Blog

The following information was submitted by Jori Bercier, Designer, Researcher, and Consultant Administrative Contractor for Historic Wallingford.

Historic Wallingford introduces a new initiative…Beyond Acknowledgment: Indigenous Wallingford

Indigenous stories weave through every neighborhood’s past, present, and future. That is why Historic Wallingford is launching this year’s Indigenous Histories Research Project. Through this initiative, Coast Salish stories and ways of life will take center stage.

Neighborhood’s Warmth

I first visited Wallingford in 2020, struck instantly by its warmth and tight-knit community. Amid recent changes, that sense of place endures—the deep love neighbors hold for each other and their home. Yet this belonging stretches far beyond us newcomers.

Coast Salish people have long lived, thrived, stewarded, and loved these lands and waters, now called Lake Union and Wallingford. That belonging did not begin with us, and it does not end with us. To love Wallingford to the fullest, we must tell the stories of everyone who has called this neighborhood home.

Evergreen huckleberry

Spawning salmon remind us of our past

The Project: Research, Engagement, Sharing

Historic Wallingford answers this call with a summer research project led by Dr. Alexandra Meany, Ph.D., assisted by a graduate student researcher and a local graduating high school student. From May through August 2026, it will unfold in phases: archival research, community conversations, and so much more to come. Historic Wallingford will continue to reach out to the community through listening sessions or public presentations. The intent after the research phase is to pause and assess, taking time to evaluate what we have learned and determine the most meaningful way to share this work with the community.

In upcoming phases, there is potential to produce walking tours, art installations, educational curriculum, policy briefs, or other community programs. We can all play a role as researchers, readers, and neighbors in how these stories live on.

Listen and Learn

This work asks something of us all. As this research unfolds, we invite you to listen.

Listen to the land, to the histories that have always been here, and to the stories that Wallingford has yet to tell.

Ask yourself, what can these stories teach me?

Call to Action

Your input and support for the Beyond Acknowledgement: Indigenous Wallingford project are welcome and appreciated. Find out more at our project page.

Additionally, you can help support the project financially through GiveBIG on Tuesday, May 5th, a statewide day of non-profit giving, by visiting our Fundraising page