Denny-Blaine Park (Seattle)
Encyclopedia
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
in the Denny-Blaine
Denny-Blaine, Seattle, Washington
Denny-Blaine is a neighborhood in east central Seattle, Washington. It is bounded on the east by Lake Washington; on the south by E. Howell Street, beyond which is Madrona; on the west by 32nd Avenue, beyond which is Madison Valley; and on the north by Lake Washington Boulevard E., Hillside Drive...
neighborhood of Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. It is located on Lake Washington
Lake Washington
Lake Washington is a large freshwater lake adjacent to the city of Seattle. It is the largest lake in King County and the second largest in the state of Washington, after Lake Chelan. It is bordered by the cities of Seattle on the west, Bellevue and Kirkland on the east, Renton on the south and...
along and at the end of E. Denny-Blaine Place.
The land for the park was donated to the City of Seattle by Charles L. Denny and Elbert F. Blaine, who were also responsible for sub-dividing the surrounding neighborhood. There is a grass beach as well as a picnic area and a volleyball pit.
After a large renovation project completed in 2004, the beach has seen much more traffic. Much of the renovation involved the large middle bed just above the shoreline.
It is said the actor John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
rented the house to the South, and, due to people peeping over the wall, a hedge was put in running along the South border of the park, above the lower beach levels.
Parks close by include Lake Washington Boulevard
Lake Washington Boulevard
Lake Washington Boulevard is a scenic, approximately , route through Seattle, Washington, that hugs Lake Washington for much of the drive. There are views of the lake, small sections of rainforest, meadows, and views of the Cascade mountains. At its northern end, Lake Washington Boulevard runs...
(borders on the West), Viretta Park
Viretta Park
Viretta Park is a park in the Denny-Blaine neighborhood of Seattle, Washington at the foot of E. John Street at 39th Avenue E., stretching down to Lake Washington Boulevard E. It was named by Charles L. Denny after his wife, Viretta Jackson Denny. It is located to the South of the former home of...
(to the SW), Howell Park (few blocks South) and Lakeview Park (Seattle)
Lakeview Park (Seattle)
Lakeview Park is a 4.5 acre park in the Denny-Blaine neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, located on both sides of Lake Washington Boulevard E. as it winds down a hillside toward Lake Washington. The western half is a bowl-like park with grass and trees along Dorffel Drive E. and E. Harrison...
(to the NW).
Topfree and clothing optional use
Nudity is less common than topfree and thong use, but it does occur.In the past the beach had a much higher use of nudity and topfree use and was also known as Dykiki (a playful combination of the words Dyke and Waikiki
Waikiki
Waikiki is a neighborhood of Honolulu, in the City and County of Honolulu, on the south shore of the island of Oahu, in Hawaii. Waikiki Beach is the shoreline fronting Waikīkī....
) because the area had a reputation for a large number of lesbians who would go topfree or nude on the beach.
World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR)
World Naked Bike Ride
World Naked Bike Ride is an international clothing-optional bike ride in which participants plan, meet and ride together en masse on human-powered transport , to "deliver a vision of a cleaner, safer, body-positive world."The dress code motto is "Bare as you dare"...
Seattle had its bodypainting party here on 17 Aug 2008. and returned on Aug 16, 2009 with Hemp Ride 2009 (affiliated with WNBR Seattle).
Several Seattle Parks & Recreation workers report nudity used to be more common as well as topfree use.