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Issaquah ( King County , Washington , United States . The population was 11,212 at the 2000 census. Based on Per Capita Income , one of the more reliable measures of affluence, Issaquah ranks 25th of 522 areas in the state of Washington to be ranked. According to the Washington State Office of Financial Management, Issaquah ranked 6th of 279 eligible incorporated communities in population growth between 2000 and 2005.1 Forbes.com ranked Issaquah the 2nd fastest-growing suburb in the state, and the 89th in the nation.2 HISTORY Another version of the name is said to have come from the pioneers, who, being impressed with the multitude of wetland birds, called the area Squak Valley. When the next wave of settlers came and asked for the name of area the Natives told them, "Is Squak." The city was officially incorporated on April 29 , 1892 . Initially a small mining town, this town has changed noticeably both in its appearance and economic focus. Issaquah was originally developed to service the mining industry on nearby Tiger Mountain , and began as the town of Gilman, Washington. As the mining deposits neared depletion in the late 1890s, other companies started to realize Issaquah's potential to support a lucrative lumber business. These companies exported timber from Issaquah and other small, local towns to Seattle and larger, rapidly growing communities throughout western Washington. These early boom industries, however, faded into a period of relative quiet by the time of the Great Depression . The town remained fairly placid through the succeeding decades, with The Boeing Company providing the majority of employment in the area. Microsoft and other technological industries moved into Redmond, Washington and other cities in the area, and later established operations in Issaquah itself. Both Boeing and Microsoft have significantly affected Issaquah's history, cultural development, and diverse population through their active community participation and attraction of outside residents. In June 1996, Costco moved its global headquarters to Issaquah from neighboring Kirkland, Washington (thus the origin of its Kirkland Signature brand). An interesting fact: Boeing's first wooden seaplane was built by employees from Issaquah and took off from Lake Sammamish (located at the northern edge of downtown Issaquah). Other Issaquah employers include Siemens Medical Solutions' Ultrasound Group, Boehm's Candies, Darigold , and the Hedges Family Estate winery. GEOGRAPHY Issaquah is located at (47.535573, -122.043298),, at the south end of Lake Sammamish . Neighboring cities include Bellevue and Redmond , both a short 8 miles away, and downtown Seattle 17 miles to the West. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 21.9 Km&2 (8.4 Mi&2 ). 21.8 km&2 (8.4 mi&2) of it is land and 0.1 km&2 (0.04 mi&2) of it (0.35%) is water. Issaquah is surrounded on three sides by the on the west, Squak Mountain to the south, and Tiger Mountain to the east. To the north of Issaquah is Lake Sammamish . Cougar Mountain contains many large residential communities, while Squak and Tiger Mountains have much smaller populations. Geologists have noted the chemical and geological content of these three mountains to be much different than that of the Cascade Mountain Range , simply because they are not volcanic in origin, while the entire Cascade Range is postulated to have formed from volcanic action. They believe that these three mountains are the remains of a much older mountain range long since destroyed by earthquakes, volcanic action, and shifting plates. Transportation Issaquah is bisected by the Interstate 90 freeway, which runs from Seattle to Boston , and highway 900, which connects the city to neighboring Renton . There is some bus service by Sound Transit and King County Metro , but in general it is not easy to get around by public transportation in the area. There is a chronic Traffic Congestion problem on Front Street, which traverses the historic downtown. Proposals have been made to create a bypass, but opponents argue that this will only result in more sprawl in the area beyond downtown and thus in more traffic and pollution. Issaquah Valley Trolley The Issaquah Valley Trolley is a project by local residents to start a regular Trolley service on the remaining section of railroad track in downtown Issaquah together with a northern re-extension of removed track to the southern tip of Lake Sammamish. Such service would both add to the charm of the historical downtown area and make it easier for visitors and residents to get around and avoid the area's notorious traffic congestion. A onetime goal had been to extend trolley service all the way to downtown Redmond by reinstalling the track along the eastern shore of Lake Sammamish that the county removed several years ago. The opening of the East Lake Sammamish Trail in March of 2006 along that proposed line ended the possibility of Issaquah-Redmond service. As of August, 2007, there have been acquisitions of several trolleys, though none of them are in operation. One is a narrow guage trolley which is not compatible with the remaining rails left in town. It is unclear when, if ever, the trolleys will be placed into service either for tourism, or real transportation. As of August, 2007, the city in partnership with King County Metro, provides a free bus that runs through the major shopping areas of the town, which provides some relief for residents and those who wish to shop or eat at the many retailers and restaurants. LOCAL ATTRACTIONS The neighbouring highlands are called the Issaquah Alps and feature hiking trails and outdoor activity throughout the three mountains making up the Issaquah Alps. There are also many cultural and historical activities to be found in the town of Issaquah itself. Salmon Days Festival Issaquah This is a two-day International Award-winning festival held in Issaquah on the first full weekend of October each year. It is initiated by a parade, celebrating the return of the salmon to their birth-waters, and praises Issaquah's history, culture, and ethnic diversity. This free festival encompasses several arts and crafts conventions, attracting many Northwest artists; these artisans feature wood, glass, jewelry,paintings, pottery and metal artworks for sale. There are four stages of entertainment. Sporting events include 5K/10K meter runs (and a 3K run for kids), a fencing invitational, bike rides, and a golf tournament. A "Field of Fun," providing free entertainment for children of all ages, is available thanks to the many festival sponsors. Visitors are encouraged to visit the newly restored Salmon Hatchery to view the returning salmon in close detail. The 2005 register revealed over 400,000 people attended the event. Cougar Mountain Zoo The Cougar Mountain Zoo is located on the north slope of Festival, during which people may come view, and feed Santa's Reindeer, and visit the "big guy" in person. Issaquah Salmon Hatchery The Issaquah Salmon Hatchery was built in 1936 under the Federal Works Project Administration It is located on the Issaquah Creek within the city limits of Issaquah. The hatchery is owned and operated by the Washington State [http://wdfw.wa.gov/ Department of Fish and Wildlife . Friends of the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery ( FISH ) is a non-profit organization that trains volunteer guides who lead tours of the hatchery. Local elementary schools often raise small numbers of salmon eggs that are spawned in the hatchery and release them into the creeks as part of their science curriculum on the salmon life cycle. The Issaquah Salmon Hatchery is located in the cultural and geographical heart of Issaquah and is the Department of Fish and Wildlife's most visited hatchery, with an estimated 350,000 visitors a year. [http://issaquahhistory.org/sites/salmonhatchery.htm] Gilman Village Gilman Village was created in 1972, when Marvin and Ruth Mohl started saving old, unwanted farming and mining buildings, as well as pioneer homes, from around Issaquah. They moved, renovated and combined them into an attractive retail area in a park-like setting. Their goal was to create a haven for independent shops and restaurants. Now, the 40-plus shops and restaurants that make up Gilman Village constitute one of Puget Sound's best known and most distinctive shopping destinations.
SCHOOLS District: Issaquah School District 411. There are four major secondary schools (Issaquah, Skyline, and Liberty High Schools), including one "freshman campus" (Pacific Cascade Freshman Campus). Issaquah High School is over 100 years old, founded in 1905, while Liberty H.S. was built in 1977, followed by Skyline H.S. in 1997. Soon to follow was the freshman campus, completed in 2005. SISTER CITIES REFERENCES EXTERNAL LINKS
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