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Issaquah, Washington
(pronounced ISS' e kwa)
History
Initially a small mining town, Issaquah has changed tremendously over the years. Based off of the mining on nearby
Tiger Mountain
,
Issaquah began as the town of Gilman, Washington. The mining industry began to phase out as the deposits wore down in the late 1890's. The lumber companies moved in, transporting lumber from Issaquah and other small towns by railroad to Seattle and larger, growing communities throughout western Washington. The Great Depression quieted these early industries. 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 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 (thus 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. Issaquah was officially incorporated on April 29, 1892.
Local Attractions
Salmon Days
Issaquah Salmon Days is an International award winning festival held in Issaquah on the 1st full weekend of October each year, celebrating the return of the salmon, Issaquah's history, culture, and diverse community. This free festival encompasses many arts and crafts booths attracting northwest artists featuring wood, glass, jewelry, pottery and metal artworks for sale. There are 4 stages of entertainment. Sporting events include a 5/10K Run, Fencing Invitational, Bike Rides, and Golf Tournament. A "Field of Fun" for kids of all ages, with free activities, thanks to the many Festival Spawnsors. Be sure to visit the newly restored Salmon Hatchery to view the returning salmon upclose.
Cougar Mountain Zoo
The
Cougar Mountain Zoo
is 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 even small monkeys from Madagascar. The highlight of the zoo for many is
every Saturday the zoo's two cougars (also called pumas or 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 near cultural and geographical heart 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.
Gilman Village
Gilman Village was started in 1972 when Marvin and Ruth Mohl started saving unwanted old farming, mining buildings and pioneer homes from around Issaquah. They moved, renovated and combined them into an attractive retail area in a park-like setting. Their goal was to create a haven for independent shops and restaurants. Now, the 40-plus shops and restaurants that make up Gilman Village constitute one of Puget Sound's best known and most distinctive shopping destinations.
Flight
Issaquah is home to a nearby premier site where people fly
paragliders
and
hang gliders
from
Tiger Mountain
. Weather permitting, m
any people fly year round
and have flown epic cross country flights exceeding 50 miles.
Some Information courtesy of
wikipedia.org
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