By 1904 the streets around the park had filled with homes, and the city upgraded the grounds to match. Formal planting beds went in, along with swings, play equipment, a sand lot and a play field. Children were among the park's most regular visitors from the start, helped by the Denny School, an elementary school that stood just southeast of the block from 1884 to 1928.
How the Denny Regrades Reshaped the Block
Denny Park once sat on the north slope of Denny Hill. Between 1900 and 1931, Seattle flattened much of its central hills in a series of regrading projects, and this park was caught in the middle.
Regrade No. 1: a park left on a hilltop
Around 1910, the first Denny Regrade cut the land south and west of the park down by roughly 60 feet (18 m). Surviving Seattle pioneers pushed for the park to be left alone, and they won. The catch was that the park now stood above its surroundings, and cars could no longer reach it from the downtown side.
Regrade No. 2: flattened and replanted
Around 1930, the second regrade brought the park down to level ground, and it was replanted in a formal style. The old Denny School was demolished in the same project. Its cupola was saved and set in the park as a historical marker.
Landmarks Within Denny Park
Denny Park's small footprint holds several pieces of city history. Look for these as you walk the block.
- The Mark A. Matthews bust: installed in 1941 to honor the minister and activist.
- The Denny School cupola: placed here around 1930 as a marker of the school lost to the regrade.
- The Parks and Recreation building: built in 1948 to house the growing city department, despite objections from the Denny family. For several years its lower level was home to the Washington Society for Crippled Children, and by 1964 Parks Department staff filled the whole building.
- The play area and lighting: the first phase of a park renovation, which opened on May 2, 2009.
A Park With Neighborhood Advocates
Denny Park has a group of supporters, Friends of Denny Park, who advocate to city government for safety in the park. The coalition works with city departments to revitalize the grounds for the people who use them and for the nearby South Lake Union and Denny Triangle neighborhoods.
The park has had hard stretches too. In 2020 a large homeless encampment grew on the block, and some residents stayed away out of safety concerns. After a cleanup by the volunteer group We Heart Seattle, the city cleared the remaining camp. For current conditions, hours and park rules, check with Seattle Parks and Recreation before you go.
Finding the Block and What Is Close By
Denny Park fills the block bounded by John Street on the north, Denny Way on the south, Dexter Avenue N on the west and 9th Avenue N on the east. The official address is 100 Dexter Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109.
Several South Lake Union landmarks are a short walk away, which makes the park an easy anchor for a stroll:
- A dog park, also listed under the Denny Park name, less than a tenth of a mile away
- 777 Thomas St, about 0.1 mile away
- The Elephant Car Wash Sign, about 0.2 mile away
- 901 Harrison St, about 0.2 mile away
- The Seattle-First National Bank landmark, about 0.2 mile away
- The West Earth Co. street clock, about 0.2 mile away
- The Seattle Monorail, about 0.2 mile away
For more green space across the city, browse our guide to all parks in Seattle.
