Where Boeing began

Fairview #2

This is sort of the same view as my first Fairview Street but from the opposite direction. I'm standing near that first white boat on the dock on Lake Union shooting this way (east) ..the willow tree has less wind in it today (altho this morning there was too much for my rowing friend J and I so we had coffee instead... :-) ) and the grey structure is a parking apron over water for the dock and also for the 20 fancy floating homes that stretch off to the left (the green one being the first one - the woman with the dog in the Roanoke Street End mini park -first photo- lives there...). Maybe you don't need to know this part but you might be interested to know that in 1915 the first construction on this land (which the state legislature sold to help raise funds for the 1910 Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition held on what was to become the UW campus) was built by William Boeing, who, within five years of the Wright Brothers' first powered flight, built a seaplane station, including a machine shop, a changing room, and a hangar large enough for 3 planes.

It was here at the Roanoke Streetend in 1916 where the grey building is and north/left a bit- a year before Boeing had incorporated his airplane company - that his team assembled their first aircraft and where it first flew, piloted by William Boeing himself. It was also here in 1919 when in another company produced seaplane, William Boeing and his pilot Eddie Hubbard arrived from Vancouver, B. C. with 60 letters - North america's first International air mail!

The Boeing Co soon got out of the seaplane business for bigger planes and this station was sold, the floor removed and converted to a covered marina. More history after that to follow (hint: In 1967 this property was acquired and a very large condo (7 story 168 units) was planned for this spot over water which led to public outrage and also to the founding of the Eastlake Community Council. It was never built.) In the mid 80's this was developed as a 3 part Roanoke Reef condo - the dock, the floating homes, and the townhouse building you can see the west end of. We live on the east end of that building.
Interesting.....?
Oh, the seaplane...... as I was standing in the rain taking this photo, a Kenmore Air float plane zoomed out of Lake Union right behind me, over the lake. I spun around to take the picture, but then photoshopped it in here to mark the spot of the first Boeing plane construction. It wouldn't fly over the land.... We have float planes coming and going from the south end of the Lake from 8:00 am til dusk -it's part of Eastlake.

I'm sorry this is so long --I couldnt seem to manage to describe it with less.....