Mistaken identity. That’s how Magnolia got its name. Captain George Davidson of the US Coast Survey in 1856 mistook the plentiful madrona trees for magnolias. He jotted down “Magnolia” in his ship’s log. The name stuck. Today Magnolia is Seattle’s second largest neighborhood by area. It’s a hilly peninsula northwest of downtown. A significant portion is Discovery Park. This park was once Fort Lawton a US Army base.
Magnolia is somewhat isolated from the rest of Seattle. It’s connected by only three bridges spanning the BNSF Railway tracks. These bridges are located at West Emerson Street West Dravus Street and West Garfield Street. The last one is also known as the Magnolia Bridge. Getting around takes planning. The Salmon Bay Bridge is rail-only. Motorized vehicles can’t cross the Hiram M Chittenden Locks. Access from West Commodore Way is limited. You need to use the West Emerson Street bridge to reach the rest of the city.
Magnolia boasts incredible views. From Magnolia Park you can see Puget Sound Mount Rainier and the Seattle skyline. The park includes picnic areas and tennis courts. Smith Cove and its marina are also in Magnolia. Discovery Park is a vast 534 acres. It offers seven miles of trails with stunning views. Historic buildings from Fort Lawton remain. Many are now private homes. The park’s beaches wrap around West Point Seattle’s westernmost point. The West Point Lighthouse guides ships into Elliott Bay. It’s the oldest lighthouse in the area built in 1881.
The Magnolia neighborhood has its own unique charm. The Seattle Public Library’s Magnolia branch is a gem. It was designed in 1964 by Paul Hayden Kirk and Richard Haag. They won top design awards from the American Library Association. The children’s section features a statue called “Girl Holding Doves” by Ebba Rapp McLauchlan. Outside a bronze wall sculpture “Activity of Thought” by Glenn Alps adds to its artistic flair. The library’s furniture is solid walnut custom-designed by George Nakashima.
Magnolia’s business district nicknamed “The Village” is home to many specialty stores restaurants and professional services. A farmers market takes place there on Saturdays during the summer. Lawton Elementary Magnolia Elementary and Catherine Blaine K-8 are the local public schools. Magnolia’s story is one of stunning natural beauty unique history and a thriving community. It’s a place where the past and the present coexist creating a neighborhood with distinctive character.