This article is about the city of Enumclaw. For the so-called "Enumclaw horse sex case", see
Kenneth Pinyan.
Enumclaw (pronounced /ˌiːnəmˈklɔː/ (
listen), us dict: ē′·nəm·klô′) is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 11,116 at the 2000 census.[3] The center of population of Washington is located in Enumclaw [1].
The Enumclaw Plateau, on which the city resides, was formed by a volcanic mudflow (lahar) from Mount Rainier approximately 5700 years ago [2]. The name Enumclaw is derived from a local Native American word meaning "strong wind" or "thundering noise" due to the significant winds that sweep along the plateau [3]. The city is named after a mountain about six miles (10 km) north.
History
One of the first white settlers in south King County was a man named Allen L. Porter. In 1853, he claimed a 320-acre parcel on the White River about 3 miles west of Enumclaw. He maintained a troubled relationship with the local Smalkamish tribe (some of the ancestors of the Muckleshoot tribe) for some time, but 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.[4]
Enumclaw itself was homesteaded in 1879 by Frank and Mary Stevenson. In 1885, the Northern Pacific Railroad 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 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, but they 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 noise and smoke, although no losses or damage were reported. Throughout the 1880s and 1890s the area was farmed for hops. 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 listing Enumclaw in 1900 put the population at 483 people.
In the 1890s, the Northern Pacific Railroad re-routed 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 was opened across the Naches Pass Highway. In the 1950s Mutual of Enumclaw Insurance Company greatly expanded its business and the home office became a major employer in the town.
Old Enumclaw High School, built in 1921
It is home to the Enumclaw Courier-Herald newspaper and Mutual of Enumclaw, an insurer doing business in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Utah. It is also home to Enumclaw Regional Hospital, part of the Franciscan Health System, a five-hospital organization based in Tacoma.
The Enumclaw Expo Center annually hosts the King County Fair and the Pacific Northwest Scottish Highland Games [4], among a number of other exhibitions and festivals.
Enumclaw is also home to KGRG (1330 AM), a 500 watt AM college radio station licensed to the Green River Foundation and operated by Green River Community College in Auburn, Washington.
Geography
Enumclaw is located at 47°12′9″N 121°59′39″W / 47.2025°N 121.99417°W / 47.2025; -121.99417 (47.202401, -121.994044)[5].
The city is located in the midst of flat, level farmlands and dairy farms in the east Puget Sound lowlands. The flat geography in the middle of mountainous territory is due to the ancient Osceola Mudflow from nearby Mount Rainier.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.9 square miles (10.1 km²), all land.
While Enumclaw is entirely located in King County, the city owns some park property within the boundaries of Pierce County.[6]
Demographics
| Historical populations |
| Census |
Pop. |
|
%± |
| 1900 |
483 |
|
—
|
| 1920 |
1,378 |
|
—
|
| 1930 |
2,084 |
|
51.2% |
| 1940 |
2,627 |
|
26.1% |
| 1950 |
2,789 |
|
6.2% |
| 1960 |
3,269 |
|
17.2% |
| 1970 |
4,703 |
|
43.9% |
| 1980 |
5,427 |
|
15.4% |
| 1990 |
7,227 |
|
33.2% |
| 2000 |
11,116 |
|
53.8% |
| Est. 2008 |
10,684 |
|
−3.9% |
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 11,116 people, 4,317 households, and 2,840 families residing in the city. The population density 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/sq mi (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, 11.3% Irish, 10.3% English, 9.0% American, 7.6% Norwegian and 5.9% Italian ancestry according to Census 2000.
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 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 $43,820, and the median income for a family was $56,270. Males had a median income of $46,060 versus $30,926 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,596. About 4.3% of families and 8.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.
In the year 2000, the center of population of Washington State was located in an unincorporated part of King County, just northeast of town.[7]
Notable residents
References
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "Boundary Changes". Geographic Change Notes: Louisiana. Population Division, United States Census Bureau. 2009-03-18. http://www.census.gov/popest/geographic/boundary_changes/index.html. Retrieved 2009-05-18.
- ^ There is Only One Enumclaw; Loise Ross Poppleton, 1995 Revised Edition; (self-published locally, there is no ISBN#)
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2005-05-03. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ Pierce County Profile, Section 2, 2-7.
- ^ "Population and Population Centers by State: 2001". U.S. Census Bureau. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/cenpop/statecenters.txt. Retrieved 2007-06-15.
External links
