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Federal Way, Washington is located in the southwestern corner of King County and bounded by Puget Sound on the west and Pierce County on the south. The community was named for the highway that runs through it. It was a rural community, for much of its early history. However, the community has experience some explosive growth in recent years.
There weren't any Indian villages in what is currently known as Federal Way, although the native Indians who lived next to the White and Green Rivers to the east, used the area for seasonal camping grounds. In order to preserve clams in order to preserve them for transportation, they would smoke after catching the clams during the clamming season on Puget Sound. When a Captain named George Vancouver explored the area in 1792, several native Indian tribes came down to the shoreline to greet him.
Explorers from the Hudson's Bay Company may well have been in the area as early as 1824. They had developed a small trading post along an Indian trail that ran north/south by 1840. This trail would have a long legacy, during the history of Federal Way.
A survey was conducted for a road to be constructed between Fort Bellingham and Fort Steilacoom during the early 1850's. In many regions, the existing trails were used, that include the one in what is currently known as Federal Way. The road was called Military Road because it was built for use by the military. The road was completed to Seattle from Pierce County in 1860.
Many pioneers next to south Puget Sound filed land claims close to Tacoma or Seattle at that time. However, the first pioneer didn't relocate into the general Federal Way region until 1871. A man named Samuel Stone built his homestead at what is currently known as Redondo, which, at the time, was called Stone's Landing. Also the bay was called Poverty Bay about this time.
In 1880, the first school was constructed close to Star Lake and other pioneers started relocating close by. A man named Jacob Reith helped to construct a road that was made of split logs in what later came to be known as Reith Road. Another man named Arthur Steele established his homestead around a body of water, which is currently known as Steel Lake. Small communities that included Buenna and Adelaide were established their own schools. A man named Taylor Webb relocated to the location, in 1890, where the SeaTac Mall is currently located. There are some people who still refer to that region as Webb Center.
In this remote rural location, the majority of families had small farms. Although the region remained primarily undeveloped for many years, some sawmills were constructed on small lakes. At Stone's Landing, a man named Charles Betts opened the first store in 1904.
Mr. Betts suggested that the settlement be renamed to Redondo, as the result of the possible stigma from the disaster. Some people hoped that the region would become a recreational destination, much the same as Redondo Beach in California. A skating rink, a dance hall, and a bowling alley were constructed in a little over ten years.
Talk of a new highway that would run the whole easternmost coast of the U.S. commenced as the result of the onset of the age of the automobile. The building started, and federal funding was secured to pave the road between Tacoma and Seattle in 1915. The majority of the new highway, which was assigned the label of US-99, either ran parallel or overlaid Military Road. In 1928, this portion between Tacoma and Seattle was formally opened.
There were eight small school districts in the region, by this time, which included Star Lake, Lake Geneva, Harding, Lakota, Adelaide, Buenna, Redonda, and Woodmont. It was determined that they should all be consolidated into a single district in 1929. The first elementary school constructed in the new district was built along the federal highway, and was called the Federal Way School. The school district was also given that name.
Although, WW II, and the Great Depression reduced the development of the area, the community now had a major thoroughfare. Until the end of the war, the region remained rural, with the exception of restaurants and some gas stations. Marckx's Farm Store opened next to highway 99, and in 1945, and came to be the first major business in Federal Way. Soon other businesses would follow.
Highway 99 was not only being used by travelers up and down the coast during the 1950's, but it was also being traveled by the residents of King County. Restaurants that included Les's In-and Out-Hamburgers, Rocky's Drive In, and Rose's Hi-Way Inn offered tasty meals for the traveler who was hungry. In addition, for those who were weary, there were an abundance of motels that65 offered a temporary stopover.
One mile east of Highway 99, a stretch of I-5 opened up, in 1999. This attracted more development to the community. In 1964, the Century City complex opened, and later that same year, the Twin Lakes housing development started selling homes.
Although the mall was in disrepair, the Teratron Company, bought the Federal Shopping Way. In 1975, the business community received a some help with the opening of SeaTac Mall. During the first week, almost 20,000 people arrived at the new mall. The following year, the SeaTac Village Shopping Mall was opened across the street.
The community experienced additional development and growth throughout the 1980's. Business campuses and condominium complexes started being developed all over the community. Those who were looking for outdoor recreation had to look no further that the enchanted Village, with its Wild Waves Pool, or any of the community's many county parks.
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Federal Way Tidbits
Federal Way, Washington is located in the southwestern corner of King County and bounded by Puget Sound on the west and Pierce County on the south. The community was named for the highway that runs through it. It was a rural community, for much of its early history. However, the community has experience some explosive growth in recent years.
There weren't any Indian villages in what is currently known as Federal Way, although the native Indians who lived next to the White and Green Rivers to the east, used the area for seasonal camping grounds. In order to preserve clams in order to preserve them for transportation, they would smoke after catching the clams during the clamming season on Puget Sound. When a Captain named George Vancouver explored the area in 1792, several native Indian tribes came down to the shoreline to greet him.
Explorers from the Hudson's Bay Company may well have been in the area as early as 1824. They had developed a small trading post along an Indian trail that ran north/south by 1840. This trail would have a long legacy, during the history of Federal Way.
A survey was conducted for a road to be constructed between Fort Bellingham and Fort Steilacoom during the early 1850's. In many regions, the existing trails were used, that include the one in what is currently known as Federal Way. The road was called Military Road because it was built for use by the military. The road was completed to Seattle from Pierce County in 1860.
Many pioneers next to south Puget Sound filed land claims close to Tacoma or Seattle at that time. However, the first pioneer didn't relocate into the general Federal Way region until 1871. A man named Samuel Stone built his homestead at what is currently known as Redondo, which, at the time, was called Stone's Landing. Also the bay was called Poverty Bay about this time.
In 1880, the first school was constructed close to Star Lake and other pioneers started relocating close by. A man named Jacob Reith helped to construct a road that was made of split logs in what later came to be known as Reith Road. Another man named Arthur Steele established his homestead around a body of water, which is currently known as Steel Lake. Small communities that included Buenna and Adelaide were established their own schools. A man named Taylor Webb relocated to the location, in 1890, where the SeaTac Mall is currently located. There are some people who still refer to that region as Webb Center.
In this remote rural location, the majority of families had small farms. Although the region remained primarily undeveloped for many years, some sawmills were constructed on small lakes. At Stone's Landing, a man named Charles Betts opened the first store in 1904.
Mr. Betts suggested that the settlement be renamed to Redondo, as the result of the possible stigma from the disaster. Some people hoped that the region would become a recreational destination, much the same as Redondo Beach in California. A skating rink, a dance hall, and a bowling alley were constructed in a little over ten years.
Talk of a new highway that would run the whole easternmost coast of the U.S. commenced as the result of the onset of the age of the automobile. The building started, and federal funding was secured to pave the road between Tacoma and Seattle in 1915. The majority of the new highway, which was assigned the label of US-99, either ran parallel or overlaid Military Road. In 1928, this portion between Tacoma and Seattle was formally opened.
There were eight small school districts in the region, by this time, which included Star Lake, Lake Geneva, Harding, Lakota, Adelaide, Buenna, Redonda, and Woodmont. It was determined that they should all be consolidated into a single district in 1929. The first elementary school constructed in the new district was built along the federal highway, and was called the Federal Way School. The school district was also given that name.
Although, WW II, and the Great Depression reduced the development of the area, the community now had a major thoroughfare. Until the end of the war, the region remained rural, with the exception of restaurants and some gas stations. Marckx's Farm Store opened next to highway 99, and in 1945, and came to be the first major business in Federal Way. Soon other businesses would follow.
Highway 99 was not only being used by travelers up and down the coast during the 1950's, but it was also being traveled by the residents of King County. Restaurants that included Les's In-and Out-Hamburgers, Rocky's Drive In, and Rose's Hi-Way Inn offered tasty meals for the traveler who was hungry. In addition, for those who were weary, there were an abundance of motels that65 offered a temporary stopover.
One mile east of Highway 99, a stretch of I-5 opened up, in 1999. This attracted more development to the community. In 1964, the Century City complex opened, and later that same year, the Twin Lakes housing development started selling homes.
Although the mall was in disrepair, the Teratron Company, bought the Federal Shopping Way. In 1975, the business community received a some help with the opening of SeaTac Mall. During the first week, almost 20,000 people arrived at the new mall. The following year, the SeaTac Village Shopping Mall was opened across the street.
The community experienced additional development and growth throughout the 1980's. Business campuses and condominium complexes started being developed all over the community. Those who were looking for outdoor recreation had to look no further that the enchanted Village, with its Wild Waves Pool, or any of the community's many county parks.