Laurelhurst, Seattle
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (July 2008) |
Laurelhurst is a residential neighborhood in northeastern Seattle, Washington, US. It is bounded on the northeast by Ivanhoe Place N.E., beyond which is Windermere; on the northwest by Sand Point Way N.E. and N.E. 45th Street, beyond which are Hawthorne Hills, Ravenna, and University Village; on the west by Mary Gates Memorial Drive N.E., beyond which is the East Campus of the University of Washington; on the southwest by Union Bay; and on the east by Lake Washington. Seattle Children's Hospital is located in its northwest corner. Once a seasonal campground of the Duwamish people, the neighborhood has been a part of Seattle since its annexation in 1910.[1]
The community center is an official city landmark.[2] The Laurelhurst Beach Club, Laurelhurst Park, and its Laurelhurst Community Center serve as gathering places.
Laurelhurst has had several famous residents, including Melanie Griffith[citation needed] and Antonio Banderas,[citation needed] who rented a house on the waterfront one summer while filming a movie; musician Duff McKagan, bassist for Guns N' Roses.[citation needed] Bill Gates spent part of his childhood there.[3]
The neighborhood is one of the most expensive in Seattle, with median home prices around $1,649,000, over double the overall Seattle median of $735,000, as of September 2018[update].[4]
History
[edit]The name Laurelhurst dates from between 1906 and 1909, when Joseph McLaughlin and R.F. Booth, incorporated under the name McLaughlin Realty Company, acquired property from several owners in the already established areas of Scottish Heights and Yesler Village. They established a new plat, introduced the new name, brought in water, electricity, and sewer services, but failed to attract a streetcar line.[5]
"Laurel" stands for the plant name Laurel and "hurst" means "wood" in archaic English.[6]
Education
[edit]Laurelhurst is home to Laurelhurst Elementary School, Villa Academy, an independent grade school, the Wu Hsing Tao School, and the Seattle Midwifery School.
News sources
[edit]The community was served by the North Seattle Herald-Outlook, which printed a weekly edition until it was shut down in January 2012 by owner Pacific Publishing Company.[7]
Controversies
[edit]In 2026, a viral social media post drew attention to the relationship between the Laurelhurst Community Council (LCC) and Seattle Children's Hospital. Concerned about noise from helicopters using the hospital's helipad, the LCC successfully lobbied in 1992 to have Seattle Children's Hospital enter a voluntary agreement with the City of Seattle where only the most serious cases would land at the hospital.[8] Patients that are not in critical enough condition are forced to land at a helipad located at the University of Washington and then travel by ambulance the final one mile to the hospital. The Laurelhurst Community Council has a long history with Seattle Children's Hospital, repeatedly opposing hospital expansion and placing limits on hospital staff parking on nearby streets.[9] Having members of a very affluent neighborhood oppose treating critically sick and injured children was considered a classic example of NIMBY behavior and drew criticism and mockery of Laurelhurst residents.[10]
Notes
[edit]- ^ Rochester, Junius. "Seattle Neighborhoods: Laurelhurst — Thumbnail History". historylink.org. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
- ^ Landmarks Alphabetical Listing for L Archived July 21, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods. Accessed online July 13, 2008
- ^ Harville, Tim (April 4, 2009). "Laurelhurst is a good place to move up to". Seattle Times. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
- ^ "Laurelhurst Home Prices & Values". Zilloe. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
- ^ Valarie Bunn, "The McLaughlin Realty Company (The Earl J. McLaughlin Plat in Wedgwood)", Wedgwood Echo (Seattle), Volume 26, Issue II, March 2011, p. 3.
- ^ "Hurst definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary".
- ^ Carder, Justin (January 10, 2012). "New ownership readies a revamped Capitol Hill Times". Capitol Hill Seattle. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
- ^ Thompson, Brandon. "Seattle Children's wants to "revisit" policy that has medical helicopters land a mile away". Retrieved May 5, 2026.
- ^ Graham, Nathalie. "Laurelhurst Community Council Isn't Sure Helicopters Need to Land Sick Kids at the Hospital". www.thestranger.com. Retrieved May 5, 2026.
- ^ "Report: Laurelhurst Residents Blocking Helicopter Landings at Seattle Children's Ain't Heard Shit Yet". theneedling.com. Retrieved May 5, 2026.
External links
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