In Hiking Washington’s History, Judy Bentley details forty trail hikes and describes the historical significance of spots along those trails in vivid detail. It’s a fantastic way to enjoy the beauty of the region, while also learning something about its history. In today’s guest post, Bentley details an urban hike or bike ride that will take you through areas of historic and contemporary significance to the Duwamish tribe and Croatian immigrant communities.

The mouth of the Duwamish Waterway from the low bridge

The Duwamish Waterway is the industrial belt of Seattle; the shipping and manufacturing enterprises along its controlled banks drive jobs and trade. As such, the Duwamish River Trail is not the most bucolic hiking trail in Washington, but it is dense in history. It follows the “duw-ahbsh,” a name that means something like “going inside,” the way in to the Puget Sound lowlands. In Hiking Washington’s History, I described the southern end of the trail from the North Wind Fish Weir to Fort Dent. The northern end of the trail is an equally rich in Native, immigrant, and economic history. This is a biking trail but also suitable for walking if you don’t mind some long stretches between points of interest. Continue reading →