Montlake Cut

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Montlake Cut
Seattle - Montlake Cut from E Shelby & 10th E 03.jpg
View from west, at corner of
E. Shelby St. and 10th Ave E.
Montlake Cut map.png
Montlake Cut shaded in blue
Location Seattle, Washington
Country United States
Coordinates 47°38′50″N122°18′15″W / 47.64722°N 122.30417°W / 47.64722; -122.30417
Specifications
Length0.47 miles (0.76 km)
History
Current ownerCity of Seattle
Original owner Duwamish Tribe
Construction began1860
Date completed1916;108 years ago (1916)
Geography
Start point Portage Bay, Lake Union
End point Union Bay, Lake Washington

The Montlake Cut is the easternmost section of the Lake Washington Ship Canal, which passes through the city of Seattle, linking Lake Washington to Puget Sound. It opened in 1916 after 56 years of conversation and construction to create the manmade canal.

Contents

The path along the cut was designated a National Recreation Trail as Montlake Cut National Waterside in 1971. [1]

The cut provides a connection between Union Bay, part of Lake Washington, to the east and Portage Bay, an arm of Lake Union, to the west. It is spanned by the Montlake Bridge, a bascule drawbridge carrying Montlake Boulevard (State Route 513). Most of the land on the north shore of the cut is occupied by the University of Washington, its medical school to the west and its stadium parking lot to the east; residences and a recreational trail occupy the south bank, which is part of the Montlake neighborhood.

Before the creation of the Montlake Cut, the land was regularly used by the Duwamish tribe and the holds important history within the tribe, that is commonly overlooked.

History

Before the construction of the Montlake Cut, it was known by the Duwamish as "Carry a Canoe" (Lushootseed: sxWátSadweehL). Indigenous people had been portaging between the lakes for centuries, either carrying canoes or shoving them along an intermittent creek that appeared when Lake Washington overflowed. [2] This creek was known as the black river and was a large source of food and transportation for the Duwamish tribe. The black river often flooded and destroyed the crops nearby; however, it was clear that its use for transportation was very advantageous. [3] This utility sparked inspiration to create a larger-scale version of the black river that would link Lake Washington and Lake Union with Puget Sound, an idea that would benefit King County economically, allowing it to become a large shipping harbor.

Local landowners began digging a canal on their land, following the trail that the Duwamish tribe had created between the two lakes. However in 1903, after 30 years of discussion, it was decided by the Army Corps of Engineers that this plan would not be feasible because there would be a need for two locks to maintain the height of Lake Washington and Lake Union.

Ten years later, Major C. W. Kutz of the Army Corps of Engineers wished to move forward with the plan but with only one lock in Ballard. This resulted in great upset and lawsuits over the lowering of Lake Washington that would result from the excavation of the cut. On October 26, 1910, Kutz sent his assistant to set off dynamite at the head of the cut, forcing Lake Washington to be lowered.

Montlake Cut under construction in 1914 Montlake Cut under construction, Seattle, ca 1914 (MOHAI 2648).jpg
Montlake Cut under construction in 1914

The Montlake Cut's original name was Erickson Cut. Contractor C. J. Erickson commenced the big project in turning on his big steam shovel in celebration of the October 27, 1909, post A-Y-P Exposition era, in the final push to complete the Lake Washington Canal project. At the ceremony were Judge Roger S. Greene, Judge Thomas Burke, J. S. Brace and John H. McGraw, who turned the first shovel of dirt that day.

Environmental impact

The creation of the cut lowered the water level of Lake Washington by 8.8 feet (2.7 m), drained the wetlands around the lake, and lowered the lake below the outflow at the Black River, leaving the Black River dry. [3]

University of Washington men's crew competes in the 2011 Windermere Cup during opening day of boating season; Montlake Bridge is in the background. UW Windermere Cup 2011.jpg
University of Washington men's crew competes in the 2011Windermere Cup during opening day of boating season; Montlake Bridge is in the background.

The effects on the water level of Lake Washington also resulted in a great reduction of the salmon population in the lake. [4] The Black River gave the Duwamish people salmon, which was an important part of their diet and a major part of their spirituality.

Although the ecosystem of the Montlake Cut has since recovered, the damages were major at the time.[ citation needed ]

Present day

The industrial uses of the Montlake Cut have since decreased, and it is now primarily used for leisure boating and recreational uses. [3] The cut is a popular location of recreational swimming and sunbathing for University of Washington students during the spring and summer.

The cut is home to the University of Washington rowing team, serving as the final 500 meters of the 2,000-meter racecourse.

It is the site of the annual Windermere Cup crew regatta and the Seattle Yacht Club's Opening Day Boat Parade, both of which take place on the first Saturday in May.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheshiahud</span>

Cheshiahud and his family on Lake Union, Seattle, Washington in the 1880s are, along with Princess Angeline, among the few late-19th century Dkhw'Duw'Absh about whom a little is known. In the University of Washington (UW) Library image archives, he is called Chudups John or Lake Union John. His family were among the few of the Duwamish people who did not move from Seattle to the Port Madison Reservation or other reservations. They lived on Portage Bay, part of Lake Union, when a photo was taken around 1885. According to the Duwamish Tribe, Lake John had a cabin and potato patch at the foot of Shelby Street. A commemorative plaque of unknown reliability is said to exist at the eastern foot of Shelby. This land was given to him by Seattle pioneer David Denny or the property was purchased—see below. Photographer Orion O. Denny recorded Old Tom and Madeline, ca. 1904, further noted in the UW Library archives as Madeline and Old John, also known as Indian John or Cheshishon, who had a house on Portage Bay in the 1900s, south of what is now the UW campus although native people had been prohibited from residence in Seattle since the mid-1860s.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black River (Duwamish River tributary)</span>

The Black River is a tributary of the Duwamish River in King County in the U.S. state of Washington. It drained Lake Washington until 1916, when the opening of the Lake Washington Ship Canal lowered the lake, causing part of the Black River to dry up. It still exists as a dammed stream about 2 miles (3.2 km) long.

References

  1. "Montlake Cut National Waterside". American Trails. 2013-05-15. Retrieved 2014-08-14.
  2. Thrush, Coll (2007). Native Seattle: Histories from the Crossing-Over Place. University of Washington Press. p. 251. ISBN   978-0-295-98700-2.
  3. 1 2 3 "Montlake Cut (Seattle)". www.historylink.org. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
  4. Sustainability, U. W. (2015-11-26). "The history behind the Montlake Cut". In Our Nature. Retrieved 2023-01-20.