Marshall Park: Betty Bowen Viewpoint on West Queen Anne

Frequently asked questions

Marshall Park is at 1191 7th Ave W in West Queen Anne, part of the Queen Anne district. It sits across from Parsons Gardens.

The Betty Bowen Viewpoint is part of Marshall Park. It was added to the park in 1977 and 1978.

The concrete walkway holds unsigned artwork by Guy Anderson, Kenneth Callahan, Morris Graves, Victor Steinbrueck, Charles Stokes and Margaret Tompkins.

The site was once known as Phelps Place. It was named after the Marshalls in 1960.

Marshall Park covers 0.78 acre, or about 0.32 hectare, making it one of the city's smaller parks.

A quiet lookout and a walkway with art underfoot share one small plot of land on West Queen Anne. This is Marshall Park, a 0.78-acre city park at 1191 7th Ave W, directly across from Parsons Gardens, and home to the Betty Bowen Viewpoint. Make a short detour here for the view and for the unsigned artwork by six artists that lines its concrete path.

Take In the Betty Bowen Viewpoint

Head first to the Betty Bowen Viewpoint, the feature that brings most visitors to Marshall Park. It became part of the park in 1977 and 1978, long after sightseers first started coming to this spot in search of a place to take in the view.

The park is compact, so the viewpoint and the walkway sit close together. Treat your visit as a brief pause on a neighborhood walk, or stay and linger as long as you like.

Read the full guide

Look Down for Unsigned Art

Slow your pace on the concrete walkway, because its artwork is easy to miss when none of the pieces carries a signature. Six artists created the work you will find along the path:

Guy Anderson
Kenneth Callahan
Morris Graves
Victor Steinbrueck
Charles Stokes
Margaret Tompkins

Learn the names before you arrive, and the hunt becomes half the fun. Walk slowly with your eyes on the ground, and what could pass for a simple route to the viewpoint turns into a small outdoor gallery.

From Phelps Place to Marshall Park

Before it took its current name, this spot was known as Phelps Place, and it served sightseers as a viewpoint until Queen Anne Boulevard was expanded and improved.

The park was named for the Marshalls in 1960. Nearly two decades later, the Betty Bowen Viewpoint and its artwork arrived, giving the site the shape you see today.

Stroll to Parsons Gardens and Historic Houses Nearby

Marshall Park sits in one of the most landmark-dense corners of the West Queen Anne neighborhood, and several places wait within a block or two:

Parsons Gardens, the park just across the street, along with the Parsons Memorial Garden landmark, both less than 0.1 mile away
Parsons House, Stuart/Balcom House and the Bowen/Huston Bungalow, all landmarks less than 0.1 mile away
Chelsea Apartment Building, a landmark about 0.1 mile away
Kinnear Park and the West Queen Anne Walls, both landmarks about 0.1 mile away

With so much this close, string these stops into a walking loop through the area's gardens and historic buildings, with Marshall Park as one easy stop along the way.

Before You Go

Seattle Parks and Recreation manages Marshall Park, so check with the department for current hours and park rules before you visit. Hoping to find more green space around the city? Browse our guide to all parks in Seattle.