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WHEREAS, early Euro-American settlers recognized the development potential
around Smith Cove; and
WHEREAS, one of these early pioneers was an Ohio-born physician and poet,
Henry A. Smith (1830–1915), who, in 1853, was one of the first white settlers in this area
and after whom Smith Cove is now named; and
WHEREAS, the Seattle Lake Shore and Eastern Railroad purchased land from
the Smith family in 1884, which was later sold to the Great Northern Railroad (one of the
predecessors of BNSF Railroad), which then developed the first waterfront dock facilities
known as the Smith Cove Piers; and
WHEREAS, after the new Port of Seattle was formed in 1911, the Port of Seattle
purchased the Smith Cove Piers and approximately 20 acres of land from the Great
Northern Railroad and later developed two new coal and lumber piers, Pier 40 and 41
(renumbered in 1941 as Piers 90 and 91); and
WHEREAS, the United States Navy acquired the Smith Cove Piers and the
adjacent land in 1941 and developed the area north of the piers as a supply depot and a
receiving station, which was used during and after World War II to support naval
operations, warships, personnel transport vessels and cargo vessels; and
WHEREAS, after the US Navy closed the supply depot at Smith Cove in 1970,
the Port of Seattle purchased 198 acres of the supply depot property in 1974, including
the piers which are known today as Terminal 91; and