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Ravenna Park

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216:'s original source was from Green, Haller, and Bitter lakes, then the Cowen Park ravine west wall when the watershed was diverted to sewers (1908–1948). The water table is relatively shallow, held by the extensive layer of clays that underlay the metro region. The creek source is actually seeping from the original west wall of the ravine, even though the gulch has been partially filled at the southwest corner of Cowen Park. The inscription on the gateway to Cowen Park states, "In memory of Charles Cowen, who in 1906 gave to the City of Seattle the twelve acres comprising this park." Cowen (actual surname Cohen, changed upon his arrival to America) was an English native who came from a family of 278: 303: 266: 29: 515: 351: 703: 255:
In the mid-1960s, the Cowen Park ravine was largely filled using freeway construction spoils. The City of Seattle planned to use the ravine for staging a comprehensive stormwater drainage piping project in 1986, galvanizing the neighborhoods of the watershed to protect and restore the park. Since
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mile (800 m) wooded ravine which connects two picnic areas just north of the University District. The park is open to hikers, joggers, bikers, and picnickers. The park also features a play area for children, a wading pool, ballfield, trails, and tennis courts.
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Ravenna Park contains 49.9 acres (20.2 ha) and was purchased from developers in 1911. Cowen Park covers 8.4 acres (3.4 ha). The current source of Ravenna Creek is the west face of the ravine along Brooklyn Avenue NE and a small
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timber rising nearly 400 feet (120 m). Most of the land was owned by mining and real estate magnate William Wirt Beck who, in addition to preserving the ravine's trees for park land, would give Ravenna its name (after
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of 1909, at which they were featured exhibitions. Public controversy about them declined after their gradual disappearance in suspicious circumstances by 1926. Today, none of that size remain anywhere in the world.
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There are workparties in the park held by the Seattle Parks Department, particularly in April and May. A volunteer group, Friends of Ravenna Ravine, works to remove invasive species, such as
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diamond merchants. Upon his arrival in Seattle in 1900 he purchased 40 acres of logged-off land around the present day park, later platting the Cowen Park Addition. After the nearby
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In 1919, after the death of Theodore Roosevelt, the city renamed the park "Roosevelt Park", but Seattleites petitioned to revert to the original name in 1931.
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For many decades of Seattle city history, the Ravenna Park ravine had been ignored by loggers and farmers and still possessed full
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and proceeded to cut drainage ravines through new glacial fill. Lake Russell disappeared when the ice sheet retreated north of the
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The ravine that is the central feature of Cowen and Ravenna Park was formed when melt-off from the Vashon Glacial Ice Sheet formed
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in the northwest corner, at NE 62nd Street. In 2006, a section of Ravenna Creek through the southeastern end of the park was
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1991, the park has seen major restoration by residents of neighborhoods in collaboration with the City.
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A lost legacy, trees like this one remained in 1915, but they had been removed by 1926.
241: 229: 228:, the area underwent a rapid urbanization. As well as numerous houses, Cowen built the 593: 1625: 1519: 1514: 1385: 1329: 1196: 1186: 871: 410: 398: 378: 306: 213: 167: 155: 1440: 1344: 1256: 1176: 976: 881: 816: 609: 572: 417: 217: 987: 930: 382: 339: 159: 28: 1435: 1211: 1141: 1126: 949: 876: 335: 46: 713: 543:"Seattle Parks Department cuts down huge Ravenna Park trees in the mid-1920s" 85: 72: 386: 522:. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. 1 Jan 1891. p. 32 350: 702: 576: 1412: 748: 315: 147: 56: 232:, which he strategically located near the exposition's main entrance. 163: 138:
comprise a single contiguous recreation and green space between the
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with a maximum depth of 115 feet (35 m) through which
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Seattle Parks & Recreation: Volunteer Opportunities
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seen flowing through the ravine during the fall of 2008
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Recreation and green space in Seattle, Washington, U.S.
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Fall foliage and trail, from the 20th Avenue NE Bridge
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The deeper pockets of the basin became 301: 438: 261: 663:Park History : Historic Landmarks 224:campus was chosen for the site of the 1510:Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Gardens 1090:0.02–10 acres (0.0081–4.0469 ha) 690:Ravenna-Cowen North Historic District 491:Dolan & True (2003), pp. 142–143. 7: 342:'s Ravenna streetcar line once ran. 332:National Register of Historic Places 41: 465:. Newsbank. 19 Mar 1926. p. 7. 450:. Newsbank. 11 Mar 1926. p. 7. 802:Greater than 50 acres (20 ha) 14: 1369:Under 0.02 acres (0.0081 ha) 541:Williams, David B. (2010-03-31). 1503:Arboretums and botanical gardens 701: 276: 264: 51: 27: 1561:Alaska–Yukon–Pacific Exposition 1535:South Seattle College Arboretum 679:, Seattle Parks and Recreation. 562:Higgins (1999-07-30), "Traffic" 401:. Nonindigenous trees include 246:Alaska–Yukon–Pacific Exposition 118: 967:Herring's House Park (Tualtwx) 941:Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook 916:10–50 acres (4.0–20.2 ha) 520:The Seattle Post-Intelligencer 480:Wilma (2001-08-20), Essay 3502 1: 1605:Seattle Parks and Recreation 677:Cowen-Ravenna Park Trail Map 124:Seattle Parks and Recreation 107:; 118 years ago 1540:Volunteer Park Conservatory 1663: 1172:Fritz Hedges Waterway Park 295: 1599: 1545:Washington Park Arboretum 1192:Home of the Good Shepherd 857:Lake Washington Boulevard 188:Green Lake drainage basin 38: 26: 1611:List of parks in Seattle 902:West Seattle Golf Course 577:"Ravenna Park (Seattle)" 222:University of Washington 1530:Seattle Japanese Garden 1473:West Duwamish Greenbelt 1465:East Duwamish Greenbelt 1461:SW Queen Anne Greenbelt 926:Cheasty Boulevard South 463:The Seattle Daily Times 448:The Seattle Daily Times 226:Alaska-Yukon Exposition 1554:Landscape architecture 1525:Seattle Chinese Garden 1335:Union Bay Natural Area 1292:Olympic Sculpture Park 1079:Walt Hundley Playfield 1046:Pritchard Island Beach 935:Condon Way Centerstrip 355: 310: 184:Strait of Juan de Fuca 86:47.67167°N 122.30611°W 1019:Meadowbrook Playfield 353: 305: 271:Ravenna Creek in 1909 1457:St. Mark's Greenbelt 1082:West Seattle Stadium 1071:Stan Sayres Memorial 1050:Queen Anne Boulevard 1011:Maple Wood Playfield 1008:Maple Leaf Reservoir 710:at Wikimedia Commons 422:Himalayan Blackberry 91:47.67167; -122.30611 1411:Farms, gardens and 1320:South Passage Point 1277:North Passage Point 1262:Meridian Playground 1068:Soundview Playfield 1059:Riverview Playfield 328:Ravenna Park Bridge 144:University District 82: /  57:Seattle, Washington 1587:Chief Sealth Trail 1582:Burke-Gilman Trail 1482:Zoos and aquariums 1421:Beacon Food Forest 1340:Victor Steinbrueck 1122:Cascade Playground 1028:Montlake Playfield 1005:Magnolia Playfield 963:Hamilton Viewpoint 922:Brighton Playfield 867:Magnolia Tidelands 603:General references 395:Western White Pine 358:Ravenna Park is a 356: 334:. There is also a 311: 1619: 1618: 1595: 1594: 1494:Woodland Park Zoo 1469: 1399: 1398: 1325:Terry Pettus Park 1316:Schmitz Boulevard 1112:Bryant Playground 788: 787: 706:Media related to 324:Cowen Park Bridge 208:Ravenna Boulevard 146:neighborhoods of 129: 128: 1654: 1642:Ravenna, Seattle 1632:Parks in Seattle 1575:Multi-use trails 1489:Seattle Aquarium 1467: 1431:Interbay P-Patch 1408: 992:Longfellow Creek 799: 779:Wing Luke Museum 762: 738: 731: 724: 715: 705: 673: 671: 670: 654: 652: 651: 639: 637: 636: 624: 622: 621: 596: 591: 585: 584: 569: 563: 560: 551: 550: 538: 532: 531: 529: 527: 512: 506: 503: 492: 489: 483: 478: 467: 466: 458: 452: 451: 443: 399:Western Redcedar 367: 366: 362: 280: 268: 120:Operated by 115: 113: 108: 97: 96: 94: 93: 92: 87: 83: 80: 79: 78: 75: 31: 19: 1662: 1661: 1657: 1656: 1655: 1653: 1652: 1651: 1622: 1621: 1620: 1615: 1591: 1570: 1549: 1498: 1477: 1445: 1395: 1391:Westlake Square 1364: 1302:Parsons Gardens 1085: 1040:Open Water Park 911: 794: 784: 751: 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753: 752: 743: 741: 740: 733: 726: 718: 712: 711: 697: 696:External links 694: 693: 692: 685: 682: 681: 680: 674: 655: 644:"Ravenna Park" 640: 625: 614:"Ravenna Park" 612:(2011-01-23). 604: 601: 598: 597: 586: 575:(2011-01-23). 564: 552: 533: 507: 493: 484: 468: 453: 437: 436: 434: 431: 429: 426: 374: 371: 347: 344: 293: 290: 286: 285: 282: 275: 273: 270: 263: 260: 259: 258: 242:Ravenna, Italy 230:Ye College Inn 175: 172: 162:encompass the 127: 126: 121: 117: 116: 103: 99: 98: 66: 60: 59: 54: 50: 49: 44: 40: 39: 36: 35: 32: 24: 23: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1659: 1648: 1645: 1643: 1640: 1638: 1635: 1633: 1630: 1629: 1627: 1612: 1609: 1607: 1606: 1602: 1601: 1598: 1588: 1585: 1583: 1580: 1579: 1577: 1573: 1567: 1566:Olmsted parks 1564: 1562: 1559: 1558: 1556: 1552: 1546: 1543: 1541: 1538: 1536: 1533: 1531: 1528: 1526: 1523: 1521: 1520:Piper Orchard 1518: 1516: 1515:Kubota Garden 1513: 1511: 1508: 1507: 1505: 1501: 1495: 1492: 1490: 1487: 1486: 1484: 1480: 1474: 1471: 1466: 1463: 1460: 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HistoryLink 615: 611: 610:Blecha, Peter 607: 606: 602: 595: 590: 587: 582: 578: 574: 573:Blecha, Peter 568: 565: 559: 557: 553: 548: 544: 537: 534: 521: 517: 511: 508: 502: 500: 498: 494: 488: 485: 477: 475: 473: 469: 464: 457: 454: 449: 442: 439: 432: 427: 425: 423: 419: 414: 412: 411:Western Larch 408: 407:Incense-cedar 404: 403:Coast Redwood 400: 396: 392: 388: 384: 380: 379:Bigleaf Maple 372: 370: 352: 345: 343: 341: 337: 333: 329: 325: 321: 317: 308: 307:Ravenna Creek 304: 299: 291: 279: 274: 267: 262: 257: 253: 250: 247: 243: 238: 233: 231: 227: 223: 219: 218:South African 215: 214:Ravenna Creek 211: 209: 205: 201: 197: 193: 189: 185: 181: 173: 171: 169: 168:Ravenna Creek 165: 161: 157: 156:United States 153: 149: 145: 141: 137: 133: 125: 122: 104: 100: 95: 67: 65: 61: 58: 55: 48: 45: 37: 30: 25: 20: 1603: 1468:(The Jungle) 1441:Picardo Farm 1272:Nora's Woods 1242:Louisa Boren 1222:Kobe Terrace 1207:Jimi Hendrix 1182:Fremont Peak 1147:Denny Blaine 1117:Cal Anderson 1055:Ravenna Park 1054: 1043:Pigeon Point 1023:Me-Kwa-Mooks 781:(affiliated) 708:Ravenna Park 667:. Retrieved 662: 648:. Retrieved 633:. Retrieved 629:"Cowen Park" 618:. Retrieved 589: 567: 536: 524:. Retrieved 519: 510: 487: 462: 456: 447: 441: 415: 376: 357: 346:Ravenna Park 312: 254: 251: 234: 212: 180:Lake Russell 177: 160:public parks 135: 132:Ravenna Park 131: 130: 22:Ravenna Park 1450:Green belts 1227:Lake People 1152:Donnie Chin 1107:Bell Street 1033:Mount Baker 418:English Ivy 383:Douglas Fir 340:David Denny 292:Description 200:Haller Lake 196:Bitter Lake 102:Established 89: / 77:122°18′22″W 64:Coordinates 1626:Categories 1436:Marra Farm 1350:Waterfront 1287:Occidental 1282:Northacres 1232:Lake Union 1202:Jack Block 1137:Commodore 1102:Beer Sheva 1037:Northacres 945:Fauntleroy 842:Interlaken 837:Green Lake 809:Alki Beach 669:2006-08-06 650:2006-08-06 635:2006-08-06 620:2016-04-04 428:References 336:rail trail 320:daylighted 296:See also: 237:old-growth 204:Green Lake 152:Washington 136:Cowen Park 74:47°40′18″N 47:Urban Park 1413:P-Patches 1132:City Hall 1075:Volunteer 1065:Sam Smith 981:Lakeridge 958:Gas Works 897:Westcrest 852:Jefferson 822:Discovery 813:Camp Long 795:preserves 433:Footnotes 387:Grand Fir 1360:Westlake 1237:Lakeview 1187:Hing Hay 1167:Fairview 1001:Magnolia 970:Hiawatha 954:Garfield 907:Woodland 872:Magnuson 684:See also 158:. These 53:Location 1637:Ravines 1345:Viretta 1312:Roanoke 1257:McCurdy 1247:Madison 1177:Freeway 1062:Roxhill 996:Madrona 977:Kinnear 882:Schmitz 862:Lincoln 847:Jackson 827:Genesee 817:Carkeek 757:Federal 749:Seattle 363:⁄ 316:wetland 174:History 170:flows. 154:in the 148:Seattle 140:Ravenna 110: ( 988:Leschi 984:Lawton 931:Colman 892:Seward 526:12 May 409:, and 164:ravine 1404:Other 1307:Peace 1297:Oxbow 1212:Kerry 1142:Denny 1127:Cowen 950:Frink 877:Puget 373:Flora 528:2022 420:and 397:and 202:and 142:and 134:and 112:1906 105:1906 43:Type 747:of 1628:: 661:. 579:. 555:^ 545:. 518:. 496:^ 471:^ 413:. 405:, 393:, 389:, 385:, 381:, 198:, 150:, 737:e 730:t 723:v 672:. 653:. 638:. 623:. 583:. 549:. 530:. 365:2 361:1 114:)

Index


Urban Park
Seattle, Washington
Coordinates
47°40′18″N 122°18′22″W / 47.67167°N 122.30611°W / 47.67167; -122.30611
Seattle Parks and Recreation
Ravenna
University District
Seattle
Washington
United States
public parks
ravine
Ravenna Creek
Lake Russell
Strait of Juan de Fuca
Green Lake drainage basin
Lake Washington
Bitter Lake
Haller Lake
Green Lake
Ravenna Boulevard
Ravenna Creek
South African
University of Washington
Alaska-Yukon Exposition
Ye College Inn
old-growth
Ravenna, Italy
Alaska–Yukon–Pacific Exposition

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