OUR SCHOOL’S NAMESAKE
Judge John J. McGilvra
The school took his name in 1914
Seattle lawyer and former U.S. attorney for Washington Territory
1827–1903
A place in our history
John J. McGilvra’s name is woven into Madison Park’s history. Appointed U.S. attorney for Washington Territory by President Abraham Lincoln, he later settled on land beside Lake Washington. A rough wagon road connected his home, Laurel Shade, to Seattle; the route became part of the story of Madison Street.
A neighborhood school opened on this site as Lake School in 1899. Its permanent brick building followed in 1913, and the school was renamed to honor McGilvra in 1914. His profile introduces the history behind our name; alumni stories will bring together the many paths students have taken since.
Where I went next
- Middle school
- High school
- College / university
A historical profile of the person our school is named for. The school took his name in 1914, after his lifetime; this is not an alumni account.
Sources: Seattle Public Schools history, reproduced by HistoryLink · UW Pacific Coast Architecture Database: portrait and source · UW: McGilvra’s Madison Park home
