A couple more homes decked out for the holidays to share with you. If we’re missing your Beach Drive home, pet dressed up as on of Santa’s helpers or you have a favorite holiday recipe you’d like to share with your Beach Drive neighbors, please let us know!
This weekend’s King Tides become a Royal Pain?
December 12, 2012 by 2 Comments
West Seattle Herald recently wrote about the King Tides that will be topping out at 13 feet along our shoreline this weekend…
So called King Tides (a non-scientific term) simply refers to the very highest tides. They occur when the earth, moon and sun are aligned at perigee (when the moon is closest to earth) and perihelion (when the earth is closest to the sun), resulting in the largest tidal range seen during a year since the gravitational effects are magnified.
While NOAA does not expect additional tidal height due to coastal flooding, the Marine Forecast has issued southerly winds between 15/ 25 knots with 2-4 foot waves to boot during Saturday’s extreme high tide…
PZZ135-122315-
PUGET SOUND AND HOOD CANAL-
900 AM PST WED DEC 12 2012THU…S WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. CHANCE OF RAIN.
THU NIGHT…S WIND 10 TO 20 KT…RISING TO 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT.
FRI…S WIND 15 TO 25 KT…EASING TO 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT…SUBSIDING TO 2 FT OR LESS.
FRI NIGHT…N WIND 5 TO 15 KT…BECOMING S TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS.
SAT…S WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT.
SUN…SW WIND TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS.
Upcoming high tides:
Thursday +12.5 ft at 5:15AM also +12.1 at 3:30PM
Friday +12.8 ft at 6:30AM also +11.8 at 4:30PM
Saturday +13 ft at 7:00AM also +11.2 at 5:30PM
Sunday +13 ft at 8:00AM
Monday +12.9 ft at 8:30AM
Tuesday +12.7 ft at 9:00AM
Scupper, reporting for Beach Drive Blog
More Ho Ho Homes dressed up for the Holidays
December 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment
The Menasche display
Beach Drive Holiday Homes
December 11, 2012 by 3 Comments
We thought we’d share some photos of neighborhood homes that are decked out for the holidays along Beach Drive.
You could say this home by Lowman Beach is being “ducked” out for the holidays.
We like Santa’s four legged friends on the deck of this home.
Perched above Beach Drive
Joy to all!
Would you like to have your festive Beach Drive home or decorated pet featured on Beach Drive Blog? Please send us a photo!
Resident chases off prowlers breaking into trailered boat
October 26, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Appears that your fishing/pleasure boats may have been safer in the water than on land. A neighbor’s off of SW Angeline (4700 block of Beach Drive) thwarted an attempted theft by prowler(s) rummaging under the canvas cover of their trailered boat on Tuesday. The incident was reported to the police but haven’t heard of any arrests.
Probably a good idea to remove any semi-attached electronics, fishing gear, trolling motors, etc. off your boats this off- season. Keep in mind that thieves have no problem taking the transom along with your small outboards! Yes, I found out the hard way a few years back…
Scupper, reporting for Beach Drive Blog
Can You Dig It? Roses Available at Beach Drive Home
October 18, 2012 by Leave a Comment
This Saturday, the home with the lovely rose garden at 61st and Beach Drive is allowing you to dig up their roses from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm for a suggested donation of $10. It is suggested that you bring your own shovel, pick, pruners and buckets.
This event is sponsored by the Mary-Martha Bible Study Circle of Hope Lutheran Church.
For more information, visit the West Seattle Blog.
Did you ever see “Spot Run” on Beach Drive?
August 15, 2012 by 1 Comment
If you lived around Beach Drive SW in the 50’s & 60’s, one of these children’s book characters may have been modeled after you!
As it turns out, a famous author named Elizabeth Rider Montgomery lived in this home located in the 4800 block of Beach Drive SW.
The address has changed around a little but this is where Elizabeth wrote/collaborated on many of her books.
Moved onto Beach Drive with her husband Norman in 1/8/49
Moved out with second husband on 12/14/1972 (ok, my title insurance background is rearing it’s head again)
Among many other publications to her name, Elizabeth co-authored on several of the iconic Dick and Jane book series. The first coming in 1940…
Ms Montgomery landed a staff writer position with the Scott Foresman Company and published 14 more books as well as a series entitled Heath for All between 1940-1965.
A more complete bio of the author and her life’s work can be found at this site published by Western Washington University where she enrolled in 1925 when it was then called Washington Normal School. The West Seattle Herald also published an excellent story about her in December of 1969.
She passed in 1985 and is buried next to her husband in Poulsbo’s city cemetery.
It just goes to show you, it’s good to know…
Book #4 of her Health for All series
Special Note: The long time current resident of this home informed me that she purchased the home back 1987 from the, at the time, manager of famous Seattle area rock group Queensryche! He also played a key role (founder) in opening Easy Street Records at the “Junction”.
Scupper, reporting for Beach Drive Blog
Mystery of a well-stocked trout pond in Mee-Kwa-Mooks park
August 8, 2012 by 4 Comments
I've read about the trout pond once located on the old Schmitz estate (formally named Sans Souci), but have never been able to pinpoint exactly where it sat. A cool sketch of San Souci's grounds as depicted by the great niece of the West Seattle pioneers Emma and Ferdinand shows a number of landmarks but no specific mention of the "trout pond"
Note a "small pond" drawn in on the right. The trout pond?
It was time to leash up the dog and sniff this thing out. The Blue Spruce tree was the first landmark we found…
Love the early century concrete work!
Then it was off to find where the waterfall was located. Figured that the trout pond could be somewhere down slope from it.
Appears to be original stone-work for the water feature.
My guess is that the well stocked pond was located further down the hill near Beach Drive itself. The Parks Department just cleared out some diseased trees and brush (in effort to help the recent restoration project ) and may have uncovered the location.
On a hot August day, you can almost smell the fish!
There's even a concrete pad that once was a site for a bench of some sorts.
The bench site looks somewhat new but the Schmitz estate didn't come down 'til the late 60's.
This aerial photo from 1968 clearly shows where the 1907 circa 17 room mansion was excavated as well as the extensive gardens. But no sign of the famous trout pond.
All the gardens were said to be watered naturally from "Spring Hill"
Here's an archived pic named Sans Souci that shows standing water near whats looks to be the shoreline. Is it the pond?
Alan Schmitz, grandson of Emma and Ferdinand, holding a photo of the historic mansion that once occupied the hillside of what is now Mee-Kwa-Mooks park.
Again, no clue as to the whereabouts of the trout pond.
So that's the end of my quest to find the ghost fishing hole of Mee-Kwa-Mooks. If anyone out there actually knows where it existed, please share!
Scupper Sr. for Beach Drive Blog
Back to business for 4029 Beach Drive SW!
April 4, 2012 by 3 Comments
It's great to see one of our favorite old buildings on Beach Drive coming back to life as a small business again! My wife and I ran into a couple of friendly guys moving stuff into this iconic location as we were taking a stroll north along the Drive. Being nosey bloggers that we are, we had to ask what was up?
A gentleman named Norm told me that he was planning to run his law practice out of the front of the space and use the back as a residence. He also told us he will do everything he can to keep the character of the circa 1928, 1610 sq ft space and was shooting for May 1st to be open for biz.
Norm was gracious enough to let me take a few pics of the inside and around back of the historic building which can be viewed here.
Want to know some history about the place? I knew you did!
An excerpt from Memories of Southwest Seattle Businesses describes the establishment at the northwest corner of Beach Drive SW and Carroll Street from the vantage point of what is now LaRustica Restaurant…
"Diagonally across the street at the northend of Weather Watch park, is another small storefront building. In the 50's it was a beverage store. They sold beer and wine and mixers, but no hard liquor. My friend Claudia Hickerson Moter lived there with her parents, Lyle and Juddy Hickerson. Lyle was seattle fireman stationed in North Admiral, and Juddy ran the store. The big street-side room was the store, with their living quarters at the back and below."
This archive photo from the King County Assessor's Office shows the apartments next door (prior to current brick siding) with another small store-front at street level.
As you can see from this Seattle zoning map from 1923, this particular intersection of Beach Drive was full of small businesses in "the day"…
The checkered section of this 1923 zoning map signifies "Business District" while the stripes stand for "Second Residences".
Hmmm, Law office or Beer & Wine store? Law Office or Beer & Wine store? Oh well, either way…welcome to Beach Drive Norm!
Scupper reporting for Beach Drive Blog
Fire in Condo Garage on Beach Drive
April 2, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Beach Drive was temporarily closed at the 3800 block of Beach Drive from an apparent car fire that took place in the garage of a condo.
When we arrived at the scene, the building was being aired out and residents were waiting for the okay to return to their homes.
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