McGraw Square
The Seattle Center Monorail passing behind the statue of John Harte McGraw
TypePlaza
LocationSeattle, Washington
Coordinates47°36′47″N 122°20′15″W / 47.612982°N 122.337602°W / 47.612982; -122.337602
Area0.01 acres (0.0040 ha)[1]
CreatedJuly 22, 1913
Operated bySeattle Parks and Recreation
StatusOpen all year
DesignationSeattle Landmark since May 6, 1985[2]

McGraw Square is a small plaza and streetcar stop in the Denny Triangle neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. The 0.01-acre (0.0040 ha) park, one of the smallest in the city park system, is named for and features a statue of former King County Sheriff and Governor of Washington John Harte McGraw. McGraw Square is bounded to the north by Stewart Street, to the west by 5th Avenue and the Times Square Building, and to the east by Olive Way and the Medical Dental Building.[1]

The square was originally a 660-square-foot (61 m2) parcel acquired by the City of Seattle in 1911 to build a public square to be designed by the Olmsted Brothers. Richard E. Brooks was commissioned to sculpt a bronze statue of Governor McGraw, who had died in 1910, and unveiled the finished sculpture on July 22, 1913. It was later designated as a Seattle Landmark on May 6, 1985.[2][3][4] The statue measures approximately 6 feet (1.8 m) x 4 feet (1.2 m) x 4 feet (1.2 m) and rests on a granite base that measures approximately 7 feet (2.1 m) x 6.5 feet (2.0 m) x 6.5 feet (2.0 m).[5]

In late 2010, the Seattle Department of Transportation expanded the plaza over a section of Westlake Avenue and incorporating the nearby South Lake Union Streetcar terminus at a cost of $900,000, paid by a mobility grant from the Washington State Department of Transportation.[6] The new plaza, which is intended to host tables and food trucks, was opened to the public on February 9, 2011.[7][8]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "McGraw Square". Seattle Parks and Recreation. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  2. 1 2 Seattle City Council (May 6, 1985). "Seattle City Ordinance 112271" (PDF). Seattle City Clerk. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Landmark Nomination Form: McGraw Square" (PDF). City of Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board. October 7, 1983. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  4. ↑ Dorpat, Pat (September 3, 2011). "Washington state's 2nd governor still stands — in bronze". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  5. ↑ "John Harte McGraw, (sculpture)". Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  6. ↑ "Westlake Streetcar Plaza/McGraw Square". Seattle Department of Transportation. February 9, 2011. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  7. ↑ Gilmore, Susan (February 9, 2011). "Downtown park, statue honor man who stood up to a mob". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  8. ↑ "It's Official – McGraw Square Is Open". SDOT Blog. Seattle Department of Transportation. February 9, 2011. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
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