Edmonds is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, in the United States. It's located in the southwest part of the county, right on the Puget Sound. From Edmonds, you can see the amazing Olympic Mountains across the water!

This city is part of the larger Seattle metropolitan area. It's about 15 miles (24 km) north of Seattle and 18 miles (29 km) southwest of Everett. In 2020, Edmonds had a population of 42,853 people, making it the third largest city in Snohomish County.

Edmonds was started in 1876 by a logger named George Brackett. He bought the land from an earlier settler. The city officially became a city in 1890, just before the Great Northern Railway arrived. In the early days, many people worked in shingle mills and logging companies. These businesses operated until the 1950s. Later, the hills around Edmonds became neighborhoods where people lived and commuted to work in bigger cities.

Today, Edmonds is known as a center for the arts. It has museums, special art places, and big festivals every year, especially in its downtown area. The city is also connected to other places by state highways and the Washington State Ferries system. You can even take a ferry from Edmonds to Kingston on the Kitsap Peninsula! Public transportation is easy, with a train station downtown for Amtrak and Sounder commuter trains, plus many Community Transit bus routes.

History of Edmonds
Geography of Edmonds
Edmonds Economy
People of Edmonds
Culture and Fun in Edmonds
Notable People from Edmonds
Education in Edmonds
Edmonds Transportation
City Services
- Utilities

History of Edmonds

How Edmonds Began

Main Street in downtown Edmonds, a busy area for shopping and dining.

Long ago, before the 1800s, the Suquamish tribe lived in the Edmonds area. They gathered food and fished near the flat beach where downtown Edmonds is now. There's no proof they had a permanent village here, but they definitely used the area.

In 1841, an explorer named Charles Wilkes mapped the Puget Sound area. He named "Point Edmund" (which is now Point Edwards) to the southwest of where Edmonds is today. Later, in 1866, a man named Pleasant Ewell claimed 147 acres of land here. This land was sold a few times before a logger named George Brackett bought it in 1872 for $650.

Legend says that Brackett found the future site of Edmonds in 1870. He was looking for good logging spots in his canoe when a storm blew him ashore. Brackett and his family moved to Point Edmund in 1876. He wanted to create a town there. He drained a swampy area near the water and started logging. This place was first called "Brackett's Landing."

More settlers arrived over the next few years. By 1881, they needed a dock and a general store. In 1884, the town was officially mapped out and got its first post office. It was named "Edmonds." This name might have been a mistake for Point Edmund, or it might have been named after George Franklin Edmunds, a U.S. Senator whom Brackett admired.

Growing into a City

By the late 1880s, Edmonds had its first school, a sawmill, a hotel, and a drug store. The Town of Edmonds officially became a city on August 14, 1890. This happened after residents voted on August 7. A popular story says that George Brackett even added the names of his two oxen to the census to make sure the town had enough people (300) to become a city! Edmonds is actually the oldest city in Snohomish County.

Brackett was elected as the town's first mayor. The new town council quickly passed rules about things like saloons and gambling. In the same year, Edmonds was chosen as a stop for the Seattle and Montana Railroad. This railway later became part of the Great Northern Railway. This news made real estate investors interested in Edmonds. A company bought 455 acres of land from Brackett for $36,000. They built a new hotel and dock. The railway arrived in 1891, but it didn't cause a big land rush. The investment plan failed during an economic downturn in 1893.

A shingle mill on Lake Ballinger in 1907. These mills were very important to Edmonds' early economy.

Edmonds grew thanks to four shingle mills that did well in the 1890s. There was also an iron factory that made steel plates for shingles. By 1908, the town had its own water system, electricity, paved streets, and telephone service. In September 1908, Edmonds voted to become a third-class city, with about 1,546 residents.

A big fire on July 8, 1909, destroyed one block of buildings on Main Street. It caused $20,000 in damage. After the fire, a city council member bought the destroyed buildings. He replaced them with a new two-story concrete building.

Modern Edmonds Develops

The first car owned by an Edmonds resident arrived in 1911. Roads were improved, and stagecoach lines reached the city. Car ferry service started in 1923 with the Kingston ferry. This ferry service is still important today. During the 1920s, Edmonds made its dock and ferry terminal bigger. An oil company also built an oil terminal on the waterfront in 1922.

Another major fire hit downtown Edmonds on April 11, 1928. It damaged several buildings on Main Street. Even though local timber was becoming harder to find, the sawmills on the waterfront were still the city's main industry in the 1920s. During the Great Depression, most mills kept working. The federal government also helped with projects like new streets, parks, and additions to the high school.

By 1951, most of Edmonds' mills closed because new materials for roof shingles became popular and timber was scarce. New businesses, like an aluminum factory and an asphalt refinery, took their place. The waterfront area was rebuilt by the Port of Edmonds, which was created in 1948. In the 1950s and 1960s, the Port built a breakwater, a marina, a public beach, and a new ferry terminal.

The hills around downtown Edmonds became suburban neighborhoods. These areas were later added to the city. By 1963, Edmonds had grown a lot, with a population of 19,000. Even with this growth, Edmonds tried to keep its downtown and older neighborhoods feeling "rural-like" and not too crowded. By the end of the 1960s, Edmonds also had a new hospital, a community college, and a civic center.

Brackett's Landing Park, a popular public beach in Edmonds.

In the 1970s, downtown Edmonds businesses faced challenges as new shopping centers opened nearby. To help, the city government supported a plan to save and restore historic buildings. This "Main Street Project" helped bring new restaurants and businesses to downtown in the late 1980s. The city also turned parts of the waterfront into a public beach called Brackett's Landing Park. A public fishing pier opened in 1979, which was the first saltwater fishing pier in Washington state.

Edmonds celebrated its 100th birthday in 1990 with many events and a special Centennial Plaza. More neighborhoods were added to the city in the 1990s, reaching the King County line to the south.

The oil terminal on the waterfront closed in 1991. The city wanted to build a new transportation hub there, with a ferry terminal and train station. However, a plan to build a sewage treatment plant there was very unpopular. The plant was eventually moved to another location in 2003. The transportation plan was put on hold. The hilltop part of the old oil terminal site was cleaned up and became new condominiums that opened in 2007 and 2008.

Geography of Edmonds

Aerial view of downtown Edmonds, showing the city's layout and the ferry approaching the dock.

Edmonds is in the southwest corner of Snohomish County in Western Washington. It's considered a suburb of Seattle, located about 15 miles (24 km) south of it.

The city is next to Puget Sound on the west. To the south, it borders Shoreline in King County. Edmonds also shares borders with Woodway, Mountlake Terrace, and Lynnwood. There's also a small area called Esperance inside Edmonds that hasn't joined the city.

Edmonds has about 5 miles (8 km) of shoreline. Several small streams flow into the Puget Sound. The city's main shopping areas are Downtown Edmonds, which is in a valley called the "bowl," and the State Route 99 area on the east side. Downtown Edmonds and the "bowl" have amazing views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains.

The city also has several neighborhoods with their own small shopping areas. These include Firdale, Five Corners, Perrinville, Seaview, Sherwood, and Westgate.

Edmonds Economy

In 2015, Edmonds had about 22,152 people working, and only 3.8 percent were looking for jobs. Most people who live in Edmonds travel to other cities for work. For example, 11 percent go to Seattle, 6 percent to Lynnwood, and 6 percent to Everett. Only about 11.7 percent of people work within Edmonds itself.

The average trip to work for Edmonds residents was about 31 minutes. Most people (71 percent) drove alone, while 9 percent shared rides, and 9 percent used public transportation. The most common jobs for Edmonds residents are in education and health services (23 percent), followed by retail (13 percent) and professional services (12 percent).

Edmonds has over 13,000 jobs. About 70 percent of these jobs are in the services sector, like health care. Other big industries include retail (12 percent), education (6 percent), and construction (4 percent). The biggest employers in Edmonds are the Edmonds School District, Swedish Medical Center, and large stores like grocery stores and car dealerships. The car dealerships, mostly along State Route 99, bring in a lot of money for the city each year.

People of Edmonds

Edmonds is the third largest city in Snohomish County. In the 2020 U.S. census, it had 42,853 people. The city's population has been growing steadily. Between 1960 and 1990, Edmonds' population grew from 8,000 to over 30,000! This growth was partly because more neighborhoods joined the city.

This growth also brought many Asian immigrants and their families to Edmonds, especially Koreans. Koreans now make up about 7 percent of the population and are the largest non-white group in the city. The city's population is expected to reach 45,000 by 2035.

In 2010, there were 39,709 people living in Edmonds. The city had 17,381 households and 10,722 families. The average household had 2.26 people. The average age in the city was 46.3 years. About 18.6 percent of residents were under 18, and 19.1 percent were 65 or older.

Culture and Fun in Edmonds

Arts and Events

Edmonds is a big center for the arts in Snohomish County. It has many galleries and art places. The city government started the Edmonds Art Commission in 1975 to support public art. Edmonds has 35 outdoor art pieces and 22 flower pole structures. It also has several places just for art.

One cool project was turning the old Edmonds High School building into the Frances Anderson Cultural and Leisure Center in 1979. This center offers art classes, shows, ballet, community events, child care, and sports leagues. The city also fixed up the high school auditorium, making it the Edmonds Center for the Arts in 2006. Here, you can watch plays, concerts, and movies.

The annual Edmonds Arts Festival has been happening since 1957. It's a three-day event in June with art shows and performances. It's one of the biggest festivals in the Pacific Northwest, bringing in 75,000 visitors! About 200 artists have booths along Main Street and at the Frances Anderson Center. The Cascadia Art Museum opened in 2015 in downtown Edmonds. It shows art from the Northwest region. Downtown Edmonds also has an old movie theater from the 1920s that is still open today.

Besides visual arts, Edmonds has many performing arts groups. The Driftwood Players put on plays all year at the Wade James Theatre. The Phoenix Theatre is in Firdale Village. The city also hosts the annual Edmonds Jazz Connection in May, with school jazz groups and professional musicians. In 2018, Edmonds became the first "creative district" in Washington state!

One of the city's main landmarks is a small fountain in the middle of a roundabout on Main Street. The first fountain was put in in 1973, but some people thought it was ugly! It was later replaced by a gazebo, which was very popular. The gazebo was rebuilt in 2006 after being damaged, and it's still there today.

Edmonds has a weekly farmers' market from June to October on Saturdays. The city also has several summer festivals, like the Edmonds Waterfront Festival in June, the Edmonds Art Festival in June, the Edmonds in Bloom garden festival in July, and the Taste of Edmonds food festival in August.

Media and Library

Edmonds used to have a weekly newspaper called the Edmonds Tribune-Review for most of the 1900s. Today, you can read The Everett Herald and The Seattle Times. Since 1986, the Edmonds Beacon has published a free weekly newspaper. There's also a local blog, MyEdmondsNews.com, that covers city news.

The Edmonds library started in 1901. It moved into a special building in 1911, paid for by a generous person named Andrew Carnegie. This Carnegie Library was both a library and city hall until 1962. The city built a new library in 1982 with 20,000 square feet of space and an outdoor plaza overlooking Puget Sound. The library was damaged by a burst pipe in June 2022 and had to close. A temporary location opened, and the main library reopened on January 13, 2024!

Parks and Recreation

The city's public marina, a great place to see boats and enjoy the water.

Edmonds has 23 city parks with 189 acres of open space. There are also shared facilities with the school district and county, totaling 560 acres. Downtown Edmonds has several big parks, like the public beach at Brackett's Landing (on both sides of the ferry terminal) and City Park, which overlooks Edmonds Marsh. There's even a small 9/11 memorial at a fire station near downtown.

Besides neighborhood parks, Edmonds also has dog parks, sports fields, a seasonal swimming pool, and a skate park. The Edmonds senior center moved into a new building, the Edmonds Waterfront Center, in 2021.

The city also has several natural areas and urban forests. These places protect the original plants and trees and offer hiking trails. Edmonds Marsh Park, a 28-acre park south of downtown, protects one of the last remaining saltwater marshes in the state. It's home to 225 types of birds and has walking trails. The largest wooded area is the county-run Southwest County Park, with 120 acres of land.

The Port of Edmonds manages the city's public marina. It has 890 boat slips and is one of the biggest marinas in the Puget Sound region. North of Brackett's Landing, the city also has a 27-acre marine park called the Edmonds Underwater Park. This park is mainly for scuba diving and attracts 25,000 visitors every year! It's one of the most popular diving spots in Washington. The park has man-made reefs, several shipwrecks, and places for marine life to live.

Historical Preservation

The Carnegie Library is a historic building in Edmonds.

The Carnegie Library is the only building in Edmonds listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was added in 1973 and now houses the Edmonds Historical Museum. This museum is run by the Edmonds–South Snohomish County Historical Society.

The city government also has its own historical commission, created in 2007. It keeps a separate list of historic places with 18 buildings. This city historic list, unlike the national one, doesn't have strict rules about how buildings must look. It mainly includes historic homes and businesses.

Sister City

Edmonds has one sister city relationship. Since 1988, it has been connected with Hekinan in Japan. This friendship is celebrated with a totem pole and a plaque on the waterfront. Three times a year, the two cities send groups to visit each other, including exchange students. They also regularly exchange gifts and holiday greetings.

Notable People from Edmonds

Many interesting people have lived in Edmonds, including:

Anna Faris, actress
Rick Steves, travel author and TV host
Ken Jennings, author and Jeopardy! host
Maria Cantwell, U.S. Senator
Andra Day, singer and actress
Corey Kispert, professional basketball player
Rosalynn Sumners, Olympic figure skater

Education in Edmonds

Edmonds is part of the Edmonds School District. This district also serves Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, and Woodway. The city is home to Edmonds Woodway High School. This high school was formed in 1990 when Edmonds and Woodway high schools merged. It moved to a new campus in 1998 and has 1,800 students. It also offers the IB Diploma Programme.

The school district also runs an alternative high school called Scriber Lake High School. Within Edmonds city limits, there are two K–8 schools, five elementary schools, and two schools that combine elementary and middle grades.

Edmonds College is located near Edmonds, though it's technically in Lynnwood. Edmonds also has several private schools for students from preschool to high school.

Edmonds Transportation

The Edmonds train station, where you can catch Amtrak, Sounder commuter trains, and buses.

Edmonds has many ways to get around, all meeting in the downtown area. These include roads, trains, ferries, and buses. The city's ferry terminal is at the west end of Main Street. From here, you can take a ferry to Kingston on the Kitsap Peninsula.

The Edmonds train station is just a block from the ferry terminal. Here, you can catch Amtrak's Cascades and Empire Builder trains. You can also take Sound Transit's Sounder commuter train. These trains run on the BNSF Railway tracks, which are mostly used for freight.

Two state highways, State Route 104 and State Route 524, connect downtown Edmonds to the eastern parts of the city and other areas. Another state highway, State Route 99, runs north-south in eastern Edmonds. It connects the city's shopping area to Seattle and Everett.

Public transportation in Edmonds is provided by Community Transit. Their local buses run on major streets and connect downtown Edmonds to transit centers in Aurora Village, Lynnwood Transit Center, and Edmonds Community College. Community Transit also runs the Swift Blue Line on State Route 99, which is a fast bus service connecting Aurora Village and Everett.

City Services

Utilities

Electric power in Edmonds comes from the Snohomish County Public Utility District (PUD). This is a public company that provides electricity to all of Snohomish County. In 2017, Edmonds promised to use only renewable energy sources for all its electricity by 2025. Puget Sound Energy provides natural gas to homes and businesses in the city.

The city's tap water is provided by the Alderwood Water District. This water comes from Everett's Spada Lake Reservoir. The city government also handles its own sanitary sewer and wastewater treatment services, including a treatment plant downtown. Garbage, recycling, and yard waste are collected by private companies that work with the city.

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