HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Enumclaw ( ) is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 12,543 at the 2020 census. The Enumclaw Plateau, on which the city resides, was formed by a volcanic mudflow (
lahar A lahar (, from ) is a violent type of mudflow or debris flow composed of a slurry of Pyroclastic rock, pyroclastic material, rocky debris and water. The material flows down from a volcano, typically along a valley, river valley. Lahars are o ...
) from
Mount Rainier Mount Rainier ( ), also known as Tahoma, is a large active stratovolcano in the Cascade Range of the Pacific Northwest in the United States. The mountain is located in Mount Rainier National Park about south-southeast of Seattle. With an off ...
approximately 5,700 years ago.


History

The name Enumclaw is derived from the Sahaptin word /inɨmɬá/, meaning "he who makes noise", from to /ínɨmn/, "to neigh, bray, sing", and /-ɬa/, "he who". Sometimes it is said that "Enumclaw" translates as "place of evil spirits", apparently referring to Enumclaw Mountain, located about to the north. According to legend the mountain's name was derived from an evil incident that occurred there, or to the occasional powerful windstorms from the east that affect the region. Native American mythology tells the story of two brothers – Enumclaw and Kapoonis – who were turned into thunder and lightning, respectively, by their father. The City of Enumclaw says the name means "thundering noise". One of the first white settlers in south King County was Allen L. Porter. In 1853, he claimed a parcel on the White River, about three miles (5 km) west of the site of Enumclaw. He maintained a troubled relationship with the local Smalkamish tribe (some of the ancestors of the
Muckleshoot The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe ( ; ), also known as the Muckleshoot Tribe, is a federally-recognized tribe located in Auburn, Washington. The tribe governs the Muckleshoot Reservation and is composed of descendants of the Duwamish, Stkamish, ...
tribe) for some time, and in 1855 his cabin was burned to the ground. Porter, who had been warned in advance by a friend in the tribe, hid in the woods until they had left. After warning the settlers at Fort Steilacoom, he left the area, moving to Roy. He would never return to Enumclaw. Enumclaw itself was homesteaded in 1879 by Frank and Mary Stevenson. In 1885, the
Northern Pacific Railroad The Northern Pacific Railway was an important American transcontinental railroad that operated across the northern tier of the Western United States, from Minnesota to the Pacific Northwest between 1864 and 1970. It was approved and chartered b ...
routed their transcontinental mainline through the site, accepting their offer of cleared, level land on which to build a siding. Confident that the area would grow, the Stevensons filed a
plat In the United States, a plat ( or ) (plan) is a cadastral map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. United States General Land Office surveyors drafted township plats of Public Lands Survey System, Public Lands Surveys to ...
with King County that same year. They built a hotel and gave away lots for a saloon and a general store. At first the people called the town 'Stevensonville' after the founders, who soon refused the honor. One resident suggested 'Enumclaw,' which was the name of the strange sawed-off promontory north of town. The name's uniqueness gained favor with the locals. On January 11, 1895, Mount Baldy, a small peak above the town, "erupted" with tremendous fire and smoke, although no losses or damage were reported, and the conflagration was minimized by residents. Throughout the 1880s and 1890s the area was farmed for
hops Hops are the flowers (also called seed cones or strobiles) of the hop plant ''Humulus lupulus'', a member of the Cannabaceae family of flowering plants. They are used primarily as a bittering, flavouring, and stability agent in beer, to whic ...
. When the hops crop failed due to pests and economic downturn, the residents turned to dairy farming, which has been a mainstay ever since. The first
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
listing Enumclaw in 1900 put the population at 483 people. In the 1890s, the Northern Pacific Railroad rerouted their line through Palmer, a few miles to the east of town. In 1910, the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad routed a branch line through Enumclaw. The city was incorporated on January 27, 1913. In 1929, a much-anticipated route to
Eastern Washington Eastern Washington is the region of the U.S. state of Washington located east of the Cascade Range. It contains the city of Spokane (the second largest city in the state), the Tri-Cities, the Columbia River and the Grand Coulee Dam, the H ...
was opened across the Naches Pass Highway. In the 1950s Enumclaw Insurance Group greatly expanded its business and the home office became a major employer in the town. The company is an
insurer Insurance is a means of protection from financial loss in which, in exchange for a fee, a party agrees to compensate another party in the event of a certain loss, damage, or injury. It is a form of risk management, primarily used to protect ...
doing business in Washington,
Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...
,
Idaho Idaho ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain states, Mountain West subregions of the Western United States. It borders Montana and Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington (state), ...
and
Utah Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...
. In 2005 the Enumclaw horse sex case occurred on a farm five miles (8 km) northwest of Enumclaw towards Auburn, in unincorporated King County. "Tait, a truck driver who lives near the Southeast 444th Street farm where the death occurred, " A Boeing aerospace engineer named Kenneth Pinyan from Gig Harbor died after receiving
anal sex Anal sex or anal intercourse principally means the insertion and pelvic thrusting, thrusting of the Erection, erect human penis, penis into a person's Human anus, anus, or anus and rectum, for sexual pleasure.Sepages 270–271for anal sex inform ...
from a horse at the farm.Lewis, Gerrick.
Movie tracks man's mysterious death
." '' The Lantern''. Monday April 2, 2007. Updated on Saturday June 20, 2009. Retrieved on October 9, 2010.
The case and the surrounding media attention led to Washington State banning bestiality.


Geography

The city is located in the midst of flat, level farmlands and dairy farms in the east
Puget Sound Puget Sound ( ; ) is a complex estuary, estuarine system of interconnected Marine habitat, marine waterways and basins located on the northwest coast of the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. As a part of the Salish Sea, the sound ...
lowlands. The flat geography in the middle of mountainous territory is due to the ancient Osceola Mudflow from nearby
Mount Rainier Mount Rainier ( ), also known as Tahoma, is a large active stratovolcano in the Cascade Range of the Pacific Northwest in the United States. The mountain is located in Mount Rainier National Park about south-southeast of Seattle. With an off ...
. The city is unique in the fact that it is landlocked by farm preservation on three sides and by protected forest lands to the east. The city is nestled against the Cascade foothills. According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of , of which, is land and is water. While Enumclaw is entirely located in King County, the city owns some park property within the boundaries of Pierce County.


Climate

This region experiences very warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6°F (22°C). According to the
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
system, Enumclaw has a
warm-summer Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...
, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps. Enumclaw typically runs about 5 degrees warmer than Seattle in the summer and 5 degrees colder than Seattle in the winter. The city of Enumclaw is generally above the fog while the area to the West of the city can see dense fog due to the proximity to the Green and White Rivers as well as Lake Tapps. Snow is moderate with a typical year seeing about 6 to 8 inches total. Enumclaw recorded the highest wind speeds for a community in the state during the November 2024 Northeast Pacific bomb cyclone, reaching .


Economy

In contrast to other towns with
big-box store A big-box store, a hyperstore, a supercenter, a superstore, or a megastore is a physically large retail establishment, usually part of a chain of stores. The term sometimes also refers, by extension, to the company that operates the store. The ...
s, Enumclaw has chosen a different path for its downtown that is filled with small local boutiques and non-chain restaurants and bistros. Several companies, including Helac, Nor-Pac Seating, Nether Industries, and Hill AeroSystems, maintain major offices in the city. The remoteness of Enumclaw has made the picturesque, quintessential place to work from home and enjoy a bit of country life with all the conveniences. With the median home valued at $753,000, Enumclaw has gained many professionals, firefighters, police officers, downhill ski lovers as well as people who enjoy quick hiking access to Mt. Rainier. Enumclaw has the most dairy farms in production (16 Grade "A") within the King and Pierce County region. Enumclaw has celebrated its close ties with its ag community and has many farm road stands as well as a Farmers Market that runs Spring through Fall. Many restaurants feature Farm to Fork food offerings.


Tourism

Enumclaw is the gateway to
Mount Rainier National Park Mount Rainier National Park is a List of national parks of the United States, national park of the United States located in southeast Pierce County, Washington, Pierce County and northeast Lewis County, Washington, Lewis County in Washington (sta ...
and the Crystal Mountain ski area. It is located along the Chinook Scenic Byway (SR 410), which provides seasonal access to the Yakima Valley and Eastern Washington. Enumclaw has four state parks in close proximity: Nolte, Flaming Geyser, Kanaskat Palmer, and Federation Forest. Enumclaw has become a basecamp for those wanting to ski at Crystal or hike Mt. Rainier during day and play at night. Enumclaw is well known for the King County Fair (the oldest county fair west of the Mississippi), Scottish Highland Games, AKC dog show (largest in the nation), Sundays on Cole festival every Sunday during the summer and the huge Sidewalk Street Fair the runs the third week in July. Enumclaw, in partnership with King County is just completing the last section of bike trail and a bridge that will connect Enumclaw to Puyallup with 23 miles of trail.


Crime

According to the FBI's latest crime report (2023 data, issued in 2023), out of 281 cities in Washington State, Enumclaw is the 16th safest city for violent and property crimes. The Enumclaw City Council has continued to make policing a priority by increasing the departments budget, focusing on training and equipment.


Demographics

In the year 2000, the
center of population In Demography, demographics, the center of population (or population center) of a region is a geographical point that describes a centerpoint of the region's population. There are several ways of defining such a "center point", leading to dif ...
of Washington State was located in an unincorporated part of King County, just northeast of town.


2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 12,543 people, 5,191 households in the city.


2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 10,669 people, 4,420 households, and 2,793 families residing in the city. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
was . There were 4,683 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 91.8% White, 0.5% African American, 1.0% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.9% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.6% of the population. There were 4,420 households, of which 32.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.9% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.8% were non-families. 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.00. The median age in the city was 38.9 years. 24.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.8% were from 25 to 44; 26.9% were from 45 to 64; and 14.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.8% male and 52.2% female.


2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 11,116 people, 4,317 households, and 2,840 families residing in the city. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
was 2,842.8 people per square mile (1,097.7/km2). There were 4,456 housing units at an average density of 1,139.6 per square mile (440.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.25% White, 0.79% Native American, 0.78% Asian, 0.30% African American, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 1.15% from other races, and 2.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.42% of the population. 16.6% were of
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
, 11.3% Irish, 10.3% English, 9.0% American, 7.6% Norwegian, and 5.9%
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
ancestry. There were 4,317 households, out of which 37.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.13. In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.2% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males. The median income for a household in the city was $58,019 in 2013. The average household income in the 98022 Enumclaw retail trade (draw) area was $89,481 in 2013. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the city was $20,596. About 4.3% of families and 8.2% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over. Unemployment was at 4.30% in 2016 with 2313 blue collar workers and 4051 white collar workers.


Government

Enumclaw has a
mayor–council government A mayor–council government is a system of local government in which a mayor who is directly elected by the voters acts as chief executive, while a separately elected city council constitutes the legislative body. It is one of the two most comm ...
that is governed by a seven-member
city council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, borough counc ...
. The city councilmembers are elected
at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather tha ...
to four-year terms with no limits. The mayor is also elected to a four-year term with no limits. Former city councilmember Jan Molinaro was elected mayor in 2017. City council meetings are held on the second and fourth Mondays of each month at 7:00 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall. The agenda and Council packets are available online and at City Hall prior to the meeting. Enumclaw is one of just three cities in Washington with breed-specific legislation limiting
pit bull Pit bull is an umbrella term for several Dog type, types of dog believed to have descended from bull and terriers. In the United States, the term is usually considered to include the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, A ...
dogs within the city limits. Enumclaw has also chosen to ban the production, distribution and sale of recreational marijuana. The City of Enumclaw operates its own solid waste utility (garbage), water, stormwater and sewer departments. The city is unique as it is just one of two cities in Washington State that owns its own
natural gas Natural gas (also fossil gas, methane gas, and gas) is a naturally occurring compound of gaseous hydrocarbons, primarily methane (95%), small amounts of higher alkanes, and traces of carbon dioxide and nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide and helium ...
utility. The
United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...
operates the Enumclaw Post Office and a regional distribution center. Enumclaw is also home to a detachment for the Washington State Patrol (WSP), the U.S. Forest Service, the Department of Natural Resources and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).


Media

The town is home to the '' Courier-Herald'' newspaper. Enumclaw is also home to KGRG (1330 AM), a 500 watt AM
college A college (Latin: ''collegium'') may be a tertiary educational institution (sometimes awarding degrees), part of a collegiate university, an institution offering vocational education, a further education institution, or a secondary sc ...
radio station Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based rad ...
licensed to the Green River Foundation and operated by
Green River Community College Green River College is a Public college, public community college in Auburn, Washington, United States. It has a student body of over 13,000 and has satellite campuses in nearby cities of Kent, Washington, Kent and Enumclaw, Washington. The colle ...
in Auburn.


Health care

Enumclaw's Virginia Mason St. Elizabeth Hospital, is part of the Catholic Health Initiatives (a seven-hospital organization based in Tacoma). The hospital was included on the 2011 list of the 25 "Most Wired" small and rural hospitals in the nation for its use of information technology to support quality patient care and achieve operational efficiencies. It replaced the former Enumclaw Community Hospital in 2011.


Parks and recreation

The Enumclaw Expo Center annually hosts the King County Fair and the
Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (PNW; ) is a geographic region in Western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Though no official boundary exists, the most common ...
Scottish Highland Games, among a number of other exhibitions and festivals. The Olympic Kennel Club has the 5th largest dog show in the nation each year in August. The 72-acre (29 ha) facility has many areas that are available to rent for weddings, trade shows, conventions and other special events.


Education

The Enumclaw School District operates public schools for students living in the city of Enumclaw and nearby unincorporated areas. Elementary schools in Enumclaw and serving portions of Enumclaw include Black Diamond, Byron Kibler, Southwood, Sunrise, and Westwood. Some portions of Enumclaw are zoned to Enumclaw Middle School in Enumclaw, while some portions are zoned to Thunder Mountain Middle School in unincorporated King County. All residents of Enumclaw are zoned to Enumclaw High School.
Green River Community College Green River College is a Public college, public community college in Auburn, Washington, United States. It has a student body of over 13,000 and has satellite campuses in nearby cities of Kent, Washington, Kent and Enumclaw, Washington. The colle ...
operates a campus in Enumclaw. Mike Nelson, former Superintendent of Enumclaw School District, won the 2018 State Superintendent of the Year Award.


Notable people

* T.R. Bryden, baseball player. Played for the
California Angels The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West Division. Since 1966, the team has pl ...
major league pitcher. * Chase Hooper, UFC fighter. He is the youngest fighter to be signed by the promotion. * Jeff Hougland, UFC fighter, Founder of Combat Sport and Fitness * Kasey Kahne, former driver in the
NASCAR Cup Series The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the NASCAR, National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), the most prestigious stock car racing series in the United States. The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Division, ...
and current sprint car driver * Richard Kovacevich, chairman of the board of directors of Wells Fargo & Company * Swen Nater, retired Dutch professional basketball player * Brian Scalabrine, retired basketball player, formerly of the NBA's
Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...
and
Chicago Bulls The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. The team was founded on January 16 ...
* Tony Tost, poet and screenwriter


See also

* Logging Legacy Memorial * Enumclaw (band) * Enumclaw horse sex case


References


External links


City of Enumclaw website

Enumclaw Heritage
{{Authority control Cities in King County, Washington Cities in Washington (state) Populated places established in 1885 Cities in the Seattle metropolitan area Washington (state) placenames of Native American origin