The Four Pieces of the Area
Put together, North Delridge usually refers to these four parts:
- The West Seattle Golf Course, the large green heart of the area
- Youngstown, just north of the course
- Pigeon Point, to the northeast
- Cottage Grove, to the east
Youngstown and Its Steel Mill Roots
Youngstown settles into the dell where Longfellow Creek flows down toward the mudflats of the Duwamish River estuary. The neighborhood was built in the 1900s to house immigrant workers at the nearby Seattle Steel mill, which went on to operate for decades as Bethlehem Steel and now runs as Nucor Steel.
During the early years of white settlement, the area carried a reputation for being rough and rowdy. Today you will find a quiet residential pocket wrapped around the mill, and the best way to connect with its past is to head to the old school building on Delridge Way.
Youngstown Cultural Arts Center
Step into the former Frank B. Cooper School, a 1917 building that opened as the Youngstown School and took the Cooper name in 1939. Its listing on the National Register of Historic Places makes it one of the area's true landmarks.
The Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association, a city-sponsored nonprofit, transformed the school into a cultural arts center that opened in 2006. Check with the center directly for current programs and events. Here is a fun local quirk to keep in mind: even with the Youngstown name, the center actually stands in Cottage Grove.
Cottage Grove and Pigeon Point
Cottage Grove
Stroll through Cottage Grove and you are walking streets the Puget Mill Company laid out between 1918 and 1923. The neighborhood runs roughly from SW Genesee Street south to SW Juneau Street, with the golf course along its west side and 21st Avenue SW to the east. Since it borders Youngstown directly, locals often treat the two as one, while Cottage Grove Park gives this pocket a patch of green all its own.
Pigeon Point
Pigeon Point rises on a high bluff just south of the West Seattle Bridge, at the southern end of Elliott Bay, forming the northern tip of the bluff above the Duwamish east of Youngstown. SW Spokane Street marks its northern edge, Delridge Way SW its western side, and West Marginal Way SW and the Duwamish Waterway its eastern side.
To the south, the neighborhood wraps up around Puget Park and SW Oregon Street, and Pathfinder K-8 at Cooper is based here. Make your way to Pigeon Point Park on 21st Avenue SW, the main draw for visitors, which sits right beside the forested West Duwamish Greenbelt.
The Parks Along 35th Avenue SW
Head to the western edge of North Delridge for one of the largest groupings of public land in the middle of the West Seattle peninsula. Several Seattle Parks and Recreation properties sit close together on 35th Avenue SW, so it is easy to string a few of them into a single afternoon.
Camp Long
Begin at Camp Long at 5200 35th Ave SW, the anchor of this green cluster. Within half a mile you can reach a golf course, a viewpoint, playfields and community gardens. Just to the south lies Snake Hill, a small residential pocket tucked between Camp Long and High Point, west of Longfellow Creek.
West Seattle Golf Course
The city-run West Seattle Golf Course is the centerpiece of North Delridge, with Youngstown, Pigeon Point and Cottage Grove arranged around it. Even if you never pick up a club, it explains why so much of this area feels wide open. Check with Seattle Parks and Recreation for current tee times and fees.
West Seattle Stadium
Round out the green block at West Seattle Stadium, another Parks and Recreation property on 35th Avenue SW alongside Camp Long and the golf course. Schedules and access can change, so look up current details before you go.
Parks and Gardens Near Delridge Way
Delridge Playfield
Set out from Delridge Playfield on Delridge Way SW, the main road through the valley. Several other parks and greenbelts lie within half a mile, making it a natural starting point for exploring the eastern side of the area on foot.
Delridge P-Patch
Browse the 30 plots at the Delridge P-Patch community garden, part of Seattle's P-Patch program since 1974. That long run makes it one of the neighborhood's steadiest community spaces, and nearby parks and the Delridge Branch library are just a short walk away.
Smaller Green Spaces
Beyond the headline parks, look for the West Duwamish Greenbelt, Puget Boulevard Commons, Rotary Viewpoint and Greg Davis Park. These smaller spots fill the gaps between the larger properties, and together they give North Delridge an unusually green feel for a neighborhood this close to the industrial riverfront.
Planning Your Visit
Split the area in two for the easiest day. Spend one stretch on the 35th Avenue SW side with Camp Long, the golf course and the stadium, then head east toward Delridge Way for the playfield, the P-Patch and the arts center.
Save Pigeon Point for its own short outing, especially if you want greenbelt views near the river. Since details can change, check Seattle Parks and Recreation for park hours, amenities and any closures before you set out.
