Edmonds Celebrates 125 Years!
Come one, come all! Join in the merriment as our beautiful city comes together in commemoration of the 125th anniversary of Edmonds. Edmonds is the oldest city in the entire Snohomish County, and August 11 is the date for our residents and friends to gather and celebrate our city’s birthday!
Our city was discovered when George Brackett, a logger, landed a canoe through a windstorm onto the beaches of what was soon-to-become Edmonds. He was immediately attracted to the wooded hills alongside the beautiful beaches. Brackett purchased 147 acres for a mere $650 and — just like that — Edmonds was born. He named the area after Senator Edmunds of Vermont. Unfortunately, a mistake was made in the spelling, which led to the official name of Edmonds.
Soon thereafter, homes were built and Brackett’s feed barn was used to school the children. As settlers decided it was time to incorporate the town, a census taker was brought in. How the story goes is that when census was taken, there were 298 registered residents and 300 were needed in order to incorporate. The committee looked over the census and informed the census taker that Bill and Bollivar Brackett were overlooked. The two “who were among the oldest residents” were registered and the census taker left. After the incorporation was granted, it was noted that Bill was Brackett’s dog and Bollivar was his bull. After the incorporation, George Brackett was rightfully named the first Mayor of Edmonds.
Originally incorporated as a “village fourth class” at the time, Edmonds has now grown to become the second largest city in Snohomish County at a population of over 40,000. To read more on the fun story of how Edmonds came to be, check out the details at www.sos.wa.gov.
A special thanks to Gary Haakenson for sharing this story.
The birthday celebration takes place on Tuesday, August 11, which is the exact date of the city’s incorporation in 1890. Beginning at 1:30 pm, families, friends, co-workers, and visitors are invited to join with city dignitaries as they congregate along 5th Avenue North in the vicinity outside of City Hall.
For those who have to work, the streets in this area will be closed for the celebration. Keep this in mind when traveling in and out of the area, as there will likely be heavier traffic than normal. Instead of fighting the traffic, stop in and join in the events!
A delegation from Hekinan, which is the Japanese sister city to Edmonds, will participate in the celebration. In April 1988, Edmonds formed a relationship with the mission to promote international communication and understanding. It is a very special relationship and we have been working with them for 25 years. Come learn more about our sister city at this event and our relationship with them. You can also visit www.edmondswa.gov to learn more on how this international bond has developed.
Continuing the celebration, the Historical Society and Museum will present a twenty-five year time capsule. Time capsules are always a special way to commemorate and incorporate history into the many lives of our local citizens. Be a part of the history of Edmonds as we share the extraordinary time capsule.
Our very own mayor Dave Earling will make an appearance as he gives his regards to the city’s birthday. If you have never met our mayor, come and meet him during the fun, family event. Along with Mayor Earling will be some of our previous mayors on hand to honor our city on this monumental birthday.
For entertainment, there will be live performances from local dance, theater, and musical groups to enjoy. From 5:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. there will be a street dance to bring everyone together. The street dance will happen all along 5th Avenue North between City Hall and the Historical Museum. Come check out these awesome performances after work.
No birthday can be complete without birthday cake! There will be birthday cake and refreshments to enjoy as we celebrate this special milestone together. You’ll be able to watch the performances while enjoying cake on a beautiful Edmonds summer evening.
To learn more about the fun celebration, visit the “Edmonds 125th Anniversary Celebration” Facebook page. During these last summer months, fellow Edmonds natives have given their birthday wishes to the city of Edmonds from across the world. From Switzerland to Cape Town, from D.C. to Japan, read birthday celebration wishes and see their photos. Take a look at how well-traveled our residents are and you may even see a familiar face! Send in your birthday wishes to Carolyn.douglas@edmondswa.gov to have them posted onto the Facebook page. Show off the Edmonds spirit no matter where you are, near or far.
To RSVP to this event, you can do so through their Facebook page. This party is for family and friends of all ages — even if you do not live in Edmonds. Visitors are welcome as we celebrate Edmonds on August 11. The party begins at 1:30 p.m. with special events all afternoon, followed by a street dance.
For more information check out the Facebook page hosted by the City of Edmonds Community and Government at www.facebook.com/cityofedmonds.
