Historic Wallingford’s Launch Party is a Whopping Success – Standing Room Only

Historic Wallingford held it’s official launch on Saturday, January 6 at The Good Shepherd Center. It was attended by more than 140 people who came to learn of the new organization’s mission and of it’s planned activities. Most of the attendees haled from Wallingford but I personally talked with folks who came from Queen Anne, Ravenna and Ballard showing the interest that Seattleites have in learning and perpetuating the history of our great city.

The crowd was welcomed by Rhonda Bush, President of Historic Wallingford. Rhonda explained that “There is a significant cultural value for the entire city found in the historic fabric of Wallingford. The lives of people today and into the future will be enhanced by the knowledge of Wallingford’s historic past, its architecture and information regarding people who have shaped this community. Historic Wallingford hopes to increase the awareness of the value of the historic qualities of our community and to increase civic pride and involvement in the neighborhood.”

Next. Rhonda reviewed the existing Wallingford Designated Landmarks that anchor this historic neighborhood. These structures are listed via the City of Seattle Landmark Preservation Program or in the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes:

Fire and Police Station on 45th Street – 1913
Home of the Good Shepherd – 1906
Hamilton Middle School – 1927
Latona School – 1906
Lincoln High School – 1906
Interlake Public School – 1904/08
Gas Works Park – 1973

Other historic buildings were also noted including:

Irwins Coffee Shop
Dick’s Drive-In
Swansons Shoe Repair
Blue Star Cafe and Pub
Guild Theatre

Historic Wallingford has three areas of focus and they include the following:

Educate – Foster a greater awareness of Wallingford history

Celebrate – Share and promote Wallingford history

Advocate – Collect and champion Wallingford history

One of the more interesting aspects and initiatives of Historic Wallingford will be providing information and guidance to Wallingford residents on how to discover the specific DNA or history of their respective homes.

Attendees were encouraged to become members of Historic Wallingford and to visit the website to become a member, to learn about upcoming events and volunteer opportunities.   It was also announced that there is a need for volunteers to assist with content subjects, curating as well as IT support and those who are interested can sign via the Historic Wallingford website.

Upcoming Historic Wallingford events include:

March – Wallingford history program by Thomas Veith, historian and author

June – Wallingford history program by Paul Dorpat, historian, author and Seattle Times contributor.

August – Potluck Picnic

October – Bungalow Fair

One Wallingford resident in attendance told me that it was really refreshing to finally attend a community meeting that was fun, educational, stress-free and not politically charged and that she was looking forward to attending future meetings. So, at the end of the day, the folks who started Historic Wallingford hit a home run with its initial launch and we all look forward to an exciting and “historic” 2018 and beyond with this exciting new community initiative.