Kenmore, WA
Kenmore, WA
Kenmore was still a huge dense forest for many years while its neighboring cities, Bothell and Woodinville, were being bought and developed into communities by investors. Finally, in 1889, a young married couple moved from the small town of Kenmore, Canada to the Puget Sound and bought the forested land; he decided to give this new community the same name as his home town.
In the beginning, Kenmore was just a slab of land with a mill, a cookhouse, and a few bunkhouses for the workers. Soon enough, small homes began being built around the town’s intersection, bridge, and creek. In 1919, a store was built at the Kenmore crossroads and the first service station was installed the following year. The city was finally incorporated in 1998, making it the newest city in King County.
Kenmore’s population currently sits at over 20,000 people, and there are approximately 8,000 households within the city limits. The city is served by the Northshore School District, which includes 4 high schools, 6 middle schools, and 20 elementary schools. There are also 3 special academies available to residents.
Saint Edward State Park
This 326-acre park offers over 3,000 feet of shoreline along Lake Washington. The site’s most well-known feature is the Saint Edward Seminary which is listed on both the Washington State Heritage Register and the Register of Historic Places. The state park’s forest canopy is made of Coast Douglas-fir, Western Redcedar, Bigleaf Maple, Pacific Madrone and Western Hemlock. Its dense carpet consists of various shrubs and moss, as well as Western Sword Ferns. The park encourages outdoor fun for all ages by providing wide grassy fields, playground equipment, picnic tables, and mountain trails for hikers and bikers. The nearby lake is also commonly used by kayakers and boaters during the summer months.
Kenmore Summer Concert Series
This outdoor annual event is going on its 17th year and is hosted in the beautiful Saint Edward State Park every July. The free concert series features a variety of artists playing family-friendly live music. Guests usually bring blankets, lawn chairs, and picnics to enjoy at the event.
Rhododendron Park
Located in the center of the city, this park features one of the largest collections of hybrid rhododendrons open to the public in the Northwest. This 13-acre park also features two play areas, a basketball court, picnic shelters, walking trails, large green meadows, and restroom facilities.
Kenmore Lanes
Kenmore Lanes is the largest bowling center in the Northwest and offers the fun sport of bowling to the public through leagues, youth development, and many different types of tournaments. They host birthday parties, group events, and competitive league tournaments. There is also a restaurant and sports bar, as well as a banquet room and arcade!
