We love rusty farm things, and we're not sure exactly why. But if they were once functional and people used them in bygone days to survive, then perhaps it is because they are evocative, reminiscent, contemplative. The rust serves as a veneer of the past, and the old tractors, wagons, harrowers and gas pumps pique our imagination as they tell stories of how things used to be, of how people used to live, of history.
in Juanita (10824 NE 116th St.) is perhaps the best place in Kirkland to reminisce that way, with its scattered collection of windmills, wagons, steel wheels, harrowers, discers and tillers. Homesteaded in 1887, it is perhaps the oldest remaining farmstead in Kirkland, with an 1887 house, orchards and an intact, historic barn.
The city acquired the park in 2001 from the Jerry McAuliffe family, the second family to live at the site. Jerry apparently was an avid collector, and he decorated the landscape with many old farm implements. Several are shown here in this gallery -- enjoy!
