Black River, near Renton, ca 1898 (MOHAI 6460)

The Black River, at the south end of Lake Washington, was once the lake's main drainage channel. It was also the main route for commerce between the lakeside towns and Seattle on Elliott Bay. In the 1910s, the building of the Lake Washington Ship Canal changed the drainage pattern of the lake, and the Black River slowly disappeared. The old river route is now the site of the Renton Airport and a Boeing Aircraft Company plant.
This photo, taken between 1897 and 1900 by Anders Wilse, shows the Black River near Renton. At the time, the area was heavily wooded with farms and homesteads.

Subjects (LCTGM): Rivers