Remember that century-old brick unearthed at Troll’s Knoll back in October? It just found the perfect home.
On Friday, Dec. 5, Friends of Troll’s Knoll had a small ceremony to present the historic Denny-Renton paving brick to a descendant of the Denny family, the very family whose company manufactured it as early as 1912.
The connection happened through the power of social media. After the group posted a photo of the brick in October, friends of the Denny family saw the image and passed it along. The family reached out, and plans were made for the brick to return to its maker’s descendants.
FOTK volunteer Vasily, who originally discovered the brick while building a frame around the watering tank for the moss turtle, got to recreate the moment, passing the brick to FOTK President Leo Griffin, who passed it to another FOTK volunteer, Laura Chamberlin, who presented it to the young Denny family member. The recipient’s mother and grandmother attended the ceremony, while her father captured the moment on camera.
In a fitting touch of tradition and good fortune, Griffin brought down a mizuoke (water bucket) and hisyaku (ladle), and the family watered the moss turtle. “Hopefully more good luck to come,” Griffin said.
From Fremont soil back to Denny hands, a nice full circle for a brick that once paved Seattle’s streets.
One response to “Brick comes home: Denny Family receives historic find from Troll’s Knoll”
[…] In December 2025 members of the Denny family, the original family who had the brick company, came to Troll’s Knoll for a ceremony to receive back the brick. Photos and story here. […]