Issaquah, Washington

Incorporated as Gilman in 1892, Issaquah was among the earliest communities settled on the east side of Lake Washington. By 1900, immigrants and newcomers were flooding into the town now known as Issaquah to work the mines, mill lumber, and establish farms and businesses. Though the town's growth dwindled with the coal market in the 1920s, families first attracted by the area's business opportunities stayed because they loved the close-knit community. In 1940 the first bridge across Lake Washington heralded a new era of growth, bringing Issaquah within an hour's drive of Seattle. By the time Interstate 90 came through town in the early 1970s, many trademarks of the small town were fading.

This collection of photographs, many never before published, illustrates Issaquah's heyday of mining and logging, its quiet years as a rural community, and its recent transformation into a thriving city. Included are scenes of local events such as the annual Issaquah rodeo, the Squak Valley Hot Shots musical group, and the Issaquah Skyport air show. The deconstruction of architectural symbols such as the Issaquah high trestle and an old pioneer home are also documented.