Newcastle, Washington facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Newcastle, Washington
City
Intersection between Coal Creek Parkway and Newcastle Way, looking northwest towards Bellevue
Location of Newcastle, Washington
Country	United States
State	Washington
County	King
Founded	1869
Incorporated	September 30, 1994
Government
• Type	Council–manager
Area
• Total	4.46 sq mi (11.55 km2)
• Land	4.44 sq mi (11.49 km2)
• Water	0.03 sq mi (0.06 km2)
Elevation	564 ft (172 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	13,017
• Estimate  (2023)	12,761
• Density	2,877.48/sq mi (1,111.01/km2)
Time zone	UTC−8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP Codes	98056, 98059
Area code(s)	425
FIPS code	53-48645
GNIS feature ID	1512503

Newcastle is a city in King County, Washington, in the United States. It's located on the "Eastside" of the Seattle area. In 2020, about 13,017 people lived there.

Even though Newcastle became an official city only in 1994, it has a long and interesting past. It was an important settlement since the late 1800s. Newcastle played a big part in the growth of Seattle and the areas around it. It was one of the first places in the region to mine coal. The railroad connecting Newcastle to Seattle was the very first in King County. Timber was also important in Newcastle's early days. The coal from Newcastle's mines helped the Port of Seattle grow and brought in more railroads, like the Great Northern Railway.

The Newcastle coal mine started producing coal by the 1870s. Over 13 million tons of coal were dug up before the mine closed in 1963. The history of coal mining and the many Chinese workers are remembered in names like Coal Creek, Coal Creek Parkway, and the Coal Creek and China Creek golf courses.

Newcastle is known as one of the best places to live in the United States. In 2011, CNN Money put it in the top 20. Newsweek also ranked it highly in 2009.

History of Newcastle

Early Coal Mining Days

Coal was first found along Coal Creek in 1863. Surveyors Philip H. Lewis and Edwin Richardson discovered it. Newcastle got its name from an old saying, "Coals to Newcastle." This saying means doing something pointless, like taking coal to a place that already has a lot of it. The English city of Newcastle upon Tyne is famous for its coal.

Newcastle (first spelled "New Castle") became a village in the 1870s. However, the city's official founding date is 1869. By 1872, the mines in Newcastle were producing 75 to 100 tons of coal every day. About 60 men worked in these mines. The Seattle and Walla Walla Railroad, the first railroad in King County, reached Newcastle from Seattle in 1878. Coal mining in the area stopped in 1963.

Becoming a City

The area was not an official city until September 30, 1994. Before that, it was an unincorporated area of King County. Today, Newcastle is a suburban community. Many people who live in Newcastle work in nearby cities like Renton, Bellevue, or Seattle.

Newcastle has many hills, which means some homes have amazing views. You can see downtown Bellevue, Seattle, Mercer Island, and even the Olympic Mountains. Fun places in Newcastle include the Golf Club at Newcastle, a new Family YMCA, Lake Boren Park, and a great system of trails. Cougar Mountain is also nearby.

Newcastle and Newport Hills Communities

The community was not always called Newcastle. In the 1960s, when new homes were built, the old mining town of Newcastle was mostly forgotten. The area became known as Newport Hills.

In the early 1990s, people wanted to make Newport Hills an official city. But some residents disagreed. They thought the new city might be too small to work well. Others worried that the city leaders would only care about the golf course. In 1993, five parts of Newport Hills decided to join Bellevue instead. These areas made up almost half of the community's population. They became the Newport Hills neighborhood of Bellevue.

When the rest of Newport Hills became a city the next year, they needed a new name. Having a city called Newport Hills next to a neighborhood with the same name would be confusing. Residents voted between Cougar Mountain and Newcastle. They chose Newcastle.

Newcastle Trails

Trail marker in Newcastle Commons, along the Thomas Rouse Trail

Newcastle has a very active community that builds trails. These trails are being connected to new housing areas and parks. Most of the trail work is done by volunteers and the Washington Conservation Corps. The city of Newcastle supports these efforts. Eventually, the trail system will reach Lake Washington to the west. It is already connected to Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park to the east.

Zip Codes and City Services

Newcastle does not have its own ZIP code. This means that some sales taxes paid by Newcastle residents go to Renton instead of Newcastle. This can cause problems for Newcastle, especially since its business area is small. Neighboring cities like Renton, Bellevue, and Issaquah collect more tax money.

View from the Golf Club of Newcastle. The skyscrapers of both Seattle and Bellevue are visible, as well as Lake Washington and Mercer Island.

Geography of Newcastle

Newcastle is located at 47°32′20.36″N 122°09′20.44″W / 47.5389889°N 122.1556778°W / 47.5389889; -122.1556778. Coal Creek flows through the city from the Issaquah Alps to Lake Washington. Lake Boren is also located near the city center.

Newcastle is surrounded by other communities. Bellevue is to the north, and Renton is to the south. To the east is undeveloped land on Cougar Mountain. To the west is Lake Washington.

The city covers about 4.46 square miles (11.55 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Schools in Newcastle

Newcastle is served by two different school districts. The line dividing them runs roughly north to south, just west of Coal Creek Parkway.

Issaquah School District No. 411

• Schools: Newcastle Elementary School, Cougar Mountain Middle School, and Liberty High School
• Neighborhoods served: The Highlands at Newcastle, East Olympus, Mile Post, Lake Boren, The Trails at Newcastle, China Creek, China Falls, The Reserve at Newcastle

Renton School District No. 403

• Schools: Hazelwood Elementary School, Risdon Middle School, Hazen High School
• Neighborhoods served: Lake Washington Ridge, West Olympus, Hazelwood, Newport Woods, Newport Hills

Nearby Cities and Neighborhoods

	Bellevue	Factoria, Bellevue	Bellevue
	Mercer Island		Issaquah
		Newcastle
	Kennydale, Renton	Renton

Population of Newcastle

Even though the number of African Americans in Newcastle is small today, it was different in the 1880s. When Newcastle was a mining town, it had the largest African American population in the Puget Sound area. It was even larger than Seattle's at that time.

Population in 2020

In 2020, there were 13,017 people living in Newcastle. There were 5,132 households and 3,631 families. The population density was about 2,926 people per square mile.

The racial makeup of the city was:

• 49.60% White
• 3.41% African American
• 0.32% Native American
• 34.82% Asian
• 0.21% Pacific Islander
• 1.99% from other races
• 9.65% from two or more races

About 5.74% of the population were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). About 20.9% of residents were under 18 years old. 7.0% were under 5 years old. 13.6% were 65 years or older. The population was 50.0% female.

Population in 2010

In 2010, Newcastle had 10,380 people. There were 4,021 households and 2,860 families. The population density was about 2,334 people per square mile.

The racial makeup of the city was:

• 65.36% White
• 2.60% African American
• 0.37% Native American
• 24.67% Asian
• 0.33% Pacific Islander
• 1.63% from other races
• 5.05% from two or more races

About 4.24% of the population were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

About 35.3% of households had children under 18. Most households (61.6%) were married couples living together. The average household had 2.57 people. The average family had 3.04 people.

The median age in the city was 38.7 years. About 23.7% of residents were under 18. About 9% were 65 or older. The population was 49.6% male and 50.4% female.

Famous People from Newcastle

Many current and former Seattle Seahawks football players, coaches, and staff have lived in Newcastle. This is because it's close to the team's headquarters and practice facility in Renton.

Some notable residents include:

• Gus Bradley, former defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks
• Nate Burleson, former NFL player for the Seattle Seahawks and NFL commentator
• John Carlson, former NFL player
• Kam Chancellor, NFL player for the Seattle Seahawks
• James Hasty, former NFL player
• Steve Hutchinson, former NFL player for the Seattle Seahawks
• Julian Peterson, former NFL player for the Seattle Seahawks
• Dan Quinn, former defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks
• Mack Strong, former NFL player for the Seattle Seahawks
• Marcus Trufant, former NFL player for the Seattle Seahawks
• Alan White, drummer for the band Yes

City Landmarks

The city of Newcastle has officially named these places as landmarks:

Golf in Newcastle

Newcastle golf clubhouse

Newcastle is famous for its large golf complex. It has 36 holes spread over 350 acres. There are two championship 18-hole courses called Coal Creek and China Creek. These courses were designed by Robert E. Cupp and PGA Masters champion Fred Couples.

From the golf courses, you can see amazing views. These include Mount Rainier, Lake Washington, Lake Sammamish, the Olympic and Cascade mountains. You can also see the downtown skylines of Seattle and Bellevue. The golf complex also has a heated driving range, a pro shop, and an 18-hole mini-golf course. There's also a large clubhouse with restaurants and event spaces.

See also

In Spanish: Newcastle (Washington) para niños