Historical Markers in
King County, Washington

1890 Seattle Fire Department Bell 50th Anniversary of First Presbyterian Church of Seattle A Route Still in Use Admiral Way Totem Pole Alexis Hotel / Globe Building Anhalt Hall Assay Office Austin A. Bell Building Ballard Avenue Historic District / Ballard City Hall Bell Ballard Hardware Ballard Livery & Transfer Ballast Island Barney Clark Memorial Court Beebe Building Bell Street Bridge Bell Street Terminal, Pier 66 Belltown Pan Birthplace of United Parcel Service Boeing Field Boeing's Lake Union Seaplane Hangar Broadway High School Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman (Sub Pop Records) Burke Building Remnants Cannabis City - Seattle's First Pot Shop Carkeek Park Carson D. Boren Celebration Rose Garden Chief Seattle Chinese American Soldiers Memorial Chopard Block Chrysler Building Colman Building Colman Dock Colonial Hotel Cors and Wegener Building Crystal Pool De La Mar Apartments Eagle Building Earl Layman Street Clock Early Skykomish Elda Behm's Paradise Garden Emil Fredreksen Memorial Enquist Block Everett G. DuPen Exchange Building Father William Sullivan Fire Bell No. 4 First Avenue First Post Office in Seattle First Presbyterian Church Cornerstone First Presbyterian Church of Seattle World War II Memorial First Presbyterian Church of Seattle World War Memorial First School in Seattle First Seattle Log Cabin Fisher Building Foster Landing at Foster Homestead Fremont Bridge Fremont Saloon G.B. Sanborn Building George Ward House George Washington Gerard Schwarz Grand Central Hotel Grand Pacific Hotel Great Northern Tunnel Guiry/Schillestad Buildings Halverson's Dry Goods Hansen Building Hiram M. Chittenden Locks How Big Was Japantown? How Did Fire Forge the City? How Did Water Become Land? Indians Attack Seattle! Jan. 26, 1856 Information Booth Interurban Building Interurban Building Japanese American Remembrance Garden John Harte McGraw Joseph Foster Tree Joshua Greene Junction Building King Street Station Kings St. Coal Wharf - Skinner & Eddy Shipyards - Site of Hooverville Kutzner Block Lenin in Fremont Lou Graham’s Sporting House L'Amourita Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Park Matthes Block Mayer Plaza Maynard Building Medal of Honor Memorial Merchant’s Cafe Mural at Bergen Place Mutual Life Building National Rosie the Riveter Memorial Rose Garden Naval Training Station Seattle Olsen Furniture Original Site of the University of Washington Owl Saloon Palmer Building Pantages House Paul G. Allen & Bill Gates Pioneer Building Pioneer Square Historic District POW/MIA Memorial Plaza Princess Hotel Red Brick Road Salt Water State Park Salvation Army Site Scandinavian-American Bank Schwabacher’s Store Scion of the Washington Elm Seattle Chinatown Gate Seattle Fisherman's Memorial Seattle's Pioneers - The Maples Seattle’s First Pier Seike Japanese Garden Site of the Smaller Fort Site of University of Washington Site of Yesler’s Pavilion Smith and Squire Buildings Smith Tower Snowsheds Needed Solid Support Snowsheds Protected the Railway Speakeasy Café Start of Seattle Fire Site Steamer Idaho Wreckage Supply Laundry Building The Ballard Avenue Landmark District Historic Marker Project The Baroness Hotel The Broderick Building The Brooklyn Building The Curtiss Building The First Commercial Monorail in the United States The First Presbyterian Church of Seattle, Washington The Freedom Shrine The Fremont Troll The Future Is On the Wing The Gessner Mansion The Goldsmith Building The Holyoke Building The Old Shell House The Paramount Theatre The Pioneer Square Pergola The Reverend George Whitworth Grave The Saar Pioneer Cemetery The Seattle Public Library The St. Charles Apartments The Victory Garden The Visit of President Theodore Roosevelt’s “Great White Fleet” The White Chapel District Theisen Block Triangle Hotel and Bar Trinity Parish Church Twin Tunnels Bored Through Granite Union Station United Confederate Veterans Memorial UPS - Celebrating 100 years of Service Victory Square Vision Waterfront History Welcome to The Public Market Westlake and Dexter Historic Shelter What do you need to rush for gold? White Front and St. Paul Saloons Why Are the Piers Angled? Wildwood Station — Rainier Avenue Historic Shelter Women's University Club of Seattle You're Now a Part of History "This Market Is Yours" "Ton of Gold" ‘Miike Maru’ “Great White Fleet”
The state's official flag was adopted in 1923 and features a portrait of George Washington in profile, along with the state seal and the words "Washington State".
King County, Washington, located in the Pacific Northwest, is rich in history dating back thousands of years. The region was originally inhabited by the Duwamish and other Native American tribes who relied on the abundant natural resources for their livelihood. In the late 18th century, European explorers, such as Captain George Vancouver, began to explore and map the area.

In the mid-19th century, European settlers arrived in the area, attracted by the vast timber resources and potential for agriculture. As more settlers arrived, the population grew, and the community of Seattle was established in 1851. The County was named after Vice President William R. King, who served under President Franklin Pierce.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the region experienced significant economic growth, largely due to the timber industry and the Klondike Gold Rush. Seattle became a major transportation hub, connecting the Pacific Northwest to the rest of the country through railroad and shipping routes. The city also saw the emergence of industries such as fishing, shipbuilding, and manufacturing.

In the mid-20th century, King County became a major center for technology and aerospace industries. Companies like Boeing and Microsoft found their roots in the region, leading to a population boom and economic prosperity. Today, King County is known for its vibrant city life in Seattle with its thriving arts and culture scene, renowned coffee culture, and a hub for technology and innovation. The county also offers an abundance of natural beauty with its mountains, lakes, and national parks, making it a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts.

This timeline provides a glimpse into the major events and milestones that have shaped the history of King County, Washington.

  • 1852 - King County is established as a county in the Washington Territory
  • 1853 - Seattle is founded as a town in King County
  • 1872 - The Great Seattle Fire destroys much of downtown Seattle
  • 1889 - The Great Seattle Fire of 1889 leads to the city's rapid rebuilding using brick and stone instead of wood
  • 1912 - The opening of the Lake Washington Ship Canal connects Lake Washington and Puget Sound
  • 1962 - Seattle hosts the Century 21 Exposition, also known as the Seattle World's Fair
  • 1970 - The Boeing Company becomes a major employer in King County
  • 1990 - King County surpasses the one million population mark
  • 2001 - The Nisqually earthquake causes damage in parts of King County
  • 2007 - The opening of the Link light rail system, the first in the county