Queen Anne Yesterday & Today

This photo of the gravel pit that was located in the blocks bordered by Third and First Avenues West, West Fulton and West Armour Streets was taken shortly after 13-year-old, Frank Grigsby, drowned in the pit pond while playing with his dog on May 3, 1931. The quarry, which had been operated by the Queen Anne Sand & Gravel Company since 1922, was a dangerous attraction for neighborhood children and students at the adjacent North Queen Anne  School. Immediately following the boy’s death, Queen Anne parents demanded better security around the rock quarry and eventually pushed for its closure.

Photo courtesy of Seattle Municipal Archives, #38395

Quarry operations were banned from the site in 1939, and the former gravel pit was converted to a sports field called Queen Anne Bowl in 1942. Today Queen Anne Bowl is a popular and safe attraction for youth sports organizations and runners of all ages.