Seattle annexes the area north of N 85th Street to N 145th Street on January 4, 1954.

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On January 4, 1954, the City of Seattle annexes a 10-square-mile area north of N 85th Street to N 145th Street and between Puget Sound and Lake Washington. The action moves Seattle up in size in the United States from 19th to 17th, past Minneapolis and Cincinnati.

On September 15, 1953, residents and property owners in the unincorporated area voted to become part of Seattle. On November 2, 1953, Acting Mayor David Levine (Mayor Allan Pomeroy [ca. 1907-1966] was out of town) signed two ordinances enacting the annexation.

At midnight on January 4, Seattle police officers began patrolling the area. King County road crews had withdrawn earlier in the day. It took about five days for fire protection to make the transition from King County fire protection districts to the Seattle Fire Department.

Seattle's population grew by about 40,800 to 544,000 with a total area of 89.769 square miles. Carkeek Park and the Jackson Park Golf Course became part of the Seattle Parks system.

Sources:
Ross Cunningham, "Seattle to Be U.S.' 17th Largest City," The Seattle Times, January 3, 1954, p. 1; "Levine Signs Annexation Ordinances," Ibid., November 3, 1953, p. 7.

By David Wilma, October 12, 2005

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Downtown Lake City, 1950s
Postcard