Log House Museum

Nothing is better than a free history exhibit! We happened across this place by accident when I was showing my Dad around Alki beach. We headed in here and got our nerd on about the first settlement of West Seattle and how west Seattle developed.
The space is tiny (it’s a log cabin), but there’s tons of info! It’s cool but probably only for history nerds or if you live in West Seattle.
I hear they will even do walking tours of Alki this summer!

This here, my friends, is the start of it all. Truly where Seattle began…
This Log House was once a carriage house, home (met a previous inhabitant myself who is now the head chairwoman of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society), and a church. It has since been restored since being constructed in 1904 and purchased by the Southwest Seattle Historical Society as a museum. Although the Log House is small, it covers many important historical subjects like the Duwamish River (it was originally quite curvy but was made straight to allow for further industrial development), «The Junction» (now California and Alaska Avenues where two streetcar lines use to intersect), and Seattle natural disasters and disasters (including earthquakes and maritime disasters). The museum is home to the last picture taken of Chief Seattle (also known as Cheif Seathle, Seathl, or See-​ahth) prior to his death, and an interactive map of West Seattle with stories told by those who live here. A similar map is available online here:
. The walls are covered with awesome black and white still pictures capturing snapshots of history, with brief captions.
For those who enjoy botany, check out the gardens surrounding the Log House. It features plants indigenous to the Pacific Northwest. It is a point of contact garden that represents some of the plants that would have been growing here in 1851 and were being used by the Native people of the area. The Log House Museum is open Thursday through Sunday, noon until 4 p.m. You can reserve a free entrance pass if you are a Seattle Public Library cardholder.
Keep in mind that during the Holiday Season, they have cookies and hot apple cider for those watching the Christmas Ship Festival from Alki Beach (
).
Be sure to check out this museum and support the Southwest Seattle Historical Society! There’s also a gift shop present. Walk-​throughs have a suggested donation of $ 3 adult and $ 1 children. Receive a great, informative tour from a local for $ 2 per person. Hours are Thursday through Sunday, 12pm — 4 pm.