West McGraw Street End provides shoreline access in Seattle's Magnolia neighborhood where the street meets Puget Sound. McGraw Street honors John Harte McGraw (1850-1910), who served as Washington's second governor from 1893 to 1897 after careers as Seattle Police Chief and King County Sheriff during the 1886 Seattle riot. McGraw, a Maine native who arrived in Washington in December 1876, also served as President of Seattle First National Bank and Seattle Chamber of Commerce before his gubernatorial term. A bronze statue sculpted by Richard E. Brooks in 1913 stands at McGraw Square in downtown Seattle commemorating his service, though his term ended with controversy requiring him to repay the state ten thousand dollars following an investigation. West McGraw Street runs through Magnolia Village, the neighborhood's commercial center featuring independently owned shops, and the Magnolia neighborhood itself was named when a ship's captain mistakenly identified madrona trees on the peninsula's southern bluff as magnolia trees.
Kayaking and paddleboarding launch from the street end beach access into Puget Sound for exploration along Magnolia's shoreline with views of the Olympic Mountains, Bainbridge Island, passing Washington State Ferries, and Elliott Bay's maritime traffic. Beachcombing along the rocky shoreline reveals smooth beach stones, driftwood from winter storms, shells, and occasional beach glass deposited by tides and currents. Wildlife watching includes harbor seals hauling out on rocky areas, bald eagles perching in shoreline trees and soaring overhead, great blue herons stalking shallows, and diverse seabirds including cormorants, gulls, and scoters utilizing Puget Sound's marine ecosystem. Views span across the sound to the Olympic Mountains forming a dramatic western horizon, with shipping lanes busy with cargo vessels, container ships navigating toward the Port of Seattle, and recreational sailboats dotting the water. The street end's designation as protected public right-of-way ensures continued access despite surrounding residential development, creating a neighborhood water access point among Magnolia's shoreline street ends.
Magnolia dining offers neighborhood options near Discovery Park and village areas. Palisade features Pacific Northwest cuisine including Dungeness crab cakes and grilled salmon with Elliott Bay and Seattle skyline views. Damoori Kitchen at Government Way near Discovery Park serves traditional Lebanese dishes including beef kafta pita arous with herb-flecked beef, pickled turnips, tahini, tomato, and radish. Mura Asian Eatery creates homestyle Korean and Japanese dishes including chicken karaage, beef bulgogi, katsu, spicy tofu stew, yakisoba, and fried rice. Pink Salt specializes in Peruvian fare including ceviche, Cordero lamb shank roasted with vegetables and herbs, and pan y chicharron slow-roasted pork belly on homemade bread. Mondello offers classic Italian and Mediterranean cuisine featuring homemade gnocchi, paper-thin pizza, and prosciutto-wrapped veal.
