Wallingford is the north Seattle neighborhood on the north shore of Lake Union, running from the lake up to about N 50th Street and from Stone Way (some say Aurora) east to I-5. In two to three miles on foot you can see Gas Works Park, climb the Wallingford Steps, walk N 45th Street from Archie McPhee to the first Dick’s Drive-In, and pass three buildings from the streetcar years. Here is how to walk it, the story behind each stop, and what living here is like.
Walk planner
Plan your Wallingford walk
My Compass office is on N 34th Street in Fremont, a short walk west of the Wallingford Steps, so this is my neighborhood walk. Start at the lake, climb the steps, follow N 45th Street past a school, a firehouse and a convent from the streetcar era, and finish where Dick’s began.
History
How Wallingford grew between two lakes
Wallingford took its name from a land owner and its shape from the streetcar. Most of what you’ll see on this walk went up in the few years after rails reached N 45th Street, which is why a school, a firehouse, a convent and a high school all sit within a few blocks of each other.
- 1888John Wallingford Jr., a Civil War veteran from Maine, buys land on the hill between Lake Union and Green Lake.
- 1891Seattle annexes the land north of Lake Union, and the Latona Bridge opens as the main crossing to the north shore.
- 1904–1907Interlake School opens (1904), the gas plant starts on the point (1906), streetcar tracks reach N 45th Street (1907), and Lincoln High and the Good Shepherd home both open (1907).
- 1913The Wallingford Fire and Police Station opens on N 45th Street.
- 1954The first Dick’s Drive-In opens on NE 45th Street. By the late 1950s, crews are clearing the way for I-5 along the east edge.
- 1975Gas Works Park opens, and the city buys the Good Shepherd site, saving it from redevelopment.
- 1981–2019Interlake and Lincoln close in 1981; Interlake becomes Wallingford Center and Lincoln reopens as a high school in 2019.
- 2026Ladders and catwalks come off the Gas Works towers after fatal falls; the towers stay.
The 9 stops
Wallingford landmarks, stop by stop
Numbered as they appear on the map above, from the lake north to N 45th Street and east to I-5. All are free to see from outside.
1. Gas Works Park
2101 N Northlake Way · Gas plant 1906–1956; park since 1975
For half a century a plant on this point made gas from coal and later oil, until natural gas reached Seattle in 1956. The city bought the site in 1962 and hired landscape architect Richard Haag, who kept the rusting towers instead of clearing them. The park opened in 1975 and joined the National Register of Historic Places in 2013. Climb Kite Hill for the sundial and the best skyline view on Lake Union, or find the play barn built from part of the old pump house.
Tip: In spring 2026 the city began removing the ladders, catwalks and stairways from the fenced towers to stop climbing after fatal falls; the towers stay. Open 6 AM to 10 PM. No swimming, wading or boat launching here: the lake bottom off the park is still contaminated.
2. The Wallingford Steps
Wallingford Ave N at N 34th St · City park, open 24 hours
A wide concrete staircase with three landings links N 34th Street to N Northlake Way, the Burke-Gilman Trail and Gas Works Park. Benches and plantings line the climb, the view runs south over Lake Union to downtown, and the lowest landing holds Pond, a glass and etched-metal mosaic with a marine theme based on art by local schoolchildren.
Tip: Coming from Gas Works, cross Northlake Way at the park entrance and the steps are right there. Going up is the free workout.
3. Wallingford Playfield
4219 Wallingford Ave N · Play area rebuilt 2019
The neighborhood’s backyard: tennis courts, a soccer field, picnic spots, a summer wading pool and a play area rebuilt in 2019 with plenty to slide, swing and spin on. It’s two blocks south of N 45th Street, so a playground stop and an ice cream run are easy to pair.
Tip: Open 4 AM to 11:30 PM. The wading pool runs on a summer schedule set each year by Seattle Parks; check before you pack swimsuits.
4. Lincoln High School
4400 Interlake Ave N · Opened September 1907
Lincoln opened with 900 students from the fast-growing north end, built a block from the streetcar line on 45th. Neighbors asked for the name Interlake High School; the school board chose Lincoln instead, or the whole area might be called Interlake today. It closed in 1981, served for years as a stand-in campus for other schools, became a Seattle landmark in 2015 and reopened as a high school in fall 2019.
Tip: It’s a working school, so enjoy the brick front from the sidewalk on school days.
5. Archie McPhee
1300 N 45th St at Stone Way N · On this corner since 2009
Seattle’s novelty store has sold rubber chickens and stranger things since 1983 and moved to this busy corner in 2009. In 2018 it opened the free Rubber Chicken Museum inside, home of the world’s largest rubber chicken. Look for the Wallingford Beast in its glass case.
Tip: Stone Way, running south from here toward the lake, has its own cluster of restaurants and shops.
6. Wallingford Fire and Police Station
1629 N 45th St · Built 1913
City architect Daniel Huntington designed this building to hold Fire Station No. 11 and a police station, with room for horse-drawn engines and mounted patrols. It changed in 1921 when the horses retired, served as a police precinct from 1965, and joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. In recent years it has housed a neighborhood health clinic.
Tip: The Wallingford branch of the Seattle Public Library is a block west, at 1501 N 45th St.
7. Wallingford Center (the old Interlake School)
1815 N 45th St at Wallingford Ave N · School opened September 1904
Wallingford’s first school opened here in 1904, named Interlake because it sits midway between Lake Union and Green Lake. Designer James Stephen’s “model school” plan started with 12 rooms and grew as the streetcar filled the blocks around it. The school closed in 1981, and the building was reborn as Wallingford Center: shops below, apartments above.
Tip: This is the middle of N 45th Street’s main stretch. The Wallingford Parade runs along 45th each July.
8. Good Shepherd Center and Meridian Park
4649 Sunnyside Ave N · Built 1906–1907
The Sisters of the Good Shepherd built this home and school for girls on the highest ground between Lake Union and Green Lake; it opened in 1907 and closed in 1973. Neighbors defeated a plan to turn the site into a shopping center, the city bought it in 1975, and Historic Seattle now runs the building for nonprofits, a school, artist housing and a 150-seat performance hall in the old chapel. The grounds around it are Meridian Park, home of the Wallingford Farmers Market.
Tip: Farmers market: Wednesdays, 3 to 7 PM, late May through September, at Meridian Ave N and N 50th St. Park on Meridian, not in the Good Shepherd lot.
9. Dick’s Drive-In (the first one)
111 NE 45th St · Opened January 28, 1954
The first Dick’s opened here with 19-cent hamburgers, 11-cent fries and 21-cent shakes. The founders picked a spot between Lincoln and Roosevelt high schools, and it became a late-night hangout for students. It still looks much as it did in 1954, and every later Dick’s grew from this one.
Tip: Open daily, 10:30 AM to 2 AM. There’s no indoor seating, so eat in the car or on the walk back.
Plan your day
When to go: the Wallingford calendar
| Event | When | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Wallingford Farmers Market | Wednesdays, late May through September, 3 to 7 PM | Meridian Park at Meridian Ave N and N 50th St, with farmers, fishers and food makers. Market info |
| Wallingford Parade | Usually the second Saturday in July, 11 AM | A Seafair parade along N 45th Street with bands, floats and drill teams; 2026 was its 74th year. |
| Tangletown PorchFest | June | Free porch concerts on Wallingford’s north edge, born during the pandemic as Wallingford Porchfest. The 2026 festival was June 20. |
| Great Wallingford Bratwurst Festival | September | Two days of food, music and games at St. Benedict School, 4811 Wallingford Ave N, for more than 40 years. 2026: September 18 and 19. |
| Sunset at Gas Works | Any clear evening | The skyline lights up across the lake. Kite Hill is the best seat; the park closes at 10 PM. Seattle Parks |
Getting there
Getting there and parking
- BusRoute 44 runs the length of N 45th Street between Ballard and the U District. Route 62 crosses Wallingford on Stone Way and Meridian Ave N, linking Fremont and downtown to Green Lake.
- Light railThere’s no station in Wallingford. U District Station, on Brooklyn Ave NE between NE 43rd and NE 45th, is about two-thirds of a mile east of Dick’s, across I-5.
- Bike or walk the lakeThe Burke-Gilman Trail runs along Northlake Way past Gas Works and the foot of the Wallingford Steps. Head west and you’re in Fremont in minutes; head east and it runs 12.5 miles to Kenmore.
- CarGas Works has its own parking lot. Elsewhere it’s street parking on residential blocks; on market Wednesdays, park along Meridian Ave N.
Living here
What it’s like to live in Wallingford
Wallingford is mostly houses: Craftsman bungalows, box houses and revival styles from the early 1900s to the 1920s, many on narrow lots, with older apartments and newer townhomes mixed in. N 45th Street is the main street, Stone Way has its own cluster of destinations, and the corners of Wallingford Ave and Meridian Ave hold smaller ones. Gas Works and the lake are at the bottom of the hill; Green Lake is a short walk north.
For the numbers people ask me about, like demographics, drive times and safety, see my Wallingford neighborhood page. Prices right now are on my Seattle market page, and the 10-year month-by-month trends are here on the blog.
- Few condos, more townhomesCondo buildings are scarce here, so condo shoppers have thin choices. Townhomes started near Gas Works and the Fremont border and keep spreading; many sit in small, self-managed associations.
- Old trees, old sewer linesWallingford’s street trees are part of the charm, and their roots find their way into older side sewers. A sewer scope before you buy, and routine root treatment after, saves surprises.
- Check the trimOn a house built around 1910 or 1925, wood rot shows up first at window frames, eaves and the bottom of the siding. Look there before you fall for the porch.
- Schools go by addressSchool assignment follows the exact address, not the neighborhood name. Check any address with Seattle Public Schools’ lookup before you count on a school.
- The edges sound differentBlocks near Aurora Avenue on the west and I-5 on the east hear the highways. The middle blocks are noticeably quieter.
- Walkable by designThe streetcar laid out Wallingford before cars did, so most homes are a few blocks from N 45th Street, a park and a bus line.
How I check a house before an offer, from the sewer line to the attic, is in my buyer guide for clients.
Neighbors
Wallingford vs. Fremont vs. the U District
Wallingford sits between Fremont to the west and the University District across I-5. Here is how the three feel different.
| Wallingford | Fremont | U District | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Known for | Gas Works Park, the Wallingford Steps and N 45th Street | Public art, the Troll and the Center of the Universe | The University of Washington and The Ave |
| Main street | N 45th St, plus Stone Way | N 34th to N 36th St and Fremont Ave N | University Way NE (The Ave) |
| On the water | Gas Works Park and the Burke-Gilman along Lake Union | The Fremont Cut and the Burke-Gilman | A few blocks up from Portage Bay |
| Light rail | None; buses 44 and 62 | None; buses and the Burke-Gilman | U District Station |
| Homes | Mostly houses, with more townhomes each year | Townhomes, apartments and houses up the hill | Apartments and student housing, older houses to the north |
More neighborhood walks: Fremont, Belltown and First Hill’s architecture.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Wallingford
What is Wallingford, Seattle known for?
Gas Works Park on Lake Union, the Wallingford Steps, and N 45th Street, home of the first Dick’s Drive-In and Archie McPhee’s Rubber Chicken Museum. It’s also known for early-1900s houses on tree-lined streets.
Where is Wallingford, and what are its boundaries?
On the north shore of Lake Union. It runs from the lake north to about N 50th Street and from Stone Way east to I-5. Some put the west edge at Aurora Avenue, and many people call the blocks north of N 50th Green Lake or Tangletown.
Is Wallingford considered North Seattle?
Yes. It sits just north of Lake Union and the Ship Canal, which is the usual dividing line for north Seattle.
Where are the Wallingford Steps?
On Wallingford Ave N between N 34th Street and N Northlake Way, across from the Gas Works Park entrance. They’re a city park, open 24 hours (Seattle Parks).
Is Gas Works Park open? What changed in 2026?
Yes, daily from 6 AM to 10 PM. In spring 2026 the city began removing the ladders, catwalks and stairways from the fenced towers to stop people climbing them after fatal falls. The towers themselves stay.
Can you swim at Gas Works Park?
No. Seattle Parks bars swimming, wading and launching boats there because the lake bottom off the park is contaminated. Washington’s Department of Ecology leads the cleanup, and in September 2026 the in-water work was still reported to be years away.
Why is it called Wallingford?
For John Wallingford Jr., a Civil War veteran from Maine who bought land on the hill between Lake Union and Green Lake in 1888. Neighbors once pushed for the name Interlake for the new high school; had they won, the area might carry that name instead.
What movies were filmed at Gas Works Park?
Scenes from Singles and 10 Things I Hate About You were filmed there, and in 2021 the park hosted the NHL expansion draft for the Seattle Kraken.
When is the Wallingford Farmers Market?
Wednesdays from 3 to 7 PM, late May through September, in Meridian Park at Meridian Ave N and N 50th Street (market info).
Is Wallingford a good place to live?
For people who want a house in a walkable, central neighborhood, it’s one of Seattle’s classics: parks, the lake and N 45th Street are all close. My Wallingford page has the neighborhood numbers.
Is Wallingford safe?
It depends on the block, like any city neighborhood. Walk it at different hours before you decide, and see my Wallingford neighborhood page for crime maps and the numbers.
What ZIP code is Wallingford?
Mostly 98103. The eastern edge near I-5 is 98105; the original Dick’s, at 111 NE 45th Street, has a 98105 address.
The bottom line
Wallingford is best seen slowly and uphill. Start at Gas Works, climb the steps, follow N 45th Street past a century of buildings and end with a burger where Dick’s began. If you’re thinking about living here, come back on a market Wednesday in summer and a quiet weekday evening: you’ll know quickly whether it’s your Seattle.
Sources
- Seattle Neighborhoods: Wallingford, Thumbnail History, HistoryLink
- Wallingford, John Jr. (1833-1913), HistoryLink
- A Preliminary Sketch of Wallingford’s History, 1855-1985, City of Seattle
- Gas Works Park, Seattle Parks and Recreation
- Gas Works Park listed in the National Register, The Cultural Landscape Foundation
- The dismantling of Gas Works Park officially underway (May 2026), The Cultural Landscape Foundation
- Seattle removing Gas Works Park tower ladders after fatal falls, Axios Seattle
- Gas Works Park sits atop a toxic legacy, cleanup is still years away (Sept. 8, 2026), KIRO 7 / MyNorthwest
- Gas Works Park, Wikipedia
- Wallingford Steps, Seattle Parks and Recreation
- Wallingford Playfield, Seattle Parks and Recreation
- Building for Learning: Lincoln High School, Seattle Public Schools
- Lincoln High School: 2020 rehabilitation award, Historic Seattle
- Archie McPhee, Wikipedia
- Archie McPhee’s Rubber Chicken Museum opens, Wallyhood
- Wallingford Fire and Police Station, Wikipedia
- National Register nomination: Wallingford Police Precinct Station, National Park Service
- Wallingford Center, a retail adaptation of the old Interlake School, opens, HistoryLink
- Home of the Good Shepherd, HistoryLink
- Our history (Good Shepherd Center), Historic Seattle
- Visit the Wallingford Farmers Market, Seattle Farmers Market Association
- Dick’s Drive-In, HistoryLink
- Wallingford location and history, Dick’s Drive-In
- Archie McPhee: the Wallingford Beast and more, ParentMap
- Wallingford Porchfest brings community together, City of Seattle Front Porch
- The 2026 Wallingford Parade, Wallyhood
- Tangletown PorchFest 2026, Wallyhood
- The Great Wallingford Bratwurst Festival returns, Wallyhood
- Ridership patterns for Route 44, Seattle Transit Blog
- Ridership patterns for Route 62, Seattle Transit Blog
- U District station, Wikipedia
- Find your school, Seattle Public Schools