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Holly Park

Stroll through Holly Park, now officially called NewHolly, a rebuilt mixed-income neighborhood in Seattle's South End. Browse its community gardens, let the kids play in its parks and spend an afternoon at its public library branch or college learning center.

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Map of Holly Park in Seattle
Map of Holly Park

Frequently asked questions

Yes. Holly Park was rebuilt starting in 1995 and is now officially named NewHolly, though many people still use the old name.

It is in southeastern Seattle and is considered part of the city's South End.

It was built in the 1940s to house defense workers and veterans, then became public housing under the Seattle Housing Authority in the 1950s.

South Seattle College's NewHolly Learning Center offers ESL and family literacy, ABE/GED preparation and a worker retraining program. Check with the college for current schedules.

About Holly Park

Garden plots, a neighborhood library branch and two parks give this corner of the South End its everyday rhythm. Holly Park in Seattle is the former name of NewHolly, a mostly residential neighborhood in the city's southeast, rebuilt as a mixed-income community after 1995. Come for its public library branch, several community gardens, two parks and a South Seattle College learning center, and expect a lived-in neighborhood with real community resources rather than a tourist district.

From Holly Park to NewHolly

The story here begins in the 1940s, when Holly Park went up to house defense workers and veterans. In the 1950s it became public housing run by the Seattle Housing Authority, and over the following decades the buildings aged poorly as that mid-century model of low-income housing lost favor.

In 1995 the housing authority chose to rebuild the area as a mixed-income neighborhood and renamed it NewHolly, calling it the first new neighborhood in Seattle in half a century. As you wander, you will hear both names, since many locals still call it Holly Park.

Read the full Holly Park guide

Visiting Holly Park Today

Housing makes up most of the neighborhood, so plan your visit as a calm, unhurried walk through a residential community. The public spaces are the real draw, and every one of them is built around the people who live here.

Community Gardens and Green Space

Start with the gardens. City records list a remarkable number of community gardens for such a compact area, including the NewHolly 29th Ave Garden, the Power Garden, the Lucky Garden, the Rockery Community/Market Garden and the John C. Little Garden. Stroll past a few and you will see how much growing food shapes neighborhood life here.

When the kids need room to run, head to John C. Little, Sr. Park or Van Asselt Playground, where families have space to play. For more green spots around the city, browse our guide to Seattle parks.

Library and Learning

Spend a quiet hour at the NewHolly Branch of the Seattle Public Library, the anchor of the neighborhood's civic life. Nearby, South Seattle College runs the NewHolly Learning Center, which offers ESL and family literacy classes, ABE/GED preparation and a worker retraining program.

The neighborhood also hosts a Head Start preschool, child care, and youth, family and teen programs, along with employment programs aimed at living-wage jobs. Hours and class schedules can change, so check with the library or college directly before you go.

Planning Your Time in the South End

Think of Holly Park as a quiet stop: a wander past the gardens, a playground break or an easy afternoon at the library. Pair it with nearby areas using our Seattle neighborhoods guide, or line up bigger outings from our list of things to do in Seattle.

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