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Alki Point also marks the southern extent of Elliott Bay; a line drawn northwest to West Point marks the western extent of the bay.
The Denny Party landed at Alki Point November 13, 1851, and platted a settlement of six blocks of eight lots. The original name of the settlement was " New York Alki," "Alki" being a word in Chinook Jargon meaning "eventually" or "bye and bye." However, the next April, Arthur A. Denny abandoned the site at Alki for a better-situated site on the east shore of Elliott Bay, just north of the plat of David Swinson "Doc" Maynard. This site is now known as Pioneer SquareMarch 17, 1917. In the upper-right is the Smith Tower. Below it is the Seattle Hotel. On the left are the Pioneer Building and the pergola. 1914Photograph courtesy Seattle Municipal Archives Pioneer Square is the neighborhood where Seattle, Washington was.
Charles Terry , who owned the land, and some others held on at Alki for a while, but most eventually joined the others in Pioneer Square. Terry gave his claim to Dr. Maynard in 1857Events January 9 Earthquake at Fort Tejon, California with an estimated magnitude of 7. 9 February 16 The National Deaf Mute College (later renamed Gallaudet University) is established in Washington, DC becoming the first school for the advanced education in exchange for his Pioneer Square holdings; Maynard farmed the land for 11 years and sold it to Hans Martin Hanson and Knud Olson in 1868Events January 3 Meiji Emperor declares " Meiji Restoration", his own restoration to full power, against the supporters of the Tokugawa Shogunate. January 10 Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu declares emperor's declaration "illegal" and attacks Kyoto. Pro-Emperor, Hanson taking possession of the point itself. The Alki Point Lighthouse dates from 19131913 is a common year starting on Wednesday. click on link for calendar) Events January-March January 30 House of Lords rejects Irish Home Rule Bill February 1 New York City's Grand Central Station opens as the world's largest train station. February 3 Th, replacing the U.S. Lighthouse Service's post light from 18871887 is a common year starting on Saturday (click on link for calendar). Events January 20 The United States Senate allows the Navy to lease Pearl Harbor as a naval base. January 21 The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is formed January 26 Battle of Dogali: A and Hanson's lantern-on-a-post from the mid 1870sEvents and Trends Franco-Prussian War ( 1870- 1871) results in the collapse of the Second French Empire and in the formation of both the French Third Republic and the German Empire. Invention of the telephone ( 1876) and phonograph ( 1877). See also the H.The oldest remaining building in Alki is the 19041904 is a leap year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). Events January 7 The distress signal " CQD" is established only to be replaced two years later by " SOS. February 7 A fire in Baltimore, Maryland destroys over 1,500 buildings in 30 Bernard family home, later a hotel, and now the Alki Homestead restaurant.
Well into the 20th century, Alki was reachable from most of Seattle only by boat. Alki today is reminiscent of a California beach town, with a mix of mid-century bungalows, medium-rise waterfront apartment houses, waterfront businesses, a thin beach, and a road with a bike/foot trail running several miles along the water. This section of West Seattle is bounded on the northwest by Elliott Bay; on the southwest by Puget Sound; and on the east by the West Seattle hill. Its main thoroughfares are Alki Avenue S.W. (northeast- and southwest-bound); Beach Drive S.W. (northwest- and southeast-bound); and S.W. Admiral Way (east- and westbound).
There have been summer concerts at Alki Beach since the early 1900s--the original streetcars to West Seattle were established in order to bring people to these events. Today, the beach plays host to the Seattle Music Fest every August. It is a three-day music festival that plays host to emerging Northwest artists and selected national and international headliners.
See also History of Seattle before 1900.