Bremerton, Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bremerton, Washington
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Aerial view of the city with Puget Sound Naval Shipyard at the bottom
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Location of Bremerton, Washington
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| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Kitsap |
| Named for | William Bremer |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–council |
| Area | |
| • City | 32.17 sq mi (83.31 km2) |
| • Land | 28.48 sq mi (73.75 km2) |
| • Water | 3.69 sq mi (9.56 km2) |
| Elevation | 39 ft (12 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • City | 43,505 |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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45,450 |
| • Density | 1,530.2/sq mi (590.8/km2) |
| • Urban | 224,449 (US: 174th) |
| • Urban density | 1,527.8/sq mi (589.9/km2) |
| • Metro | 275,611 (US: 180th) |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) |
| ZIP Codes |
98310–98312, 98314, 98337
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| Area code(s) | 360/564 |
| Sales Tax | 9% |
| GNIS feature ID | 1512028 |
Bremerton is a city in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. It's the largest city on the Kitsap Peninsula, with about 43,505 people counted in 2020. Bremerton is famous for being home to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and a part of Naval Base Kitsap.
The city is located west of Seattle and you can get there by ferry or a passenger-only ferry. Bremerton stretches across the Port Washington Narrows and along Sinclair Inlet, which is across from Port Orchard.
Contents
History of Bremerton
How Bremerton Began
Bremerton is on the historical land of the Suquamish Tribe. The land became available for new settlers after the Treaty of Point Elliott in 1855. A German immigrant and businessman from Seattle, William Bremer, planned the city in 1891.
In 1891, Navy Lt. A.B. Wyckoff bought about 190 acres of land along Sinclair Inlet from the Bremer family. A few years earlier, the U.S. Navy decided that Point Turner was the best spot in the Pacific Northwest for a shipyard. William Bremer and his business partner, Henry Hensel, bought land near Point Turner, knowing many workers would be needed for the shipyard. In April 1891, Bremer sold 190 acres to the Navy, which became the start of the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.
Early Growth (1900-1930)
Bremerton officially became a city on October 15, 1901, with Alvyn Croxton as its first mayor. The city faced a challenge in 1902 when Navy Secretary Charles Darling moved all repair work to the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in California.
In 1908, a city library and Union High School were built for the growing population. During World War I, the shipyard grew a lot, adding submarine construction and a third drydock. The number of workers increased to over 4,000. By 1920, the population reached 8,918, partly because the city of Manette joined Bremerton in 1918. Charleston, another nearby city, also joined Bremerton in 1927, bringing the population to 10,170 by 1930.
Connecting the City (1930s)
The Manette Bridge, a 1,573-foot-long bridge, connected Manette (now East Bremerton) to Bremerton in June 1930. Before this, people had to take a ferry or a long drive around Dyes Inlet. This wooden bridge was replaced in 1949 and again in 2011. Also, the huge 250-foot-tall Hammerhead Crane No. 28 was finished at the shipyard in April 1933. It can lift 250 tons and is still a major landmark in Bremerton.
Bremerton During World War II (1940s)
During World War II, Bremerton's population grew to about 80,000 people. This was because of all the shipbuilding, repair, and maintenance work needed for the war. Many people moved away after the war, and by 1950, the city had 27,678 residents.
Two U.S. Presidents visited Bremerton in the 1940s. President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave a speech at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in August 1944. President Harry S. Truman visited in June 1948. There's a local story that the famous phrase "Give 'em hell, Harry" was first shouted to him in Bremerton.
After World War II, a college was needed for returning soldiers. Olympic College, a two-year school, opened in 1946 with 575 students. President Truman attended the first graduation ceremony in 1948 and received the college's first honorary degree.
Stability and Change (1950-1970)
The 1950s and 1960s were stable times for Bremerton. A second high school opened in 1956. In 1958, the $5.3 million Warren Avenue Bridge was built, making it easier to travel between parts of the city.
The battleship USS Missouri, where the Japanese surrender treaty was signed to end World War II, was kept at the shipyard from 1955. It was a big tourist attraction for 30 years. Many visitors came to see the "surrender deck" before the ship was moved to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in 1998 to become a museum.
Modern Bremerton (1990-Present)
Bremerton has worked hard to improve its downtown area. In 1992, a Waterfront Boardwalk and Marina were built. The same year, the destroyer USS Turner Joy (DD-951) opened for public tours. This ship was involved in the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin Incident, which led to more U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.
In the 2000s, Bremerton continued its revitalization. A new bus/ferry terminal opened in 2000, followed by a hotel and conference center in 2004. The tall Norm Dicks Government Center, which holds City Hall, also opened in 2004. A Waterfront Fountain Park and Naval History Museum opened in 2007, and the marina was expanded in 2008.
A new tunnel under downtown helps cars leave the ferry more smoothly, making the downtown area more friendly for people walking. Above the tunnel, a new fountain park celebrates the city's naval history with water, art, and tributes to shipyard workers.
The popular Blackberry Festival is held every year during Labor Day weekend on the waterfront boardwalk. People enjoy blackberry ice creams, pies, jams, and more. The festival also features music, a fun run, and a bike race.
Geography of Bremerton
Bremerton is the largest city in Kitsap County, located west of Seattle across the Puget Sound. It sits on the Kitsap Peninsula. The city is bordered by Sinclair Inlet to the southeast and the strait of Port Orchard to the east.
The city is split by the Port Washington Narrows, a strait with two bridges connecting the eastern and western parts of the city. The area northeast of the narrows is called East Bremerton. Bremerton National Airport is located near the city's southern border.
The city covers about 32.29 square miles (83.63 square kilometers). Of this, 28.41 square miles (73.58 square kilometers) is land and 3.88 square miles (10.05 square kilometers) is water.
Climate in Bremerton
Bremerton has a Mediterranean climate, which means it has warm, dry summers and wet, mild winters. On average, the city gets about 51.74 inches (1,314 mm) of rain each year. Snowfall can vary a lot, from almost none to as much as 46 inches (1.17 m) in some years. The city is in U.S.D.A. climate zone 8.
| Climate data for Bremerton, Washington (1981-2010; extremes since 1948) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 62 (17) |
71 (22) |
80 (27) |
83 (28) |
92 (33) |
97 (36) |
97 (36) |
101 (38) |
97 (36) |
86 (30) |
70 (21) |
68 (20) |
101 (38) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 45.0 (7.2) |
49.1 (9.5) |
53.3 (11.8) |
58.6 (14.8) |
65.2 (18.4) |
69.9 (21.1) |
75.2 (24.0) |
75.4 (24.1) |
70.5 (21.4) |
60.6 (15.9) |
50.5 (10.3) |
45.4 (7.4) |
59.9 (15.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 34.2 (1.2) |
34.9 (1.6) |
37.0 (2.8) |
40.5 (4.7) |
45.6 (7.6) |
50.2 (10.1) |
53.4 (11.9) |
53.8 (12.1) |
50.0 (10.0) |
44.1 (6.7) |
38.3 (3.5) |
34.9 (1.6) |
43.1 (6.2) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 12 (−11) |
12 (−11) |
19 (−7) |
28 (−2) |
27 (−3) |
38 (3) |
41 (5) |
39 (4) |
33 (1) |
27 (−3) |
10 (−12) |
7 (−14) |
7 (−14) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 8.32 (211) |
6.15 (156) |
5.48 (139) |
3.11 (79) |
2.00 (51) |
1.55 (39) |
0.86 (22) |
1.04 (26) |
1.79 (45) |
4.49 (114) |
8.11 (206) |
8.84 (225) |
51.74 (1,313) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 3.4 (8.6) |
1.3 (3.3) |
0.4 (1.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.7 (1.8) |
1.8 (4.6) |
7.6 (19.3) |
| Average precipitation days | 8.32 | 6.15 | 5.48 | 3.11 | 2.00 | 1.55 | 0.86 | 1.04 | 1.79 | 4.49 | 8.11 | 8.84 | 51.74 |
People of Bremerton
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 2,993 | — | |
| 1920 | 8,918 | 198.0% | |
| 1930 | 10,170 | 14.0% | |
| 1940 | 15,134 | 48.8% | |
| 1950 | 27,678 | 82.9% | |
| 1960 | 28,922 | 4.5% | |
| 1970 | 35,307 | 22.1% | |
| 1980 | 36,208 | 2.6% | |
| 1990 | 38,142 | 5.3% | |
| 2000 | 37,259 | −2.3% | |
| 2010 | 37,729 | 1.3% | |
| 2020 | 43,505 | 15.3% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 45,450 | 20.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
As of the census in 2010, Bremerton had 37,729 people living in 14,932 households. The city's population density was about 1,328 people per square mile (512.7 per square kilometer).
The people in Bremerton come from many different backgrounds. In 2010, about 74% of residents were White, 6.7% were African American, 2.0% were Native American, 5.5% were Asian, and 1.3% were Pacific Islander. About 9.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The average age in the city was 31.9 years. About 19.5% of residents were under 18, and 11.9% were 65 or older.
Education in Bremerton
Public schools in Bremerton are managed by the Bremerton School District, Central Kitsap School District, and South Kitsap School District. For college-level education, students can attend Olympic College.
There is also a private school, Christ the King Lutheran School, which teaches students from Pre-K to 8th grade.
Sports and Fun in Bremerton
Bremerton has been home to several sports teams. The Kitsap BlueJackets baseball team played here until 2017. The city also had the Kitsap Pumas soccer team and currently has the Kitsap Admirals basketball team.
Famous People from Bremerton
Arts and Entertainment
- Dan Attoe, painter and sculptor
- Jill Banner, film actress
- Adelaide Hawley Cumming, vaudeville performer and radio host
- Avram Davidson, author and literary critic
- Howard Duff, actor, known for radio and TV shows
- Brent David Fraser, actor
- Geologic, lead rapper for Blue Scholars
- Elizabeth George, Christian author
- Ben Gibbard, musician
- John Michael Greer, author
- Mike Herrera, bass guitarist and vocalist for the band MxPx
- Steven Holl, architect, born in Bremerton
- Quincy Jones, famous musician, producer, and songwriter
- Douglas Kahn, historian and theorist of media and the arts
- Buddy Knox, singer and songwriter
- Glenn Jarstad, mayor
- Jack Lenor Larsen, textile designer and author
- Gary Miranda, poet
- Pat O'Day, radio personality
- Joe Pichler, actor
- Dorothy Provine, actress
- Sango, music producer
- Tom Wisniewski, guitarist for the band MxPx
- Heather Young, actress
Athletics
- Nathan Adrian, swimmer and five-time Olympic gold medalist
- Buddy Allin, professional golfer
- George Bayer, professional golfer
- Willie Bloomquist, baseball player for Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners
- Chuck Broyles, head football coach
- Larry Gunselman, racing driver
- Rondin Johnson, former MLB second baseman
- Don Heinrich, American football player, coach, and announcer
- Dana Kirk and Tara Kirk, Olympic swimmers
- Mike Levenseller, football player
- Benji Olson, former NFL offensive guard
- Kevin Sargent, former NFL player
- Alex Smith, former NFL quarterback
- John Stroeder, former professional basketball player
- Champ Summers, former professional baseball player
- Ted Tappe, former professional baseball player
- Nick Tucker, racing driver
- Marvin Williams, NBA player
- Marc Wilson, former NFL quarterback
- Logan Owen, Professional Racing Cyclist
Other Notable People
- Augusta Cohen Coontz, American First Lady of Guam
- Bill Gates Sr., father of Microsoft founder Bill Gates, born in Bremerton
- Margaret Grubb, first wife of L. Ron Hubbard
- Marjorie Fox Hallman, worked for a title agency in Bremerton
- Mary Beardslee Hinds, American First Lady of Guam
- L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology founder, attended Union High School in Bremerton
- Harvey Hudson, founder of Harvey's Butter Rum Batter
Sister Cities
Bremerton has special connections with these cities around the world:
Kure, Japan
Olongapo, Philippines
See also
In Spanish: Bremerton para niños
