Edmount Island facts for kids
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Edmount Island, also known as Ballinger Island, is a small island in Lake Ballinger. This island is about 3 acres in size. It is located near Seattle in south Snohomish County, Washington.
Island History
Edmount Island has an interesting past. Around the early 1900s, a house was built on the island. The first people to live there were Ira and Julia Bartholomew. They were early settlers who might have built the house as a hunting lodge.
Unique Homesteading
The Bartholomews came from Pennsylvania. In 1862, they "homesteaded" the island. Homesteading meant they claimed and settled on land. This was very unusual for an island. The United States government even had to re-survey the land. This is because the island wasn't on official maps. A special document called a "land patent" was given in 1902. This document officially recognized their ownership.
Famous Residents
Later, important people lived on the island. Richard A. Ballinger, who was the mayor of Seattle, spent summers there with his wife, Julia Ballinger. His father, Colonel Richard Henry Ballinger, also lived there. Colonel Ballinger was a veteran of the U.S. Civil War. At one time, a wooden bridge connected the island to the west shore of the lake.
The Island Today
Today, Edmount Island is part of Ballinger Park. This park is located in Mountlake Terrace. The old house and lodge are no longer standing on the island.
Peat Fire and Closure
The island itself is made of a material called peat. Peat is a type of soil made from decaying plants. In 2009, during a hot summer, a barbecue fire got out of control. The fire completely burned the peat island. Since this fire, the island has been closed to the public. The local fire department uses a special boat to reach the island for emergencies.
