Landscape Information
This 7.57-acre rectilinear park with curvature at the north and south ends, consistent with historic alignment, is traversed by a north-south oriented stream edged by a riparian forest. Framed by streets and residential lots, it contains iron oxide and magnesium sulfide springs (líqtəd) sacred to the Duwamish and Coast Salish peoples who, before Euro-American settlement, gathered here annually for spiritual ceremonies and to collect naturally produced red-ochre pigment.
In 1870 David Denny acquired the land and established a summer residence near the springs. In 1907 Olmsted Brothers proposed a residential subdivision for the site with a Picturesque park at the center; the plan was never fully adopted, but two years later the Licton Park Mineral Springs and Land Company purchased the property and platted a residential subdivision, incorporating elements of the 1907 plan. The company designated the springs and adjacent acreage as the Licton Springs Reservation, accessible only to residents. In the 1920s the site became a popular bathing and picnicking location, and in the 1930s it was developed as a spa.
In 1961 the city purchased the property and in 1974 engaged Jones & Jones Architects and Landscape Architects to transform the site into a public park. The firm retained the existing stream and forest, adding a central path that leads to the iron oxide spring, encircled by a concrete ring. A naturalistic pond, fed by the magnesium sulfide spring, was also added. Vegetated with alders, cedars, and willows, the forest’s curvilinear edges are defined to the west by a playground and to the east by a gently rolling lawn. North of the play area, the firm introduced a rustic comfort station with restrooms and interpretive displays. Enframed by perimeter sidewalks, the park is navigated throughout by curvilinear concrete paths and continues to be popular with Native peoples. In 2019 it was designated a Seattle Landmark.
