right|thumb|Laurelhurst

thumb|Laurelhurst residential street, near [[Laurelhurst Park (Seattle)|Laurelhurst Park]]

Laurelhurst is a residential neighborhood in northeastern Seattle, Washington, US. It is bounded on the northeast by Ivanhoe Place N.E., beyond which is Windermere; on the northwest by Sand Point Way N.E. and N.E. 45th Street, beyond which are Hawthorne Hills, Ravenna, and University Village; on the west by Mary Gates Memorial Drive N.E., beyond which is the East Campus of the University of Washington; on the southwest by Union Bay; and on the east by Lake Washington. Seattle Children's Hospital is located in its northwest corner. Once a seasonal campground of the Duwamish people, the neighborhood has been a part of Seattle since its annexation in 1910.

The community center is an official city landmark. The Laurelhurst Beach Club, Laurelhurst Park, and its Laurelhurst Community Center serve as gathering places.

Laurelhurst has had several famous residents, including Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas, who rented a house on the waterfront one summer while filming a movie; musician Duff McKagan, bassist for Guns N' Roses. Bill Gates spent part of his childhood there.

The neighborhood is one of the most expensive in Seattle, with median home prices around $1,649,000, over double the overall Seattle median of $735,000, .

History

The name Laurelhurst dates from between 1906 and 1909, when Joseph McLaughlin and R.F. Booth, incorporated under the name McLaughlin Realty Company, acquired property from several owners in the already established areas of Scottish Heights and Yesler Village. They established a new plat, introduced the new name, brought in water, electricity, and sewer services, but failed to attract a streetcar line.

"Laurel" stands for the plant name Laurel and "hurst" means "wood" in archaic English.

Education

Laurelhurst is home to Laurelhurst Elementary School, Villa Academy, an independent grade school, the Wu Hsing Tao School, and the Seattle Midwifery School.

News sources

The community was served by the North Seattle Herald-Outlook, which printed a weekly edition until it was shut down in January 2012 by owner Pacific Publishing Company.

Controversies

In 2026, a viral social media post drew attention to the relationship between the Laurelhurst Community Council (LCC) and Seattle Children's Hospital. Concerned about noise from helicopters using the hospital's helipad, the LCC successfully lobbied in 1992 to have Seattle Children's Hospital enter a voluntary agreement with the City of Seattle where only the most serious cases would land at the hospital. Patients that are not in critical enough condition are forced to land at a helipad located at the University of Washington and then travel by ambulance the final one mile to the hospital. The Laurelhurst Community Council has a long history with Seattle Children's Hospital, repeatedly opposing hospital expansion and placing limits on hospital staff parking on nearby streets. Having members of a very affluent neighborhood oppose treating critically sick and injured children was considered a classic example of NIMBY behavior and drew criticism and mockery of Laurelhurst residents.

Notes

  • HistoryLink - A Thumbnail History of Laurelhurst
  • Laurelhurst Community Club
  • Seattle Parks & Recreation - Laurelhurst Community Center
  • Seattle City Clerk: Laurelhurst neighborhood
  • Laurelhurst Beach Club
  • Laurelhurst Elementary School