Snoqualmie, Washington
Encyclopedia
Snoqualmie is a city next to Snoqualmie Falls
in King County
, Washington. The city is home to the Northwest Railway Museum
. The population was of 10,670 at the 2010 census. Movie actress Ella Raines
was born in Snoqualmie Falls, a mill town across the Snoqualmie River that is now part of Snoqualmie, on 6 August 1920.
Many of the exterior shots for David Lynch
's Twin Peaks
television series and movie (Fire Walk With Me) were filmed in Snoqualmie and in the neighboring towns of North Bend
and Fall City
.
During the 1850s, tensions were very high between the native populations and the new settlers claiming the land as their own. In 1856, in response to these tensions, Fort Alden was built in the area that would become Snoqualmie. No alliances were made between the tribes in the east and the tribes in the west, and Fort Alden was abandoned (along with other forts built around this time). Eventually, the conflict was resolved when the parents of the Indians and the settlers met and decided to ground their kids for being such brats. Afterwards, they drew a line on the ground to demarcate the land, which has pretty much held to this day.
The most successful early pioneer in the Valley was Jeremiah Borst, who arrived in the spring of 1858 on his way over the Cedar River trail from the eastern side of the mountains. He settled in the area that formerly held Fort Alden, and used his sales of pigs and apples in Seattle to buy out many of the surrounding land from other settlers.
As successful as farming was, other settlers had different methods of working the land. The very first mill in Snoqualmie was established at the mouth of Tokul Creek around 1872 by Watson Allen. Within 5 years, there were 12 logging operations on the Snoqualmie River, providing lumber to the entire Seattle region. Within 15 years, logging and mill work was employing 140 men and sending millions of board feet of logs down the river.
In 1882, the Hop Growers Association was founded by three Puget Sound partners, who used land purchased from Jeremiah Borst to create a farm that would eventually cover 1500 acres (6.1 km²), 900 acres (3.6 km²) of which was devoted solely to hops. This extremely successful venture (billed as “The Largest Hop Ranch in the World”) would fall prey to a combination of market and pest factors, and fell into relative obscurity by the end of the 1890s.
By the late 19th century, the Puget Sound region was growing, but bypassed by the major railways. In response, a group of Seattle entrepreneurs funded and built their own railway in an attempt to cross the Cascade mountains. The Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern opened up the vast natural resources Snoqualmie valley to the markets of the world, and brought in tourists from around the world to enjoy the natural beauty of the area, and to marvel at the Falls
.
Of course, a by-product of this sudden massive increase in interest in the area was a marked increase in speculation. Originally, the area that would become North Bend was platted as “Snoqualmie” in February 1889 by Will Taylor. The area that is currently Snoqualmie was platted in August of that same year as “Snoqualmie Falls” by investors from Seattle. The oral history of the area places the first residents of Snoqualmie as Edmund and Louisa Kinsey, who established the first hotel, livery, general store, dance hall, post office, and meat market – in addition to helping build the very first church in the town. Two of their sons (out of six children) are most famous for their photography documenting the early timber works in the region.
The first power plant at the Falls was built in the late 1890s by Charles Baker, one of the investors from Seattle who had assisted in the platting of the city. This development provided both power and jobs to the region, and a small company town grew up near the Falls to house the workers. More than 100 years later, Baker’s original generators are still in use by Puget Sound Energy
.
The official vote for incorporation of “Snoqualmie Falls” as the City of Snoqualmie occurred in 1903. At the time, land prices had not decreased since initially set in 1889 - prices that did not reflect the financial reality of the region. In response to these high prices, people had created a large “squatting” community, building where they wanted regardless of land ownership or interests. The first challenge that the city council faced was lowering lot prices and migrating these buildings off of the public right-of way, establishing the basic layout of the town that exists to this day.
In 1917, a new all-electric lumber mill (only the second ever in the U.S.) opened across the river from Snoqualmie, along with the company town associated with it, Snoqualmie Falls. For the first half of the century, the timber industry provided the city and Valley with a stable source of income and employment, even as World War I drew away workers and the Great Depression took its toll across the nation.
This prosperity was moderated during the Depression, and with the changes in culture and mobility that took effect in the latter half of the century, Snoqualmie and the majority of the Valley fell into somewhat of a stagnant existence. The city was bypassed when US-10 was built across the Cascades (now Interstate-90), and this led to a shift in commerce to the east (into North Bend) and west (into the Bellevue
/Issaquah
areas).
By the 1960s, the homes that had made up the company town of Snoqualmie Falls had been moved to other locations within the Valley, and the city’s population had stabilized to a growth rate of roughly 11 people per year over the next 30 years (from 1,216 in 1960 to 1,546 in 1990).
This slow growth cycle continued until the mid-1990s, when the City annexed 1300 acres (5.3 km²) of undeveloped land that became the site of the current “master-planned” community of Snoqualmie Ridge. The plan for this new community includes homes for more than 8,000 new residents, two retail centers, a business park, and the TPC Snoqualmie Ridge
, a private, PGA Tour
-sanctioned golf course
. The resulting influx of new residents and businesses is an ongoing challenge for the city council, as they attempt to balance the desire to retain the rural and historical feel of “historic” Snoqualmie with the needs of a significantly larger population than has existed in the Valley in the past. The city's historic downtown is undergoing a major renovation to improve its infrastructure and make the area more attractive to visitors to the valley's many natural attractions.
The city is at an elevation of 124 m (410 ft) above MSL
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 5.2 square miles (13.4 km²), of which, 5.1 square miles (13.3 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.58%) is water.
's milling operations were the mainstays of the local economy. Since 1989, the company has run a much smaller mill operation. While dairies were a significant local industry into the early 1950s, agriculture is no longer a major economic force in the community. With the completion of Interstate 90
in the 1970s, Snoqualmie became more accessible to Seattle
and the Eastside
, resulting in more residents working in the communities to the West. In addition, the Snoqualmie Ridge Business Park now employs close to a thousand people, and continues to expand.
Currently, the city's scenic and recreational attractions are fostering the growth of a significant local tourism industry. Along with the Falls, the city is home to the Northwest Railway Museum
. The Museum owns a historic depot and operates a historic tourist railway in the city.
As of the United States 2000 Census, there were 1,631 people, 632 households, and 432 families residing in the city. The population density
was 317.2 people per square mile (122.5/km²). There were 656 housing units at an average density of 127.6 per square mile (49.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.88% White, 0.86% African American, 2.58% Native American, 1.90% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.78% from other races
, and 2.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.21% of the population.
There were 632 households out of which 38.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples
living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.6% were non-families. 25.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.9% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 39.3% from 25 to 44, 17.7% from 45 to 64, and 6.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 101.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was US$52,697, and the median income for a family was US$58,889. Males had a median income of US$40,645 versus US$30,917 for females. The per capita income
for the city was US$22,239. About 6.1% of families and 9.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.9% of those under age 18 and 1.7% of those age 65 or over.
Snoqualmie Falls
Snoqualmie Falls is a 268 ft waterfall on the Snoqualmie River between Snoqualmie and Fall City, Washington, USA. It is one of Washington's most popular scenic attractions, but is perhaps best known internationally for its appearance in the cult television series Twin Peaks...
in King County
King County, Washington
King County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. The population in the 2010 census was 1,931,249. King is the most populous county in Washington, and the 14th most populous in the United States....
, Washington. The city is home to the Northwest Railway Museum
Northwest Railway Museum
The Northwest Railway Museum is a railroad museum in Snoqualmie, King County, Washington.-Snoqualmie Depot:The museum owns the Snoqualmie Depot built in 1890, of railroad right-of-way, and of the former Northern Pacific Railway North Bend branch...
. The population was of 10,670 at the 2010 census. Movie actress Ella Raines
Ella Raines
Ella Wallace Raines was an American film and television actress.-Life and career:Born Ella Wallace Raubes near Snoqualmie Falls, Washington, Raines studied drama at the University of Washington and was appearing in a play there when she was seen by Howard Hawks...
was born in Snoqualmie Falls, a mill town across the Snoqualmie River that is now part of Snoqualmie, on 6 August 1920.
Many of the exterior shots for David Lynch
David Lynch
David Keith Lynch is an American filmmaker, television director, visual artist, musician and occasional actor. Known for his surrealist films, he has developed his own unique cinematic style, which has been dubbed "Lynchian", and which is characterized by its dream imagery and meticulous sound...
's Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks is an American television serial drama created by David Lynch and Mark Frost. The series follows the investigation headed by FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper , of the murder of a popular teenager and homecoming queen, Laura Palmer...
television series and movie (Fire Walk With Me) were filmed in Snoqualmie and in the neighboring towns of North Bend
North Bend, Washington
North Bend is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The town was made famous by David Lynch's television series Twin Peaks Since the Weyerhaeuser sawmill closed, North Bend has become an upscale bedroom community for the Eastside of Seattle, Washington, with property values more than...
and Fall City
Fall City, Washington
Fall City is a census-designated place in King County, Washington, United States. Located 26 miles east of Seattle, the community lies along the Snoqualmie River. The population was 1,993 at the 2010 census...
.
History
The second written record of the exploration of the Snoqualmie Valley comes from the notes of Samuel Hancock, who ventured up-river with the Snoqualmie tribe in 1851 in search of coal. Near the current location of Meadowbrook Bridge, Hancock was told by his guides that the land was known as “Hyas Kloshe Illahee”, or “good/productive land”. Hancock took this useful information back with him to the area now known as Tacoma.During the 1850s, tensions were very high between the native populations and the new settlers claiming the land as their own. In 1856, in response to these tensions, Fort Alden was built in the area that would become Snoqualmie. No alliances were made between the tribes in the east and the tribes in the west, and Fort Alden was abandoned (along with other forts built around this time). Eventually, the conflict was resolved when the parents of the Indians and the settlers met and decided to ground their kids for being such brats. Afterwards, they drew a line on the ground to demarcate the land, which has pretty much held to this day.
The most successful early pioneer in the Valley was Jeremiah Borst, who arrived in the spring of 1858 on his way over the Cedar River trail from the eastern side of the mountains. He settled in the area that formerly held Fort Alden, and used his sales of pigs and apples in Seattle to buy out many of the surrounding land from other settlers.
As successful as farming was, other settlers had different methods of working the land. The very first mill in Snoqualmie was established at the mouth of Tokul Creek around 1872 by Watson Allen. Within 5 years, there were 12 logging operations on the Snoqualmie River, providing lumber to the entire Seattle region. Within 15 years, logging and mill work was employing 140 men and sending millions of board feet of logs down the river.
In 1882, the Hop Growers Association was founded by three Puget Sound partners, who used land purchased from Jeremiah Borst to create a farm that would eventually cover 1500 acres (6.1 km²), 900 acres (3.6 km²) of which was devoted solely to hops. This extremely successful venture (billed as “The Largest Hop Ranch in the World”) would fall prey to a combination of market and pest factors, and fell into relative obscurity by the end of the 1890s.
By the late 19th century, the Puget Sound region was growing, but bypassed by the major railways. In response, a group of Seattle entrepreneurs funded and built their own railway in an attempt to cross the Cascade mountains. The Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern opened up the vast natural resources Snoqualmie valley to the markets of the world, and brought in tourists from around the world to enjoy the natural beauty of the area, and to marvel at the Falls
Snoqualmie Falls
Snoqualmie Falls is a 268 ft waterfall on the Snoqualmie River between Snoqualmie and Fall City, Washington, USA. It is one of Washington's most popular scenic attractions, but is perhaps best known internationally for its appearance in the cult television series Twin Peaks...
.
Of course, a by-product of this sudden massive increase in interest in the area was a marked increase in speculation. Originally, the area that would become North Bend was platted as “Snoqualmie” in February 1889 by Will Taylor. The area that is currently Snoqualmie was platted in August of that same year as “Snoqualmie Falls” by investors from Seattle. The oral history of the area places the first residents of Snoqualmie as Edmund and Louisa Kinsey, who established the first hotel, livery, general store, dance hall, post office, and meat market – in addition to helping build the very first church in the town. Two of their sons (out of six children) are most famous for their photography documenting the early timber works in the region.
The first power plant at the Falls was built in the late 1890s by Charles Baker, one of the investors from Seattle who had assisted in the platting of the city. This development provided both power and jobs to the region, and a small company town grew up near the Falls to house the workers. More than 100 years later, Baker’s original generators are still in use by Puget Sound Energy
Puget Sound Energy
Puget Sound Energy is Washington state's oldest local energy utility providing electrical power and natural gas in the Puget Sound region of the northwest United States...
.
The official vote for incorporation of “Snoqualmie Falls” as the City of Snoqualmie occurred in 1903. At the time, land prices had not decreased since initially set in 1889 - prices that did not reflect the financial reality of the region. In response to these high prices, people had created a large “squatting” community, building where they wanted regardless of land ownership or interests. The first challenge that the city council faced was lowering lot prices and migrating these buildings off of the public right-of way, establishing the basic layout of the town that exists to this day.
In 1917, a new all-electric lumber mill (only the second ever in the U.S.) opened across the river from Snoqualmie, along with the company town associated with it, Snoqualmie Falls. For the first half of the century, the timber industry provided the city and Valley with a stable source of income and employment, even as World War I drew away workers and the Great Depression took its toll across the nation.
This prosperity was moderated during the Depression, and with the changes in culture and mobility that took effect in the latter half of the century, Snoqualmie and the majority of the Valley fell into somewhat of a stagnant existence. The city was bypassed when US-10 was built across the Cascades (now Interstate-90), and this led to a shift in commerce to the east (into North Bend) and west (into the Bellevue
Bellevue, Washington
Bellevue is a city in the Eastside region of King County, Washington, United States, across Lake Washington from Seattle. Long known as a suburb or satellite city of Seattle, it is now categorized as an edge city or a boomburb. The population was 122,363 at the 2010 census.Downtown Bellevue is...
/Issaquah
Issaquah, Washington
Issaquah is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 30,434 at the 2010 census.Based on per capita income, Issaquah ranks 25th of 522 areas in the State of Washington to be ranked....
areas).
This slow growth cycle continued until the mid-1990s, when the City annexed 1300 acres (5.3 km²) of undeveloped land that became the site of the current “master-planned” community of Snoqualmie Ridge. The plan for this new community includes homes for more than 8,000 new residents, two retail centers, a business park, and the TPC Snoqualmie Ridge
TPC Snoqualmie Ridge
TPC Snoqualmie Ridge is a private golf club located in Snoqualmie, Washington, East of Seattle at the foothills of the Cascade Range.The Jack Nicklaus designed championship golf course opened in 1999 and is a member of the Tournament Players Club network operated by the PGA Tour...
, a private, PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
-sanctioned golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
. The resulting influx of new residents and businesses is an ongoing challenge for the city council, as they attempt to balance the desire to retain the rural and historical feel of “historic” Snoqualmie with the needs of a significantly larger population than has existed in the Valley in the past. The city's historic downtown is undergoing a major renovation to improve its infrastructure and make the area more attractive to visitors to the valley's many natural attractions.
Geography
Snoqualmie is located at 47°31′59"N 121°50′40"W (47.532934, -121.844341).The city is at an elevation of 124 m (410 ft) above MSL
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 5.2 square miles (13.4 km²), of which, 5.1 square miles (13.3 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.58%) is water.
Surrounding cities and communities
Economy
Until recently, logging and WeyerhaeuserWeyerhaeuser
Weyerhaeuser is one of the largest pulp and paper companies in the world. It is the world's largest private sector owner of softwood timberland; and the second largest owner of United States timberland, behind Plum Creek Timber...
's milling operations were the mainstays of the local economy. Since 1989, the company has run a much smaller mill operation. While dairies were a significant local industry into the early 1950s, agriculture is no longer a major economic force in the community. With the completion of Interstate 90
Interstate 90
Interstate 90 is the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It is the northernmost coast-to-coast interstate, and parallels US 20 for the most part. Its western terminus is in Seattle, at Edgar Martinez Drive S. near Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field, and its eastern terminus is in...
in the 1970s, Snoqualmie became more accessible to Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
and the Eastside
Eastside (King County, Washington)
File:Seattle-lakewashington-lakesammamish.PNG|250px|right|The Eastside is to the right of Seattle.# rough city boundariespoly 137 256 148 256 158 194 172 179 172 237 212 266 133 266Renton...
, resulting in more residents working in the communities to the West. In addition, the Snoqualmie Ridge Business Park now employs close to a thousand people, and continues to expand.
Currently, the city's scenic and recreational attractions are fostering the growth of a significant local tourism industry. Along with the Falls, the city is home to the Northwest Railway Museum
Northwest Railway Museum
The Northwest Railway Museum is a railroad museum in Snoqualmie, King County, Washington.-Snoqualmie Depot:The museum owns the Snoqualmie Depot built in 1890, of railroad right-of-way, and of the former Northern Pacific Railway North Bend branch...
. The Museum owns a historic depot and operates a historic tourist railway in the city.
Demographics
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 317.2 people per square mile (122.5/km²). There were 656 housing units at an average density of 127.6 per square mile (49.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.88% White, 0.86% African American, 2.58% Native American, 1.90% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.78% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.21% of the population.
There were 632 households out of which 38.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.6% were non-families. 25.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.9% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 39.3% from 25 to 44, 17.7% from 45 to 64, and 6.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 101.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was US$52,697, and the median income for a family was US$58,889. Males had a median income of US$40,645 versus US$30,917 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was US$22,239. About 6.1% of families and 9.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.9% of those under age 18 and 1.7% of those age 65 or over.
City landmarks
The City of Snoqualmie has designated the following landmark:| Landmark | Built | Listed | Address | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snoqualmie Historic Commercial District | 1889–1941 | 1997 | Railroad Avenue vicinity |  |
Sister cities
Snoqualmie has the following sister cities:- GangjinGangjin-eupGangjin-eup is an administrative division of Gangjin county, South Jeolla Province, South Korea. As with much of Gangjin county, Gangjin-eup is largely agricultural and known for its rice, tomato, and persimmon harvests....
, South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...