Address: 4649 Sunnyside Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103
Stewardship contacts: Tara Macdonald
Types of fruit grown within this orchard: Heirloom apple varieties (including types like Kidd’s Orange, Jonagold, Tompkins King, Melrose, Macoun, Grand Alexander, Pacific Pride, Jonamac, and Winesap), European and Asian pears (including Shinseiki, Yakumo, Nijisseiki, Chojuro, Shinko espalier, and Shinseiho espalier), and plum.
Background and history:
In 1907 the Sisters of the Good Shepherd opened “The Home of the Good Shepherd” to provide shelter, education, and guidance to girls and young women in crisis. At the turn of the 20th century, the sisters planted an extensive orchard with several varieties of apples, pears, plums, and cherries. As residency at the Home of the Good Shepherd declined in the 1960s and 1970s, the orchards fell into disrepair. Seattle Parks acquired the 11-acre campus in 1976 and subsequently transferred ownership of the building to Historic Seattle.
The orchard at the Good Shepherd Center is currently managed by the team at Historic Seattle. The orchard at Meridian Playfield (the other side of the historic property) remains under ownership of Seattle Parks.
