The city of Seattle now stands on land once owned by the Duwamish Tribe, led by Chief Sealth (pronounced Sea-at-thl, or what would latter be known as Seattle). The first white settlers landed at Alki Point, now located in West Seattle, a group of 24 led by Arthur Denny, a founder of the city. The group traveled from Independence, MO, via covered wagon along the Oregon Trail. Instead of ending their journey in the Willamette Valley, the Denny Party traveled northward to the Puget Sound country, which had previously been occupied solely by Hudson Bay fur trappers. While up to that time Alki Point was not a general camping ground for the Duwamish, soon after landing the Denny Party found over one thousand had set up camp in the same area. Contrary to the settlers' fears, Chief Sealth treated the guests hospitably, and to honour him, changed the name of their settlement from "New York" to "Seattle." Even as the amount of white settlements increased in the region, Chief Sealth supported them. He died in 1866, stating the following shortly beforehand:
There was a time when our Indian people covered the whole land as the waves of a wind-ruffled sea covers its shell-paved floor...I will not dwell on nor mourn our untimely death nor reproach my pale-faced brothers with hastening it. We too may have been somewhat to blame...Your time of decay may be distant but it will surely come...We may be brothers after all...Let...the white people...be just and deal kindly with my people.
All-America City Winner 1959 and 1966.
Site of Crusades by Reverend Billy Graham 1951, 1962, 1965, 1976 and 1991.
