsted Brothers firm to prepare drawings for a roadway alignment through the park. Plans for how a “pleasure drive” would connect Lake Washington Boulevard to the university campus through Washington Park evolved quickly over the next several months.

The Olmsted Brothers firm would not address Washington Park design again until the 1930’s, when James Dawson was hired to provide a master plan for creating an arboretum within the park. Features of the Olmsted Brothers’ plans that are most evident today include Lake Washington Boulevard, Azalea Way, the Stone Cottage and Stone Overlook, and the pond in the Japanese Garden.

Cost: $30 Order tickets here. Financial aid slots available on a first-come, first-served basis.