User:SounderBruce/Sandbox/Geography

Snohomish River

Snohomish River Sinnahamis Tuxpam
Location
Country	United States
State	Washington

The Snohomish River (also known as Sinnahamis and Tuxpam) is a river in northwestern Washington in the United States. The Snohomish, formed by the confluence of the Skykomish and Snoqualmie rivers near Monroe, flows for 20 miles (32 km) in Snohomish County, entering Port Gardner Bay between Everett and Marysville. The river and its tributaries drain a watershed area of 1,978 square miles (5,120 km²), including the west side of the Cascade Mountains from Snoqualmie Pass to Stevens Pass.

History

• Recent tidal restoration; engineered log jams

Snohomish County, Washington

• Examples: Warren County, Indiana (FA), Blackford County, Indiana (GA), Juniata County, Pennsylvania (GA)

Resources

• ESD Profile
• County General Policy Plan (2017 update)
• HistoryLink
• David A. Cameron, Charles P. LeWarne, M. Allan May, Jack C. O'Donnell and Lawrence E. O'Donnell, Snohomish County: An Illustrated History (2004)
• Brief History
• An Illustrated History (1906)
• The Coast (November 1908)

History

• Predominant Coast Salish peoples: Snohomish (Sdoh-doh-hohbsh); other tribes: Stillaguamish, Skykomish, Snoqualmie, Sauk-Suiattle
• 1792: Vancouver expedition
• 1853: Tulalip Bay settled by pioneers and trappers
• 1855: Point Elliott Treaty signed at Mukilteo
• 1861-01-14: Split from Island County; Mukilteo named temporary seat
• 1861: Cadyville (Snohomish) elected as county seat
• 1890s: Great Northern and Northern Pacific railroads arrive, creating new towns
• 1894: Everett becomes county seat in contested election; not settled until 1896
  • Everett grows into predominant city in county, eclipsing Snohomish and Edmonds
• Since 1960s: suburbanization of southwest (and later north) county, influenced by Seattle/Bellevue/Boeing

Geography

Snohomish County is part of the Puget Sound region of Western Washington, bordered to the south by King County, to the west by Puget Sound and other inland waters, to the north by Skagit County, and to the east by the Chelan County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total square area of approximately 2,196 square miles (5,690 km²), of which 2,087 square miles (5,410 km²) is land and 109 square miles (280 km²) (5.0%) is water. It is the 13th largest county in Washington by land area and is larger than the states of Delaware and Rhode Island.

• 13th by land area, 7th by density
  • "Forest lands make up over 18% of the county's total area"
  • 68% forest, 18% rural, 9% urban, 5% agricultural
• Urban sprawl
• Farmland in river valleys
• Glacial formation
  • Sand and gravel deposits
  • Described in Soil Survey (1947)
• Five major river watersheds
• Glacier Peak: lahar threat
• Mudslides
• Local fault lines
• Local geology: Intercity Plateau south of Everett; Snohomish River Valley; foothills

Cities and communities

• "20 towns and cities classified as urban" (UGAs)

Ecology

• 2023: F on air quality report

Demographics

• Recent growth outside cities
• 1990s growth
• Between 2007 and 2017, an increase of over 100,000 people
  • Projected to grow to 938,000 residents by 2025 (did not pan out); buildable lands could support 760,000 within existing urban growth areas

Economy

• Top employers (2021): Boeing, Providence, Kroger; county, Tulalip, NS Everett
• Manufacturing industry (Boeing, et al)
  • Green industries
• Employment outlook: Recovery from high losses
  • Recession: grew to 424,271 jobs by 2017

Law and government

• Special districts: PTBA, RTA, fire, utilities?
  • Interactive map of various districts
  • Fire districts map
  • Everett and Mukilteo are the last remaining city fire departments

• County flag: created in 1988 during competition by Mukilteo resident
• Cities using council-manager system: five as of 2015, with several failed attempts
  • Marysville rejected in 2002
• Sales taxes: 10.6% rate in highest cities, among highest in WA
• City proposal for Maltby; last new city was Mill Creek in 1983, far sooner than King County

Military

• Naval Station Everett and support complex
• Jim Creek Naval Radio Station
• Former military facilities

Culture

Parks and recreation

• Parks department established on March 4, 1963, oversees 100 properties
  • First park owned by county: Squire Creek near Arlington, acquired in 1926
• Tourism: 95% in-state

Religion

• Granite Falls shrine
• Bothell-area mosque and Hindu temple
• Catholic parishes merged in 2024

Historical preservation

See also: National Register of Historic Places listings in Snohomish County, Washington

Education

• Largest school districts have enrollment decline since COVID
• County leads state in new schools (2007)
• 68 private schools (13 private high schools) as of 2018
• Higher education: 4-year college proposed for Arlington area in 1960s but instead awarded to Olympia (to become Evergreen State College)
  • Tried again with UW North Sound, lost to Everett before plan was scrapped
• WSU Everett: expansion into separate campus halted in 2023

Infrastructure

Transportation

• Inventory of Transportation Facilities and Services (2015, revised 2018)
• Grid system based off Everett's
• Old road names remain in some areas

Utilities

• PUD for all electricity; Puget Sound Energy for 150,000 natural gas customers
• Map of pipelines and utility corridors
• Garbage collectors map (Herald notes)
• Broadband infrastructure lacking in rural areas, addressed with state/county grants

Health care

• Snohomish Health District merged into Snohomish County government effective January 1, 2023
• Uninsured rate of 7% for under-65 adults (2022), ranks sixth among counties with health insurance

West Duwamish Greenbelt

{{Geobox|Protected area}}

The West Duwamish Greenbelt, also known as the Duwamish Head Greenbelt, is a protected area in Seattle, Washington. It is the city's largest green belt, at over 500 acres (200 ha), and is located along the eastern ridge of West Seattle facing the Duwamish River and Industrial District.

Location and ecology

• Prone to landslides

History

• 1950s proposal to develop housing (Soundway) near proposed freeway
• 2003: Nature Consortium begins planting of native trees

2016 incident

• Background: "extreme pruning" in West Seattle
• 2016-03-25: 150 maple trees in 3200 block of 35th Avenue SW cut down without permits
  • City seeks felony charges against homeowners who ordered the move, benefiting with less obstructed views
• 2016-09: City sues homeowners for $1.6 million

See also

• East Duwamish Greenbelt

External links

• Seattle Parks and Recreation

Washington (state)

Washington (/ˈwɒʃɪŋtən/ ^ⓘ), officially the State of Washington, is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States.

History

Main article: History of Washington (state)

Resources

• Online collection
• German Wikipedia
• HistoryLink: Timeline (until 1850); (1851 to 1900); (1901 to 1950); (since 1951)

Pre-colonization (until 1774)

• 13,000 years ago: Native Americans arrive
• 1700: Cascadia earthquake

Exploration and British colonization (1770–1846)

• Juan de Fuca?
• 1774: Juan Perez expedition
• 1775: Claimed for Spain by Don Bruna de Heceta
  • Claim voided by 1790 Nootka Conventions
• 1778: James Cook exepdition
• 1792: George Vancouver expedition
• 1792: Robert Gray expedition into Columbia River
• 1805: William and Clark expedition from Idaho to Astoria
• Hudson Bay Company establishes Fort Vancouver
• 1818: Treaty establishes 49th parallel border east of Rockies; joint occupancy of "Oregon Country" declared and renewed annually
• 1846: Oregon Treaty

American settlement (1846–1889)

• 1848: Oregon Territory established
• 1853: Washington Territory established
• 1851: Seattle founded

Early statehood (1889–1910)

• 1889: Statehood granted
• Anti-Chinese riots

Early 20th century (1910–1945)

• Labor conflicts
• Rise of Boeing and aerospace industry
• WPA and Great Depression: Grand Coulee Dam
• WWII manufacturing and nuclear works at Hanford

Post-war (1946–1980)

• 1969: Boeing in Everett

Contemporary Washington (1980–present)

• Microsoft and tech industry
• Loss of Boeing in 2000s
• Rise of Amazon in Seattle, affordability crisis

Demographics

• Life expectancy: highest in San Juan County, lower in Eastern WA

Infrastructure

• Energy Risk Profile (DoE)

Transportation

• Intercity buses

Seattle metropolitan area

Based on San Francisco Bay Area

Housing

• Zoning Policy in the Puget Sound (2022)
  • Half of new housing (as of 2022) permitted is near transit, but a third of land is restricted to SFH

Quilceda Creek

Quilceda Creek
Native name	q̓ʷəl̕sidəʔ Error {{native name checker}}: parameter value is malformed (help)
Physical characteristics
Mouth
• location	Tulalip Indian Reservation

Quilceda Creek, also known as Quil Ceda Creek (Lushootseed: q̓ʷəl̕sidəʔ), is a minor creek in Marysville, Washington, United States.

• 11 miles long, several tributaries: Quilceda Creek include Edgecomb Creek, Olaf Straad Creek, the SmokeyPoint Channel, Middle Fork Quilceda Creek, and West Fork Quilceda Creek

Westlake Park (Seattle)

Based on Piedmont Park?

Westlake Park is an urban park and plaza in Downtown Seattle, Washington, United States.

Description and layout

• Seattle's "town square"

Events

• Downtown Seattle Association programming
• Speeches and protests
• "Where Seattle goes to fight with itself"

Public transit

Might belong in Westlake Center instead

• Transit hub: Tunnel, monorail, buses, streetcar
• Bus stop on 4th Ave side with bus lane installed

Bhy Kracke Park

Bhy Kracke Park is an urban park and viewpoint in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is located on the southeast side of Queen Anne Hill, between Bigelow Avenue (part of Queen Anne Boulevard) and 5th Avenue North. The park is on a steep hillside and has views of the Downtown Seattle skyline, Lake Union, and Capitol Hill. It was named for Werner H. "Bhy" Kracke, who deeded the property to the city shortly after his death in 1971, along with $20,000 to develop it.

Quil Ceda Village

Future plans

• Indoor water park, movie theater

McCollum Park

• Former site of Emander Landfill, used from 1947 to 1967 and covered with soil for cleanup
• Community Transit use
  • 2022: Swift Orange Line terminus construction begins

List of parks in Everett, Washington

Listicle, similar to WP:USRD/RCS

The city of Everett, Washington, located in the Seattle metropolitan area, has more than 40 parks and conservation areas that are maintained by the Everett Parks and Recreation Department. The parks vary from community open spaces to sports fields, golf courses, and scenic viewpoints.

• 2035 plan
• Highlights: Man-made Jetty Island, Forest Park conservatory, arboretum, Summit Park on I-5, Grand Avenue view
• Mill Town Trail (established in 2014)
  • Improved crossings in 2018
• City map lists 48 properties (2019)

History

• First park (Clark Park) established in 1894 for $30,000
  • Originally City Park, renamed for businessman in 1931

Major parks

• "District parks": Forest Park, Kasch, Langus, Thornton A Sullivan (Silver Lake)
• Community parks: American Legion, Howarth, Phil Johnson, Rotary, Henry M Jackson, Walter E Hall
• Other categories: Neighborhood, Mini/Special, Open Space, Trails

Everett is home to 40 parks. The biggest parks are Walter E. Hall Park at 137 acres (0.6 km²), Forest Park at 111 acres (0.4 km²), Langus Riverfront Park at 96 acres (0.39 km²), Kasch Park at 60 acres (0.24 km²), Howarth Park at 28 acres (0.11 km²), and Thornton A. Sullivan Park at 27 acres (0.11 km²). Walter E. Hall Park, near the Boeing plant, sports a golf course and a skate park; Forest Park, a swimming pool, hockey, horseshoes, miles of trails and an animal farm; Langus Park, a boat launch; Kasch Park, four softball fields; Howarth Park, a sandy beach on Puget Sound; and Thornton A. Sullivan Park hosts a sandy swimming beach on Silver Lake as well as public docks for fishing.

Forest Park

Forest Park, located southwest of Downtown Everett is the largest park in the city system, at 197 acres (80 ha). The park is situated along Pigeon Creek, with recreational facilities on a plateau overlooking the ravine and several miles of hiking trails. It was acquired by the city in 1894 and named Forest Park in 1913. A public zoo was established at Forest Park in 1914 by parks director Oden Hall, who collected animals through trades and gifts from other zoos and traveling circuses. The zookeeper position was eliminated in 1958 and the zoo was demolished in 1962 after three bond issues to upgrade the facilities failed. Forest Park's main facilities were built during the 1930s by the Works Progress Administration, including the Floral Hall, playgrounds, terrace hillsides, and picnic shelters. A public swimming pool was opened at Forest Park in 1975 and replaced by a permanent structure in 1984. Major renovations of the facilities in the park were completed in 1997 and 2020.

Jetty Island

Main article: Jetty Island

• Formed beginning in 1903
  • Dredging meant for locks project
  • City opens access in 1965

Jetty Island is a man-made island and park located in the Puget Sound, just off the Everett, Washington waterfront. The island is two miles long and half a mile wide, approximately 1,800 acres. The island has no plumbing, electricity or structures. During the summer months, a ferry becomes operational, allowing transportation to and from the island. A floating restroom also becomes operational off the island's shore. Jetty Island's unique features provide excellent habitat for birds and juvenile salmon. The island is home to more than 45 bird species including osprey, shorebirds, hawks, eagles, cormorants and ducks. Visitors may see seals surfacing or lounging near the water's edge, or even witness gray whales swimming past during spring migration.

Gardens

Nishiyama Garden

Nishiyama Garden is a traditional Japanese garden located at the Nippon Business Institute at Everett Community College. It features Sukiya-style wooden gates, gravel paths, stones, trees, a small stream and a portion of the famous Kintai Bridge from Iwakuni, Japan, one of Everett's sister cities.

Evergreen Arboretum and Gardens

Evergreen Arboretum and Gardens (2.4 acres (9,700 m²)) is an arboretum and park located at the south end of Legion Park, at the intersection of Alverson and Marine View Drive. Gardens include sculpture and vistas of Puget Sound, as well as:

• Conifer garden – includes Chamaecyparis lawsoniana, Chamaecyparis nootkatensis, Pfitzeriana Aurea, Picea glauca, and Strobus 'Nana'.
• Dahlia garden – a variety of dahlias.
• Japanese Maple grove – 17 varieties of maples, with ferns and hydrangeas.
• Perennial border – includes artichoke (Cynara scolymus), Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra), giant hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis), dwarf waterlily (Nymphaea), and New Zealand flax (Phormium cookianum).
• Small Urban Tree Walk
• White border – flowers and foliage in white, silver, and blue.
• Woodland garden – grotto with Knadhill and Exbury azaleas, lace-cap hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla), and Pieris japonica.

Silver Lake

• Former resort
• SR 527 widening project in 2006

Neighborhood parks

• Grand Avenue Park
  • Stairs to mills removed in 1960s
  • Pedestrian bridge installed in 2019 (opening in 2020), proposed since 1990s

Name	Image	Location	Type	Size	Description
Grand Avenue Park		1800 Grand Avenue North Everett	Scenic viewpoint	5 acres (2.0 ha)

Other parks

• Beaches
• Scenic views
• Golf and sports

Camano Island

History

• Proposed Terrys Corner shopping mall in 1970s–90s

Culture

• Art studios
• Historic places around Ustalady?
• NRHP listings: Cama Beach, Site 45-IS-2 (Cama Beach archaeological site), Kristoferson Dairy, Utsalady Ladies Aid Building
• State Historic Register: Camano Lutheran Church, Magelssen/Johan Barn, Camano City Schoolhouse, Mabana School

Transportation

Camano Island is connected to mainland Washington by State Route 532, which travels from the north end of the island to Stanwood via two bridges over the Davis Slough and Stillaguamish River. The island has several connecting roads that travel along the west and east edges to various neighborhoods and the two state parks. Island Transit operates free bus services connecting Camano Island to Stanwood, with onward connections to Mount Vernon, Amtrak Cascades, and Everett.

Several proposals for alternate ferry connections to Coupeville and Everett have been rejected by local residents and potential operators.

The island has two small airfields, Livingston Bay Airport and Camano Island Airfield, both located in the northeast.

Washington State Veterans Cemetery

Washington State Veterans Cemetery
Details
Established	May 31, 2010
Location	Medical Lake, Washington
Type	Veterans cemetery
Owned by	Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs
Size	80 acres (32 ha)
Website	dva.wa.gov/cemetery
Find a Grave	Washington State Veterans Cemetery

The Washington State Veterans Cemetery is a state-run military veterans cemetery in Medical Lake, Washington, near Spokane. It is operated by the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs and was opened in 2010.

Description

• Volunteer honor guard and maintenance
• Upkeep performed by state
• Located near Fairchild AFB
• 1,000 crypts, 5,700 columbarium niches

History

• Proposed in 2006 to serve eastern Washington, which has 140K veterans
  • Federal VA proposes Spokane area cemetery under funding program
• Funded in 2007 with passage of House Bill 1292
  • First state veterans cemetery in Washington; built a decade after Tahoma National Cemetery
• 2007: WDVA selects Medical Lake site for Eastern Washington Veterans Cemetery
  • Other sites considered: North Idaho, Salnave Road; meant to supplement closed cemeteries in Western WA
• 2008: Six design plans submitted
• May 2009: Construction begins
  • $9.5 million and 80 acres; funded by $8 federal grant and state revenue from armed forces license plate fee
• May 31, 2010: Opened by Governor Gregoire

Spencer Island (Washington)

• Strawberry farms on the island
• Jacknife Bridge was originally at Home Acres Road on Ebey Island, listed on NRHP from 1982 to 1990
• 1979 cold case solved in 2023
• Purchased by county in 1989, dike removed from 1994 to 2005 (after fire/flooding)
  • Salmon habitat restored unintentionally by collapse of dikes, but added construction complications

Recreation

• Trails, restrictions, limited facilities
• Hunters and birders share space