Duwamish Poor Farm Cemetery
6901 East Marginal Way South
Along the Duwamish River near Corson Avenue and Lucile Street
Georgetown Neighborhood, King County, Washington
Also known as Seattle Potter’s Field
History
King County Hospital Cemetery, also known as Duwamish Poor Farm Cemetery, holds a significant place in Seattle’s history. Once a Potter’s Field, it became the final resting place for 3,280 individuals, fewer than 800 of whom were identified by name during the 1912 exhumation.
What became of their remains in 1912? Theories abound. Some speculate that they were cremated, their ashes scattered in the nearby Duwamish River. Others, however, suggest a more sinister end—that the bodies were unceremoniously dumped into the river. The truth remains shrouded in mystery, but the haunting whispers in Seattle’s Georgetown district persist.
In August 1873, a petition was submitted to designate two acres of the County Farm in Georgetown for use as a public cemetery. In November and December of 1912, a total of 3,260 remains were exhumed from this cemetery and transferred to the County Crematory. Among these remains were headboards for 855 individuals, including names and dates. Additionally, 493 remains had only numbers on their headboards. In contrast, 1,012 had no markings—numbers or names—and no headstones.
In the 1880s, Dr. C.H. Merrick was the driving force behind the transformation of the King County Poor Farm into the King County Hospital. Before this, the county had contracted the Sisters of Providence to care for its poor residents at the farm. The new hospital building, designed by Willis A. Ritchie, was constructed between 1893 and 1894 on the Duwamish River, just south of Seattle. This photo shows the King County Hospital building around 1902. By the late 1920s, the facilities had become inadequate. Consequently, the county closed these old facilities in the 1930s and opened the new Harborview Hospital in Seattle.
Photo: Old King County Hospital was located near the intersection of Corson Avenue and Lucile Street. Also contained the Potter's Field.
Additional information
The Toxic Legacy of Seattle’s Lost Cemetery
What happened to the remains of 3,260 people?
Visit the Duwamish Poor Farm Cemetery Website