Merrill Hille, the project lead for the 1971 Hike-in, shared a brief history of her organizing efforts. Her work highlights how crucial deep community engagement is for ongoing trail modernization efforts today. Her full speech follows.
September 12th 2026 Matthews Beach 55th Anniversary
It was partly chance and partly choice that we ended up in Sandy Wood’s neighborhood. Sandy Wood and Jim Todd are the two who started the Burke-Gilman Trail Committee. She will tell you about that in the next talk.
Chance was that I ended up in their neighborhood because there was a house for sale. Choice was that we could walk a short distance on the railroad tracks to Matthews Beach Park. It was the only significant public park on Lake Washington north of the University of Washington. The formation of Magnuson Park followed that of the Burke-Gilman Trail Park.
When the Burke-Gilman Trail Committee formed, I joined.
After Jim Todd and Frank McChesney’s spent an hour with Mayor Wes Uhlman, I became a regular visitor to the Mayor’s office to update him on our committee’s progress.
In the Spring of 1971, the Mayor said emphatically,
“You need to make a Hike-In to show support for having the railway converted to a biking and hiking trail”. Then he proceeded to tell me the whole design of the Hike-In. “On September 12th one group of people will start under the I-5 bridge and walk to Matthew’s Beach Park. The other group will start at the Log-Boom Park at the north end of Lake Washington and walk to Matthew’s Beach Park. When the two groups meet we will have a Rally.
That was it, he had the whole vision in his head, and I had the whole summer to make it happen. Fortunately, someone told me about Ruth Itner, who was in the Institute for Institute for Governmental Research & Services at the University of Washington. Some of the oldies here may have known her through the Seattle Mountaineers where she got Mountaineers Service Award in 1987 for Making the Iron Goat Trail, an Winter Snow Park Areas.
Every week she gave me another task: Fortunately, I had many volunteers helped by making posters and contacting media and newspapers. However, I had to call: Department of Parks, All State representatives and senators in area, All City & County Council Members, Attorney General Slade Gorton, County Executive John Spellman, Governor Dan Evans.
Calling government representatives was not something I was easily comfortable with, and I was amazed the Wes Uhlman was only 4 years older than me and a successful mayor. However, Ruth Itner patiently advised me.
I had also to get buses on Sandpoint way to return hikers- the 75 Bus did not yet exist. I had to arrange for the park department to set up litter cans, a platform and a speaker.
I made 1,200 handouts that volunteers mailed to our supporters and to those in the Cascade Bicycle Club. Estell Berteig handed then out at Fairs. (One at kids hike station).
The handout has a map to show people where they could access the railway, which was not well known in 1971. People didn’t walk there.
I also needed designated people to meet groups at every entrance to the railway. Tom Hornbein from the Mountaineers helped me organize mountaineer members at every juncture.
Tom Hornbein and hardy ones walked from the two designated ends almost 6 miles. Government members attending also help organize at junctions. Mayor Unman walked from NE 65th Street to Matthews Beach and John Spelman from NE 125th Street.
More than 1000 people attended! Speakers were Jim Todd our committee’s chairperson , Mayor Ulhman, and King County Executive John Spellman. Jim Todd then presented the Mayor with a petition for the trail park signed by 1,600 citizens and also telegrams from government officials who could not attend, including a telegram from Governor Dan Evans . The next day we had excellent media coverage in the Seattle Post Intelligencer and the Wedgewood Star. Both papers have unfortunately failed.
Mayor Ulman wrote a thank you note the next day.
I will end by reading parts of his letter.
Pres. Jim Todd:
“I would like to take this opportunity, while the magnificent success of Sunday’s hike-in is still a pleasant glow, to thank you all for the work that made it happen.This was truly a day for the Burke-Gilman Committee and for all of the hikers, bikers, and outdoor enthusiasts of Seattle.”
“The Benefits of this success are twofold.
First, a large number of people throughout Seattle area have become familiar and involved in a most favorable way with our efforts to create a LINEAR Park.”
In addition, the vigorous show of support on Sunday has strengthened our bargaining position with the railroad. No longer can it be alleged that this facility is desired by a small or homogeneous group of people.
A small victory has been achieved through the energy of everyone who walked the rails.
Sincerely,
Wes Uhlman, Mayor