by Rob Ketcherside

In 1888 Thomas Ewing had the good fortune to invest in West Seattle. His industry was mining: big, million-dollar mines. He had a corporate stake in mines in Nevada, Colorado, California, Utah and Arizona, and lived in all of those states over the years. His background was groceries and general stores. Somehow though this 48 year old widower ended up buying the entire West Seattle Elliott Bay waterfront and a good chunk of the hill in 1888.
 
With partners he immediately bought a ferry and built a dock just south of where the West Seattle Water Taxi lands today. They were set up just in time to attract home buyers dispossessed by Seattle's Great Fire in 1889 and all of the newcomers drawn by the reconstruction boom. Their marketing slogan could still be used today, "Because it's cheap! Because it's beautiful! Because it has a Great Future!"
 
To sell more property they formed West Seattle Cable railway and started building a well-engineered cable road up the steep hill to what we know as the Admiral District. Ferry Avenue used to be called Grand back then, and it continued through to where Admiral Way heads down to Alki. That's where they built the pavilion seen here and where recreational facilities welcomed new residents. Also welcomed: the UW Husky football team, which played Stanford on the sports field in 1893.
 
The cables were pulled up in 1897, leaving Admiral District residents to walk from the ferry. Five years later the new city of West Seattle decided that transit on Ferry and Admiral should reopen. West Seattle became the first city in the country to own their own transportation system. It opened in 1902 and was successful, actually netting a 5% profit in 1905. It continued on until the end of streetcars in Seattle.