"Birds of the Montlake Fill, Seattle, WA (1979-1983)" by Ellen Ratoosh
gives the following short history of the "fill" [Washington Birds 4,
December 1995]
{the following is abbreviated to some extent.}

"(The Montlake Fill's) history is well documented by Krause (1975), and by
an environmental impact statement (UW 1980). The site was first the
shallows of union Bay, an arm ofLake Washington fed by Ravenna Creek.

In 1916 the comletion of a canal linking the lake to Puget Sound caused the
water level to drop 3.3 meters, creating an extensive marsh on the peat
bottom of the bay. From 1925 until 1966, the marsh was progressively
filled with garbage, drainage channels were dredged, and wooden dikes were
placed in a partly successful attempt to prevent the peat from being forced
out into the lake by the weight of the fill material.

The landfill progressed inexorably southward and from the margins of the
wetland toward its center. Parking lots, playing fields, a shopping mall,
housing, and a few University buildings were built on the new high ground
where there had once been a marsh. The southern part of the area, at the
edge of Union Bay, remained active as a landfill until garbage dumping
ceased in 1966. In 1971 a thin layer of soil and rubble was laid over the
garbage, and the entire area was graded and seeded with grasses and
vetches. It has endured the University's indifference ever since.

...the undeveloped section of the landfill (is) a grassland of
approximately 14 hectares."

Per the maps in the article the original Union Bay extended north to NE
45th Str., west to Montlake Blvd NE, and east to about Union Bay Place NE.




Tom Schooley, Olympia WA , dunlin at mail.tss.net
"The earth that directed itself instinctively in its former phases
seems now to be entering a phase of conscious decision
through its human expression." -Thomas Berry

----------
> From: Jacki Bricker <seaotter at eskimo.com>
> To: 'tweeters at u.washington.edu'
> Subject: History of Montlake Fill
> Date: Wednesday, October 29, 1997 6:43 PM
>
> Hi tweets-- Can anyone help me?
>
> 1. Does anyone know the acreage of the Montlake Fill? How big *is* this
thing, anyway?
> 2. And does anyone know where I can find out any historical information
about it?
> Unfortunately, the web seems devoid of this information.
>
> Thanks in advance, if you're able to help!
>
>