Myrtle Edwards Park in Seattle, Washington is a 4.8-acre (1.9 ha) public park along the Elliott Bay waterfront north of Belltown, Seattle, in the state of Washington, United States. It features a 1.25-mile (2.01 km) long bicycle and walking path and is a good place to see eagles, gulls, and crows.
The park was originally named Elliott Bay Park but was renamed after the late Seattle city councilwomanMyrtle Edwards in 1976 after her family withdrew her name from what is now Gas Works Park because of the design emphasis on the gasification plant. Now, Myrtle Edwards Park celebrates a different kind of plant — the hemp plant — by hosting the annual Seattle Hempfest. From 1964 until 2008 the park was the site of the annual Fourth of Jul-Ivar's celebration — one of Seattle's large Fourth of Julyfireworks shows.
The BNSF Railroad tracks and a fence run along the long, narrow park's eastern side. Beyond the tracks is a major roadway, Elliott Avenue West. These obstacles make it difficult to enter the park except at the northern and southern ends.[2] A pedestrian/bicycle overpass at West Thomas Street (47°37′13″N122°21′43″W / 47.6202°N 122.3620°W / 47.6202; -122.3620), approximately 1⁄2 mi (0.80 km) from the park's southern end, was constructed in 2012 to address these concerns.[3]