Time Immemorial
Alive within the land beneath our feet is a rich and enigmatic past that stretches back long before written history.
Hillwood is located in an area populated by various Coast Salish peoples, including the Duwamish tribe.
The Hillwood Neighborhood Association acknowledges the land and water that make up the ancestral homeland of the 29 recognized tribal nations in Washington state, as well as the three tribes currently working for U.S. federal government recognition: the Duwamish, Wanapum, and Chinook.
The journey to honor the place where we live includes acknowledging the actions that brought all non-indigenous people to reside in this place. The history of the generations of people who lived in the Pacific Northwest, and specifically along the shores of the Puget Sound can be found in more complete detail by visiting some of these recommended sites:
First People
Humans have inhabited the Puget Sound region for at least 10,000 years, and possibly thousands of years earlier (1). Various tribes of the region are referred to, broadly, as the Coast Salish people. Those groups include the Duwamish, Nisqually, and Skagit tribes. The numerous regional dialects are closely related, and the Coast Salish people are also sometimes linked as Lushootseed speaking, or Lushootseed people. Lushootseed can be translated as “saltwater” “language” (2).
This shared language formed the basis of rich oral lore. Story recitation was a time honored process that passed down history and socio-cultural norms. You can read some Native American origin stories as depicted by Arthur C. Ballard, through the University of Washington Digital Archives.
Kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, k̓ayuk̓ayu) in Hillwood neighborhood.The Richmond Highlands and Hillwood neighborhoods were at one point routinely burned and used as open grassy meadows (3). The roots of bracken fern and camas were dug and prepared as food in various methods (4).
For a particularly close look at the food history in Shoreline, you can visit Shoreline’s Food History. You can also find many sources of information on ethnobotany, such as Washington Native Plant Society, for a wider view of the use of native plants.
Though Coast Salish people moved seasonally throughout the area, extended family groups based together in winter homes identified most closely with each other. The culture of each group was distinct, and greatly influenced by the environment they primarily lived in, such as saltwater, river, or inland communities (2). Suquamish describes “people on the clear salt water" and Duwamish describes "inside or river people" (4). Although there are no known winter villages in what is now the City of Shoreline (5), groups moved seasonally through the area to collect cranberries in places like Ronald Bog and Twin Ponds, and traveled to the coastline to collect sword fern and kinnikinnick (3).
Sword fern (Polystichum munitum, sx̌əx̌əlč) in Hillwood neighborhood.Trails to Railroad
Due to the nature of the drumlins carved by receding glaciers, marshes and lakes in the greater Seattle area follow in a north-south line (think of Green Lake, Haller Lake, Ronald Bog, Echo Lake, and Ballinger Lake). Trails connecting rivers to marshes and lakes also likely followed the mostly north-south orientation. Meridian Avenue, which runs through Shoreline just west of the I-5 corridor, today lays in the approximate location that trails and footpaths were long established (3).
Beginning in the 1880s, speculators planned towns in anticipation of the transcontinental railroad route. Among these was Richmond Beach, platted in 1890. The arrival of the Great Northern Railroad in Richmond Beach in 1891 spurred the growth of the small town and increased the pace of development in the wooded uplands.
Construction of the Seattle-Everett Interurban line through Shoreline in 1906 and the paving of the North Trunk Road with bricks in 1913, made travel to and from Shoreline easier, which increased suburban growth. The E.E. Rogers family began constructing their general store in 1910-11 (see historical photos). People could live on a large lot, raise much of their own food and still be able to take the Interurban train, or beginning in 1914, the bus to work or high school in Seattle. Children could attend one of two local elementary schools, and general stores provided most of the goods that could not be grown at home. Local produce from fruit orchards, chicken and egg farms and strawberry fields could be shipped to the city via the Interurban or the train. The Fish family's Queen City Poultry Ranch on Greenwood at 159th was a prosperous chicken farm which attracted many visitors curious about scientific farming techniques (2).
During the early 20th century, Shoreline attracted large developments due to its rural yet accessible location. These included the Highlands and Seattle Golf Club (ca. 1908) and the Firland Tuberculosis Sanitarium (ca. 1911) which is now CRISTA Ministries. Commercial centers formed around the Interurban stops at Ronald (175th and Aurora) and Richmond Highlands (185th and Aurora). Car travel broadened the settlement pattern considerably by the mid-1920s. Although large tracts of land had been divided into smaller lots in the 1910s in anticipation of future development, houses were still scattered. By the late 1930s, commercial development concentrated along Aurora, which saw steadily increasing use as part of the region's primary north-south travel route (3).
Today’s heavily traversed roads and transportation corridors themselves harken back to long established footpaths and trails, based on the geology underlying our terrain. History has long been at work in this place, and it is visible everywhere you know to look.
Above (SHM-283-A): The E.E. Rogers General Store ca. 1914-1918. Below (SHM-076): The store a few years prior, ca. 1911. Imagine this location as a place to build a general store. The Rogers were pioneers in what would become a vitally important commercial location with the Interurban stop across the street, and the first gas station in the area just beyond the store. 
Above (SHM-136): Hillwood Neighborhood now comprises part of the area previously called Richmond Highlands. In this photo, the historic E.E. Rogers General Store can be seen in the far distance at the corner of 185th and Trunk Rd. (ca. 1920s), later to be named Aurora Avenue.
Above (SHM-524): The Interurban Trolley Station at 185th and Aurora Ave ca. 1930s. All historical photos are courtesy of the Shoreline Historical Museum (SHM).City of Shoreline Incorporation
Shoreline incorporated as a city in 1995; bounded by 145th Street to the south, 205th Street to the north, the Puget Sound to the west, and the city of Lake Forest Park to the east. Prior to this, Shoreline was part of unincorporated King County, surrounded by the cities of Seattle, Edmonds, Woodway, and Lake Forest Park. The city encompasses 11.7 square miles, and is Washington’s 23rd largest city (out of 634) with a 2020 population of 58,608.
When the city incorporated, it formally established 14 different neighborhoods, some of which were named and operating prior to the city incorporating, such as the Richmond Highlands. Today, each of the 14 neighborhoods is represented by a neighborhood association. If you live in Shoreline, you live within a represented neighborhood! The Hillwood Neighborhood is bounded by the city/county border at 205th Street to the north, 185th Street/Richmond Beach Road to the south, 8th Ave NW to the west, and Aurora Ave N. to the east.
Hillwood is primarily a residential neighborhood, with other businesses and amenities including Hillwood Park, Einstein Middle School, the historic Crista Ministries campus, the Shoreline Historical Museum, and the seasonal Shoreline Farmer’s Market. Despite the seemingly small size of our neighborhood, there is a lot going on in our area every day!
A postcard sent to residents promoting the incorporation of Shoreline. Photo courtesy of the Shoreline Historical Museum.A depiction of Hillwood Neighborhood in 2023, showing some of the businesses and amenities we have.Ongoing Changes
A new era of development is underway in Shoreline due to the opening of the highly anticipated link light rail stations in August 2024. Much like the first expansion of railroad that connected Richmond Beach to the city of Seattle in the late 1880s, the link light rail will bring with it new residents, new growth, and updates to existing city infrastructure.
The Hillwood Neighborhood Association is excited to welcome a large new group of residents in Hillwood with the opening of the apartment buildings adjacent to the Park and Ride on 192nd. Also in 2024-2025, the City of Shoreline plans to update Hillwood Park! Along with new housing and park improvements, some new business construction will begin along 185th Street and Firlands Way. There will surely be more to follow in the Town Center District and along the 185th corridor leading to the light rail station. There is a lot to be excited about in the coming years!
With all the changes to come, the Hillwood Neighborhood Association aims to welcome and connect all the residents of our neighborhood, share resources and community history, and reflect the interests of our residents by hosting relevant community events and projects.
City of Shoreline Comprehensive Plan showing the Town Center along Aurora Avenue, and areas for future development along 185th. You can view more plans at the City of Shoreline website under Picture It: Shoreline 2044.