South Seattle Neighborhood Spotlight: Lakewood Seward Park

Welcome to Lakewood Seward Park!

According to HistoryLink.org, the Lakewood neighborhood along southeast Seattle’s Lake Washington shoreline is located east of Genesee Park and northwest of Seward Park (it is often considered part of the Seward Park neighborhood). The area was originally a peninsula formed by a long inlet called Wetmore Slough — the present location of Genesee Park — that extended more than one-half mile south from the lakeshore and turned west toward Columbia City. Not until a bridge carried Lake Washington Boulevard S across the mouth of the slough in 1912 and a trolley line opened on S Genesee Street did the community gain good communication with the rest of the city.

Lowering of the lake due to construction of the Lake Washington Ship Canal in 1916 largely drained the slough. The land where the slough had been was used for some years as a dump. The Stanley S. Sayres Memorial Hydroplane Pits were developed in 1957 at the north end of the former slough, and a decade later the remaining slough area became Genesee Park and Playfield. In addition to its park, Lakewood is a mix of large homes close to the lakeshore and more modest dwellings inland.

Lakewood’s and Seward Park’s first residents were Native Americans of the Duwamish Tribe who lived along the shore of Lake Washington. The thick forest sheltered game and provided the cedar trees that the Duwamish used for their longhouses, but the tribe does not appear to have established a permanent village there. During summer months, families erected shelters woven from cattails on the shore of the lake where they caught fish and dug roots. During the winter, they lived in elaborate longhouses on Pritchard Island or at other settlements around the lake. More.

Top 10 Neighborhood Highlights:

1. Lakewood Seward Park Community Club
The Lakewood-Seward Park Community Club was founded in 1910. The purpose of the club was to provide a social meeting place, and to do good works in the community. In 1910 a lot of the functions we take for granted didn’t exist. The community club serves as a gathering place for neighbors and families to become involved in their local community and to get to know each other better.

2. Seward Park
Within the Seattle city limits, Seward Park boasts 300 acres of beautiful forest land, home to eagles’ nests, old growth forest, a 2.4 mile bike and walking path, an amphitheater, a native plant garden, an art studio, miles of hiking trails, shoreline, beaches and more.

3. Raconteur & Third Place Books
Third Place Books–a general interest bookstore–is a fun, comfortable, and safe place to browse, linger, lounge, relax, read, eat, laugh, play, talk, listen, and just watch the world go by. Founded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, they opened a third store in the Seward Park neighborhood in 2016. It shares the space with Raconteur–a neighborhood restaurant and bar with new American fare, craft beer and cocktails.

4. Flying Squirrel Pizza
Flying Squirrel Pizza Co. opened its doors for business on Friday October 24th, 2008. This is a true neighborhood joint, which the chef/owner remodeled himself (and the help of some great friends and family) to ensure that his casual yet funky vision would be achieved. Voted Best Pizza in South Seattle by GO: South Seattle readers.

5. Both Ways Cafe & Catering
Both Ways Cafe & Catering is a cozy little kid-friendly spot tucked away in a quiet corner of the Rainier Valley where Genesee Business District meets the Lakewood/Seward Park neighborhood. Breakfast and lunch menu with plenty of vegetarian options, fresh-squeezed juices and homemade biscuits.

6. Bent Burgers
Repeatedly voted Best Burger in South Seattle by GO: South Seattle readers, Bent Burgers boasts nearly a dozen different spins on the classic, including the Bent Burger (bacon cheese burger, hotlink, a fried egg sandwiched between two grilled cheese sandwiches), the Human Torch (pepperjack cheese, grilled habenero, jalapenos, red, green and yellow peppers) and many more.

7. Caffe Vita Seward Park
This independent, locally-owned company has been roasting coffee in Seattle since 1995. From its humble beginnings at the base of Queen Anne, Caffe Vita now operates nine cafes in the Pacific Northwest, a roasteria cafe in New York City, and a cafe in Los Angeles.

8. Pizzuto’s
This neighborhood favorite serves up classic Italian comfort food in a comfortable environment complete with red-checkered tablecloths. Huge pasta dishes, great service, a reasonable corkage fee and plenty of parking. Voted Best Italian Food in South Seattle by GO: South Seattle readers.

9. Lakewood Playground
Expansive neighborhood playground with playfield, complete with backstop and dugouts.

10. Windermere Mount Baker Real Estate
My office! Windermere Mount Baker first opened its doors in 1979 and has been a market leader ever since. We are proud to be the only major real estate company with a local neighborhood office in South Seattle.

Upcoming Lakewood/Seward Park Neighborhood Events
For more information on the following events, please visit the Lakewood-Seward Park Community Club website. For a list of annual Seward Park runs and races, check out this blog post.

6/12: Community Meeting (Topic TBD)
7/14: Community Garage Sale Day
8/17: Family Movie Night (Movie TBD)
9/14: Oktoberfest
10/9: Community Meeting (Topic TBD)
10/26: Family Movie Night (Movie TBD)
10/28: Halloween Ice Cream Social
12/1: Holiday Gift Bazaar
12/1: Community Blood Drive in Memory of Tom Verhulp
12/2: Holiday Gift Bazaar
12/5: Annual Meeting of the Members
12/7: ToyCycle
12/11: Annual Meeting of the Members

Photo/Lakewood Seward Park Community Club