A Drive Through History

Take a Historic Drive Down Military Road

One of the oldest roads in the state of Washington, Military Road is a literal path through history.

But why is it called Military Road? Back in the late 1850s, before Washington was even a state, the United States needed a land route connecting Fort Steilacoom in the south to Fort Bellingham in the north. In the summer and fall of 1857, Army personnel led the surveying (accompanied by a party of native guides and settlers) and some of the initial labor, but much of the actual work of construction and finishing the roads was contracted out to nearby residents, which is considered among some of the first federal dollars spent to support the local economy.

The modern road still functions as a scenic and historic route through Seattle Southside and beyond to the greater Pacific Northwest. Here are some of our favorite stops along Military Road in Seattle Southside and how they connect to local history.

Note: This itinerary starts from the north and heads south.

Take a Historic Drive Down Military Road

1Seattle Pet Cemetery

Recently dedicated as a King County Historical Landmark, this site honors our animal companions by serving as a final resting place.

Start your trip along Military Road at the beautiful Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden in SeaTac. Take a stroll through 10.5 acres of beautifully manicured gardens. In addition to rhododendrons, fuchsias and lilies, you’ll also find the soothing Seike Japanese Garden, where a moment of Zen and a history lesson awaits. From here, follow the road south, and you'll briefly have to cut down International Boulevard to continue down Military Road. Some sections of this historical roadway now intersect with other roads, so there are places where you may have to turn to stay on the same road,

Military Road was constructed by many different local crews coming together to complete this massive project, and there were some differing methods used to construct and complete the road. In some of the smoothest parts of the road (at the time, at least), the roadway was planked, that is, paved with logs or wood planks, giving it a ribbed texture like corduroy fabric. This type of road was called a "corduroy road" because of the resemblance, and while none of it remains in place today (thankfully for your suspension!), it was one of the smoothest rides you could hope for at a time when the land was so densely wooded that, according to the surveyors, sunlight never reached the ground.

If you make the correct left turn back onto Military Road, you'll drive past beautiful Angle Lake on your right. If, however, you wanted to visit Angle Lake Park and take in the scenery here, including the splash park, picnic benches, and stocked fishing, then instead of turning onto Military Road again, just keep heading down International Boulevard and you'll see the entrance to the park on your left. Like the other small lakes nearby, Angle Lake was formed by the retreat of a glacier some 12,000 years ago, which was also responsible for much of our region's interesting topography.

Military Road connects three lakes in South King County: Angle Lake, Star Lake, and Five Mile Lake. These lakes were once used as army campsites for military personnel moving along the roadway. Between how dense the forest was and the need to communicate with these camps, Military Road was an ideal route for the first telegraph line in Washington State, which connected Fort Steilacoom and Fort Bellingham with any army personnel at camps along the road. In 2014, a series of telegraph demonstrations were made for the 150th anniversary of the telegraph line along Military Road. You can learn more about that project and more Military Road history on the SoCo Culture website.

If you have a dog or you’re interested in the military history along Military Road, stop by the Grandview Off-Leash Dog Park. What does a dog park have to do with the military, you ask? Well, it just so happens that before it was a dog park, the Grandview location was a NIKE missile launch site in the 50's and 60's. It’s fascinating to think that the park filled with happy-go-lucky frolicking dogs was once a Cold War-era anti-aircraft missile site!

Further down the road is one of the latest King County Historical Landmarks, the Seattle Pet Cemetary. This spot is the final resting place not only for many faithful furry friends, but even some local celebrities, from hero K-9 officers to Little Tyke, the lioness who was famous for being a vegetarian! This tranquil spot is also home to some interesting art, including a recently completed mural. With varied burial traditions on display, it's an interesting cross-section of society and cultures, showing off one thing they all have in common: love for their furry friends.

From here, you can continue following the road all the way down to Fort Steilacoom, south of Tacoma. Or, if you're famished and ready for a food break, pull off of Military Road here and head to nearby Dick's Drive-In, which was recently featured on our list of best burgers in the region. And if you're still hungry for more local history, visit the Highline Heritage Museum for more information about our region's rich history.