In 1875, Benson Northup and his wife, Florell, arrived in Seattle. A Midwestern newspaperman, Benson started the Seattle Post with Kirk C. Ward, but he soon sold his interest in the paper and moved across the lake. Benson and his parents, James and Almira Northup, built adjoining homesteads near the present site of the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge. (The Post, meanwhile, merged with the Intelligencer to become the Post-Intelligencer.

Benson and Florell eventually moved to the Olympic Peninsula, but they left their name on an early Bellevue trail. The name of the road was altered to “Northrup Way” in the early 20th century when signs were erected, but a city council vote in the 1970s corrected the error. Today the road continues as one of Bellevue’s major arterial streets and extends far beyond the original homestead.

Heritage Corner is a weekly feature in the Bellevue Reporter. Material is provided by the Eastside Heritage Center. For more information call 425.450.1049.