What if streets could talk? Dibble Avenue NW in Whittier Heights might tell a tale of real estate ventures and perhaps even poetry. Whittier Heights is a neighborhood in Seattle. It is part of greater Ballard.
This neighborhood is bounded by several streets. NW 85th Street borders it to the north. NW 65th Street defines its southern edge. 15th Avenue NW marks the western boundary and 8th Avenue NW the eastern one.
The story of Dibble Avenue NW begins in 1890. It was part of F.D. Dibble’s First Addition to Ballard. Ballard had just become a city. Seventeen years later, Seattle annexed it. The street seems named after F.D. Dibble.
Who was F.D. Dibble? Who was J. Albert Jackson? Jackson filed the plat. In 1912, The Sacramento Union mentioned Jackson. He was a former vice president of a bank. He faced charges for falsifying bank books. The bank was the Washington-Alaska Bank of Nevada. It was based in Fairbanks. One advertisement for the addition said the title was perfect. It claimed a bank president in Seattle guaranteed it.
Less is known about F.D. Dibble. He may have been with Daniel Jones & Co. They developed Mount Baker Park. There was a brick manufacturing company called Dibble & Wallace. It opened in 1882. It is not clear if F.D. was involved.
An F.D. Dibble wrote a book titled Prairie Poems and Others in 1900. The book included poems about Washington. These poems included “Lake Pend d’Oreille, Washington”. Others were “Mt. Rainier” and “Rainy Days in Seattle”. Was this the real estate man? It is impossible to say.
Today, Dibble Avenue NW starts at NW 65th Street. It runs 1 1/2 miles north to NW 95th Street. It restarts on the other side of Holman Road NW. It goes from NW 97th Street to NW 105th Street.
Another key element of Whittier Heights is Whittier Elementary. Originally named Whittier School, it opened in 1908. Overcrowding led to a second building in 1928. Both buildings were torn down in 1998. The current school opened in 1999.
The new building includes a stained glass window. It also has a keystone from the 1928 building. The school has a maritime theme. This reflects Ballard’s history. Designs inside and outside the building reflect it.
Whittier School was named for John Greenleaf Whittier. He was a 19th-century poet, author, and abolitionist.
Snorkel is a smiling sea serpent. You can find him meandering through the Whittier playground.
The Whittier theme song is called “Paws Up For Wildcats”. The song is about responsibility, respect, and safety. The students sing of working together. They sing of sharing with friends. They resolve conflicts. They are a team. They show respect. They are kind.
So, as you wander through Whittier Heights remember its layers. It includes real estate deals, poetry, and a school’s spirit. The streets and buildings whisper stories of the past. They highlight community.