Heritage Park
and the South Snohomish County Visitor Information Center
Welcome to Heritage Park!
Experience the history of Lynnwood from its roots as Alderwood Manor at Heritage Park.
The planned community of Alderwood Manor emerged between Everett and Seattle along the electric Interurban railway in 1917. The area’s virgin forests had been logged in the early 1900s, and the land was sold to gentlemen farmers from Seattle and Everett. By 1922 nearly 1500 poultry farms existed and Alderwood Manor was second only to Petaluma, California in egg production.
Heritage Park opened in 2004 and celebrates the agricultural, transportation and social heritage of early Alderwood Manor. The 1919 Wickers Store, the superintendent’s cottage and water tower from the 1917 Demonstration Farm, the park site’s original residence, and Interurban Car 55 now serve as community resources in the park.
For a self-guided tour of Heritage Park, download the Walking Tour Guide. The guide is also available at the facilities in the park.
Location
The park is located east of I-5 at 19921 Poplar Way in Lynnwood.
Directions
- I-5 South: Take Exit 181 (use 524 East). Merge onto 196th St. SW (524). Cross over I-5 and turn right on Poplar Way (center lane). Go one block to park on the left, at the SE corner of Alderwood Mall Parkway and Poplar Way.
- I-5 North: Take Exit 181B. Turn right on Poplar Way. Turn left into park.
Click here to view a vicinity map.
Hours
The park is open daily from dawn to dusk. For facility hours, see facility information below.
Park Reservations - (425) 670-5732
The park’s plaza and grounds can be reserved for special events such as small weddings, reunions, parties, picnics or company gatherings. The size of the event is limited by the available parking. There are no inside facilities available for reservation at this time. Reservations are not necessary for small informal gatherings. Picnic tables and benches are scattered about the park for your use.
Parking
The parking lot will accommodate 32 vehicles, including 2 handicapped stalls and 3 bus stalls.
Restrooms
Public restrooms are located at the east end of the Wickers Building.
The Park's Community Resources
 SNOHOMISH COUNTY VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER
19921 Poplar Way, Lynnwood
(425) 776-3977
Hours:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday - 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday - 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The South Snohomish County Visitor Information Center is located in the Wickers Building (Wickers Store) and is operated by the Snohomish County Tourism Bureau. The Center offers tourists and residents an abundance of community, county and statewide information, and is staffed by friendly, knowledgeable volunteers.
The Wickers Building also includes an exhibit on the history of the Interurban, a historic photo gallery and donated artifacts that pay tribute to the building’s past as Alderwood Manor’s first general store and post office. The second floor of the building was renovated in 2008 and will be developed as heritage museum space.
HERITAGE RESOURCE CENTER
19903 Poplar Way, Lynnwood
(425) 775-4694
www.alderwood.org
Hours:
Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday - 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Located in the Demonstration Farm’s superintendent’s cottage, the Heritage Resource Center offers public access to resource materials related to the historic community of Alderwood Manor. Owned and operated by the Alderwood Manor Heritage Association, the center features rotating exhibits, archives of photographs, newspapers and manuscripts, oral histories, books and reference materials. Cottage docents are on hand to guide visitors and provide historical perspective.
GENEALOGY RESEARCH LIBRARY
19827 Poplar Way, Lynnwood
(425) 775-6267
www.rootsweb.com/~wasigs
Hours:
Tuesday - 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Thursday - 10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.
Saturday - 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
The library is located in the park's original residence, the Humble House. Operated by the Sno-Isle Genealogical Society, the library is staffed with knowledgeable volunteers to assist visitors and researchers, and provide them with an understanding and appreciation of their family heritage. Call for information about drop-in classes and workshops.
INTERURBAN CAR 55
19911 Poplar Way, Lynnwood
(425) 670-5502
Trolley Tours:
September - May: By appointment - (425) 670-5502
June - August: 2nd & 4th Wednesday & Saturday - 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Interurban Car 55 is a static display in the park that represents an important part of Lynnwood's heritage. It is the only surviving car that ran between Seattle and Everett from 1910 to 1939, and has been renovated with original seats and accessories. Interurban docents Jeanne and Gary Rogers lead tours and entertain with historic details and stories of the Interurban.
Historian Alan Stein of HistoryLink.org was interviewed by Seattle Channel 21 inside Car 55 at Heritage Park on March 16, 2010. The interview adds historical perspective to the Seattle Channel’s “City Inside/Out: First Hill Streetcar” program. Mr. Stein talks about Seattle’s past experience with streetcars, including the first rail line that served Seattle and Everett from 1910 to 1939, the Interurban. The interview is included in the first half of the program. View it here.
WATER TOWER
The historic water tower from the Demonstration Farm is currently undergoing renovation. When renovation is complete, it will be available as classroom and exhibit space for community programs. Students, residents and tourists will have the opportunity to learn the important role the Demonstration Farm once played in the development of Lynnwood.
Project Design & Construction
The City wanted to preserve its remaining historic structures and provide Lynnwood residents with a better understanding of their past. In 1997, three buildings from early Alderwood Manor were rescued from destruction during freeway interchange construction. In 1999, the City purchased a 3-acre site for a park to display the historic structures, less than 1/2 mile from their original locations. Public planning meetings were held, and a master plan for Heritage Park was drafted that gathered the historic structures in a village-like setting, and featured interpretive signage, a public plaza, demonstration gardens and picnic areas. In 2003, the buildings and the Interurban trolley were moved to park site, and construction began. In May 2004, Heritage Park opened with a festive dedication.
Phasing and Funding
Phase I was funded by a combination of federal, state and local funds for approximately $1,800,000. Funding sources included:
- TEA-21 Federal Highway Administration, Transportation Enhancement Funds
- Washington State Heritage Capital Projects Fund
- Lynnwood Hotel/Motel Funds
- City of Lynnwood Capital Development Funds
- Community Donations
Phase II will complete the renovation of the Wickers Building with rehabilitation of the second floor for additional museum space with archival storage and a docent office. Renovation of Interurban Car 55 will also be completed with installation of the car's missing parts, the seats, bell, whistle, luggage racks, etc. Overhead sectional doors will be added to the trolley shelter to provide a protective environment for the trolley. Funding for this phase is provided by:
- TEA-21 Federal Highway Administration, Transportation Enhancement Funds
- Lynnwood Hotel/Motel Funds
Phase III will renovate the last historic building in the park, the water tower from the 1917 Alderwood Manor Demonstration Farm. The water tower will be restored to a functioning facility that will provide irrigation for planned demonstration gardens. The tower's attached residence will provide classroom space for programs that support our agricultural heritage. Funding for this phase is provided by:
- Washington State Heritage Capital Projects Fund
- City of Lynnwood REET Funds
Phase IV will include the development of demonstration and community gardens, trails, wetland enhancement, parking expansion and a children's play area. Funding for this phase has not yet been identified.
The Historic Structures
Interurban Car 55 is the centerpiece of Heritage Park. Car 55 is one of six Interurban electric rail cars that provided commuter service from Alderwood Manor to Seattle and Everett from 1910 to 1939. The Interurban was key to the development of Alderwood Manor, now known as Lynnwood. Folks from the big cities traveled by trolley, encouraged by the Demonstration Farm to relocate to the country, breathe the uncontaminated fresh air and learn how to raise poultry for profit. After the demise of the Interurban in 1939, Car 55 was retired, serving as a diner for several years, and later as a ticket office for the Snoqualmie Valley Railroad. The City purchased the deteriorated trolley in 1993, and began its restoration with a federal grant in 1996.
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| 1930s Interurban Car 55 |
Renovated Interurban Car 55 in Heritage Park |
Trolley Interior |
The Wickers Building, built in 1919, was the first mercantile and post office on North Trunk Road in Alderwood Manor (now 196th Street SW in Lynnwood), and a familiar landmark half-way between Seattle and Everett to passengers on the Interurban. The City rescued the old building from demolition during freeway interchange construction in 1997 and relocated it to Heritage Park in 2003. The Tudor Revival-style building has been carefully restored to preserve its distinctive features. The Wickers Building is listed on the Washington Heritage Register of Historic Places.
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| 1919 Wickers Store |
Wickers Building in Heritage Park, 2005 |
The Alderwood Manor Heritage Cottage and Water Tower are the only surviving structures from the Demonstration Farm which was built in 1917 by the Puget Mill Company. The Demonstration Farm was located along the Interurban Rail Line which generally followed the I-5 corridor. The cottage was the residence for the superintendent of the farm, and was equipped with an underground electric system that connected to the Interurban Rail Line. The water tower included an electric pump which supplied water to the Demonstration Farm. These structures were also rescued during freeway interchange construction in 1997 and relocated to the park. The cottage has been faithfully renovated by its owner, the Alderwood Manor Heritage Association, and many community volunteers.
The Humble House is the park site's original residence, built in 1919. It is preserved at Heritage Park and named for the family that bought the property in 1934. This house was originally a two-room structure, typical of accommodations provided for pioneering families in the early 1900s. Located across the street from the Demonstration Farm on a 5-acre tract, this was a working farm with chickens, horses, orchards and gardens. The Humble family remodeled the house, adding several rooms to accommodate their family of four. The house has been renovated, and is now the home of the Sno-Isle Genealogical Society's library collections, open to the public.
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| 1930s Humble House |
Humble House in Heritage Park, 2005 |
Public Art
Gentle Encounter by Louise McDowell
The park's central sculpture is provided by the 1% for the Arts Fund. The sculpture depicts a small boy and girl with a rooster, chicken and two chicks to celebrate that time in Lynnwood's history when farms, especially chicken farms, thrived. Additional chickens scattered about in the park have been donated by the community.
Heritage Park Donation Program
Future projects at Heritage Park include the expansion of museum collections, interpretive displays, community heritage programs and historic structure renovation.
Donations are gratefully accepted by the Lynnwood Parks and Recreation Foundation for the following projects. For more information, call Lynn Sordel at 425-670-5501.
- Water Tower renovation
- Museum development, exhibits and displays
- Heritage program sponsors
- Memorial bricks in the plaza
- Memorial benches
- Interurban Car 55 brass seat plaques
- Interurban Car 55 accessories
- Park sculpture
Brick Order Form
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