King County Washington
King County, Washington covers more than 2,300 square miles and holds a population of over 1,700,000. This makes it the largest county in Washington State and the twelfth largest in the nation. The dynamic city of Seattle serves as the King County seat, and seventy-four smaller cities and towns comprise the area. Utilizing its western border of Puget Sound and the excellent highway infrastructure, King County emerges as the Pacific Northwest’s premier shipping and manufacturing hub.
Settled in 1852 around Puget Sound’s first steam-powered sawmill, King County expanded quickly. Lumber and shipping were its first industries until World War II, when the region became a vital producer of aircrafts and warships. Today, shipbuilding and wood products remain important trades, while King County’s economy also includes fishing, manufacturing, agriculture and tourism.
International tourists visit King County year round, partaking of the wonderful natural beauty the region contains. Lake Sammamish, Lake Union and Lake Washington offer fine fishing and boating opportunities with pristine campgrounds. Many miles of hiking and biking trails wind through King County. Six rivers run through the region, lending themselves to white water rafting and kayaking.
In the central and western portion of King County, the mighty Cascade Mountains loom. The Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest is an outdoorsmen’s delight. The glacier-formed volcanic peaks tempt rugged mountain climbers, while sportsmen seek the diverse multitude of game, birds and fish species. The trail to Mount Si, lying only forty-five minutes from Seattle, is one of Washington’s most popular day-hikes.
Seattle stands out as the cultural and educational hub for King County, and one of the most vital cities in Washington. With a population of over half a million, it holds almost one third of the county residents. Situated directly across Lake Washington is the city of Bellevue, with a 2000 Census population of 112,000. These two cities combine with their southern neighbor in Pierce County, Tacoma, to form the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue Metro Area. The Metro Area boasts a prosperous and solid economy. Federal Way, with over 83,000 residents, Kent and Renton, with more than 50,000 residents, are the three next largest cities within the Metro Area. Two cities just under 50,000 residents are Redmond and Kirkland, found on the prestigious eastern side of Seattle, and known for their lovely wooded parks and lakefront property.
King County’s newest town of Sammamish incorporated in 1999. Its development is a sign of the sure and steady growth of the Seattle Metropolitan Area. King County still offers small town living. Mountain towns with exotic names such as Skykomish, Enumclaw and Snoqualmie await the rural-minded.
King County, Washington offers diverse options for its residents. Choices of urban or rural living, waterfront or mountain homes are available. Spread throughout the county are over twenty fine institutes of higher learning. This strong economic environment provides a wide range of job opportunities.
