Issaquah Real Estate Agents, Issaquah Homes for Sale, Issaquah Condos, King County, Washington, WA

Issaquah Real Estate Overview

Issaquah is a city located in King County, Washington. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 11,212.

History

Issaquah was officially incorporated on April 29, 1892. Initially a small mining town, this town has changed over the years. Based off of the mining on nearby Tiger Mountain, Issaquah began as the town of Gilman, Washington. As the mining phase began to peter off as the deposits wore down in the late 1890's, lumber companies moved in, transporting lumber from Issaquah and other small towns by railroad to Seattle and larger, growing communities throughout western Washington. These early industries had quieted by the Great Depression. The town remained fairly quiet throughout the succeeding decades, with The Boeing Company providing the majority of employment until Microsoft and other tech industries and companies moved first into Redmond, Washington and other cities in the area, later establishing operations in Issaquah itself. Both companies have significantly affected Issaquah's history, cultural development, and diverse population. In June 1996, Costco moved their world headquarters to Issaquah from neighboring Kirkland, Washington (thus explaining the origin of their 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).

Geography

Issaquah is surrounded on three sides by the Issaquah Alps (Cougar Mountain on the west, Squak Mountain to the south, and Tiger Mountain to the east) and on the north by Lake Sammamish. Cougar Mountain contains many large residential communities, while Squak and Tiger have a much smaller population. Geologists have noted that the chemical and geological content of these three mountains to be much different than that of the Cascade Mountain Range, being simply that they were not volcanic in origin, while the entire Cascade Range is postulated to have originated from volcanic action. These geologists have thought that these three mountains are the remains of a much older mountain range since destroyed by earthquakes, volcanic action, and shifting plates.

Local Attractions

The neighboring 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: This is a two-day festival held in Issaquah each fall, initiated by a parade, celebrating Issaquah's and King County's history, culture, and diverse peoples. This festival encompasses many arts and crafts conventions, attracting many of the local artists, featuring many wood, glass, and metal artworks for sale.
• Seafair: While this summer festival takes place largely in the other communities and large cities in King County, Issaquah hosted the original Seafair parades and the first hydroplane races in the Northwest. Each summer residents can hear the sound of the hydroplane racers still skimming the waters of Lake Sammamish to the north. Residents also associate Seafair with the Blue Angels and Torchlight parade. These two festivals also encompass several fundraising events for hospitals and other charities in the region.
• Cougar Mountain Zoo: Located on the north slope of Cougar Mountain, just to the west of Issaquah. This small zoo offers a glimpse at many endangered species from around the world, including many endangered birds and many small monkeys from Madagascar. The highlight of the zoo for many are the Cougars: every Saturday, the zoo's two cougars (mountain lions) are herded into a pen, while zoo employees carry chunks of meat into the cougar's habitat, hiding them in cracks of rocks, on tree branches, and even in the open. Once the employees are safe outside, the cougars are released into the habitat to search for their lunch, with often comical results: due to the cougars' poor eyesight and sense of smell, they sometimes step on pieces of meat without noticing it. Each December the zoo also offers a special Reindeer Festival, during which people may come feed and pet "Santa's Reindeer".
• Issaquah Salmon Hatchery: The Issaquah Salmon Hatchery is located on the Issaquah Creek within the city limits of Issaquah. The hatchery is owned and operated by the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife. Friends of the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery (FISH) is a volunteer organization that provides volunteer guides for tours of the hatchery. Local elementary schools often raise money for small numbers of salmon eggs to the spawned in the hatchery and released into the sea as part of their science classes while learning about the life cycles of fish. The Issaquah Salmon Hatchery is located in near the cultural and geographical heart of Issaquah.
• Gilman Village: Gilman Village is a collection of some of the Northwest's oldest buildings, now converted into a shopping and cultural center in downtown Issaquah. As nearby towns and cities such as Bellevue and Seattle began to grow and expand at a greatly increased rate in the late 1980's, local residents and long-time companies teamed up to form Gilman Village. They decided to find as many of the earliest buildings in western Washington and move them into Issaquah for preservation and awareness, purchasing and transporting many into Issaquah. Over 18 of the Northwest's oldest buildings are now located and preserved, some partially reconstructed, in Gilman Village.

Issaquah Neighborhoods

Gilman Village, Greenwood Point, High Point, I-90 Neighborhood, Issaquah Highlands, Klahanie, Montreux, Newport, North Issaquah, Olde Town, Park Pointe, Plateau, Providence Point, South Cove, Squak Mountain, Sycamore, Talus, The Woods, Tibbetts Creek Valley.

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Also: Issaquah, Washington Official Website.