Comments on: Gas Works Park

By: Eric

Eric — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 16:37:38 +0000

GasWorks park is not the site of Hempfest. Hempfest is held at Myrtle Edwards Park and has been for years.

By: Fernando

Fernando — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:55:00 +0000

Congratulations. Excellente article and picures we´ll cover in our blog next week.

http://www.monsacro.net

By: Martha

Martha — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 17:57:45 +0000

You know I was at GWP this weekend and when I took a look at the towers the first thing that came to my mind was “Steampunk”. I guess I’m not the first to make that connection.

I love this park – the towers are fantastic and I love the fact that they have been preserved. To me – their beautiful.

I would have loved to go on that tour.

By: Sean

Sean — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 21:13:54 +0000

Gasworks is the site of the annual Seattle Hempfest, and a viewing area for the 4th of July Fireworks at Gaslight Park. Gaslight Park is on the North end of Lake Union. Stone way ends at Gaslight Park, my family grew up on the opposite end of Stone on 49th. I used to go there all the time, even before it was a park. We used to crawl through gaps in the chainlink and dink around. Great Fun as a child, although I probably am lucky I never got sick from the pollution then.

By: david poxon

david poxon — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 15:09:41 +0000

Stumbled upon your world, dont know how, dont even know what most of it means! but – the pics of the factory , pipes and towers, are wonderful.Full of texture, shape, and wish I’d discovered them first- ripe for painting and preservation in their transient state forever!
An inspired spot, thanks for sharing.

By: More Gasworks | Carrotrope

More Gasworks | Carrotrope — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 12:01:05 +0000

[...] More such photos… [...]

By: Skid-Mo

Skid-Mo — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 04:45:45 +0000

“Steam-punk” eh? Maybe I should go somewhere and look up what this word means, though I think I am able to figuer it out myself. If you did not classify the Gas Works as “steam-punk” because the machinery was not steam-powered or steam related, you are wrong. All the turbines were steam powered, steam was used to create the reaction to make the hydrocarbons, (the “hydro” element came from steam). The “punk” element is definately there, though. I am myself not really a “punk” by traditional definition, though this actually seems to change and expand, I dress like a prisoner, try not to swear and do not much like the music, I have for a long time been addicted to heroin (clean now– thank God for buprenorphine), been homeless, and am a bit “left” politically, and this lifestyle lets one see, out of necessity, a side of society that would otherwise be hidden. Gas Works park has a special place (or is a special place) in this kind of “underground” or “punk” lifestyle. Because of the fire-pits, bathrooms, and electrical outlets in the machinery barn, and also because the police rarely cruise through, the park is a Mecca for homeless, all of whom (don’t believe them if they tell you otherwise) are drug addicts or severe alcoholics, drug dealers, who you might find sitting in their vehicles in the parking lot– I knew a crystal meth dealer who used to hand out there in a motorhome, and a heroin dealer who waits for his Mexican dealer there. The park is within walking distance to the University District, which is full of drugs and other vice. Along the road in front, away from Fremont and closer to the U.D. car campers park their vehicles. I did this for a season; thre was one cop who patrolled that area, and when he figured out what I was up to, told me not to leave any trash anywhere.
If one is underage and wants to drink, Gas Works is one of the best places to find a bum willing to buy it for them. The park is a perfect place to drink as well, in the trees or below the wall alongh the water at night.
Go to Gas Works at night– late, like 1:00 am– and you will see that part of Seattle that hides– for whatever reason, maybe an old crack-head hiding in the barn, sheltered from the wind, not because he is cold, but to protect the flame on his lighter, or maybe a hobo, who is hiding from the weather, who hides everytime he sleeps, but still never has privacy, or the young punks hiding from authority figures because they are illeagally drinking, (though they are usually easily found– just sniff around, follow the scent of the pot smoke), the ones up above the wall are usually equip[ped with skate boards, and, though I don’t recommend looking, sometimes people hide in the trees to have sex.

I like the bums in the barn who roast weiners and watch tvs plugged into the outlets.
nice little rant!

By: Annie

Annie — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 04:01:14 +0000

Have you seen Charles Sheeler’s photos of Ford’s River Rouge plant? I like his tidy paintings but I really love those photos.

By: cicada

cicada — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 07:55:56 +0000

At your request, I will be happy to take faux-artsy shots of you in NYC. Just let me know when. And where all the underground night spots are.

By: mdvlist

mdvlist — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 18:06:15 +0000

Genetics do come from various places, you know. One grandfather was a NASA physicist, the other was a silk screen artist. I clearly owe my manifest lack of coolness to the former– but maybe things would have been different if I had ever had my picture taken in some underground NYC night spot. I suppose there’s still hope.