Hamilton Viewpoint Park: A Century-Old West Seattle Park

Frequently asked questions

Hamilton Viewpoint Park is at 1120 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116, in the North Admiral area of West Seattle.

The park covers 16.9 acres, or about 6.8 hectares.

The park is named for Rupert L. Hamilton, a noted West Seattle community figure who helped establish it.

The park was previously known as West Side Park and as Duwamish Head Park.

The City of Seattle acquired the land in 1914, and it became a park four years later, in 1918.

More than a century of public use lies behind the 16.9 acres of city parkland at 1120 California Ave SW, in a residential corner of West Seattle. Hamilton Viewpoint Park sits in the North Admiral area, where Seattle bought the land in 1914 and opened it as a park four years later. Get to know it as one of the older pieces of the West Seattle park system, with a name rooted in local community history.

From Duwamish Head Park to Hamilton Viewpoint

Before it settled on its current title, this park answered to other names. Locals first knew it as West Side Park, and later as Duwamish Head Park.

The city acquired the property in 1914, and the grounds officially became a park in 1918. When you visit, you are stepping onto land that has served the public for more than a hundred years, part of the early wave of park space set aside across the West Seattle peninsula.

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The Man Behind the Name

The park honors Rupert L. Hamilton, a well-known figure in the West Seattle community. Hamilton helped get the park established, and the city eventually renamed the grounds in his honor, so his story travels with you every time you say the park's name.

Plan Your Visit

Head to California Ave SW in North Admiral, a residential pocket of West Seattle, to find the park. Spread across 16.9 acres, it offers a generous stretch of ground for a neighborhood site, with plenty of room to wander.

Seattle Parks and Recreation manages the park, so check the city's official parks page for current hours, rules and facility details before you set out. For a feel of the streets around it, browse our North Admiral neighborhood guide.

Nearby Parks and Landmarks

Several other North Admiral and West Seattle stops sit within a mile, so it is easy to turn a park visit into a longer outing. Straight-line distances from the park: