| Newcastle, Washington | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| — City — | |||
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 King County and Washington |
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| Coordinates: 47°32′00″N 122°10′20″W / 47.5333333°N 122.17222°W | |||
| Country | United States | ||
| State | Washington | ||
| County | King | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Jean Garber | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 4.5 sq mi (44.8 km2) | ||
| - Land | 4.5 sq mi (44.1 km2) | ||
| - Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.7 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 561 ft (171 m) | ||
| Population (2000) | |||
| - Total | 7,737 | ||
| - Density | 1,730.9/sq mi (668.3/km2) | ||
| Time zone | PST (UTC-8) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC-7) | ||
| ZIP codes | 98056, 98059 | ||
| Area code(s) | 425 | ||
| FIPS code | 53-48645[1] | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 1512503[2] | ||
| Website | http://www.ci.newcastle.wa.us | ||
Newcastle is a city in King County, Washington, United States. Its population was 7,737 at the 2000 census.
Although Newcastle was not incorporated until 1994, it has been an important settlement and town since the late 1800s and played a major role in the development of Seattle and the Seattle region.[3] Newcastle was one of the region's earliest coal mining areas and its railroad link to Seattle was the first in King County. Timber also played a role in the early history of Newcastle. Coal delivered by rail from Newcastle's mines to Seattle fueled the growth of the Port of Seattle and attracted railroads, most notably the Great Northern Railway.
The Newcastle coal mine began producing coal by the 1870s. More than 13 million tons of coal had been extracted by the time the mine closed in 1963. Newcastle's coal mining legacy, and the mines many Chinese laborers, remains in place names such as Coal Creek, Coal Creek Parkway, and China Creek Golf Course.
Based on per capita income Newcastle ranks 23rd of 522 areas in the state of Washington to be ranked. In Newsweeks 2009 rankings of best places to live in the United States, Newcastle was honored with the 17th spot.
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History
Newcastle was most likely named after Newcastle upon Tyne in England, as it was originally a coal mining town founded in the 1870s. Coal was discovered along Coal Creek in 1863. The surveyors Philip H. Lewis and Edwin Richardson made the discovery while surveying the area for the General Land Office.[4] By 1872 75-100 tons of coal per day were being produced at Newcastle. About 60 men worked at the mines.[5] The Seattle and Walla Walla Railroad, the first railroad in King County, was built from Seattle to Newcastle in the late 1800s. Coal mining ended in 1963. The area was an unincorporated area within King County until it incorporated as a city on September 30, 1994. Currently the city is a suburban community. Most residents work in nearby Seattle, Bellevue, or Renton. Notable attractions of the area include the Golf Club at Newcastle, Lake Boren Park, nearby Cougar Mountain, and Newcastle's many parks and trails.
The city is currently working to obtain its own zip code, as postage taxes are going to Renton instead of to the belonging Newcastle.[citation needed]
Geography
Newcastle is located at 47°32′00″N 122°10′20″W / 47.533215°N 122.172101°WCoordinates: 47°32′00″N 122°10′20″W / 47.533215°N 122.172101°W (47.533215, -122.172101).[6] Coal Creek flows through the city from the Issaquah Alps to Lake Washington.
Bordering Newcastle to the north is Bellevue, to the south is Renton, to the east is Issaquah, and to the west is Lake Washington.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.5 square miles (11.6 km²), of which, 4.5 square miles (11.6 km²) of it is land and 0.22% is water.
Newcastle is near the Seattle Seahawks Headquarters and training camp at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton.
Schools
The City of Newcastle is served by two school districts with the boundary line roughly going north-south just to the west of Coal Creek Parkway. The two "in-city" schools are Newcastle elementary, which is operated by the Issaquah School District 411 and Hazlewood elementary, which is operated by Renton School District.
District: Issaquah School District 411
Schools: Newcastle Elementary School, Maywood Middle School, Liberty Senior High School
District: Renton School District, [1]
Schools: Hazelwood Elementary School, McKnight Middle School, Hazen High School
Politics
The city council is the legislative branch of Newcastle city government and is the chief policy-making body.
The role of the city council is to establish policies and to enact ordinances and resolutions that are deemed to be in the city's best interests. The city council hires a city manager to ensure that the council's policies, ordinances, and resolutions are implemented.
The policy-making work of the city council is aided by the parks and planning commissions. Members of those commissions are recommended by the mayor and confirmed by a majority of the council.
The current mayor (2008) is Ben Varon. Other councilmembers are: Dan Hubbell, Lisa Jensen, Carol Simpson, Steve Buri, Sonny Putter, and Jean Garber.
City manager John Starbard is the chief executive officer of the municipal corporation and administers the day-to-day operations of the city. The city manager seeks to implement the policy direction established by the city council, and also brings to the city council policy items for its consideration and action.
The duties of the city manager include supervising the administrative affairs of the city, appointing all employees and addressing all personnel matters, preparing a recommended operating and capital budget for the fiscal year, and working with staff to see that the city's laws and ordinances are carried out (see RCW 35A.13.080).
While most projects and services are assigned to the city's operating departments, the Office of the city manager often provides the lead staffing support to certain high priorities, such as new initiatives, special real estate transactions, or activities that involve intergovernmental relations.
Newcastle is located in the 41st Legislative District. The state senator is Fred Jarrett (D) and the two state representatives are Marcie Maxwell (D) and Judy Clibborn (D). The King County Commissioner representing Newcastle is Reagan Dunn (R).
Newcastle is located in the 8th Congressional District. The two US Senators are Maria Cantwell (D) and Patty Murray (D), and the US Representative is Dave Reichert (R).
Newcastle leans toward the Democratic Party. In 2004, Democrat John Kerry received 55 percent of the vote here, defeating Republican George W. Bush, who received around 44 percent.
Police
Newcastle contracts with the King County Sheriff's Office for police services. Deputies assigned to Newcastle wear city uniforms and drive patrol cars marked with the city logo. There are currently 6 patrol officers and one chief assigned full time to the city.
Surrounding Cities
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Bellevue | Factoria | |
|
| Mercer Island |  |
Issaquah | ||
 Newcastle  |
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 |
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| Kennydale | Renton |
Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2000 | 7,737 |
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| Est. 2008 | 9,885 | 27.8% | |
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 7,737 people, 3,028 households, and 2,189 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,731.5 people per square mile (668.3/km²). There were 3,117 housing units at an average density of 697.6/sq mi (269.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 75.05% White, 1.62% African American, 0.45% Native American, 18.25% Asian, 0.25% Pacific Islander, 1.36% from other races, and 3.02% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.88% of the population.
There were 3,028 households out of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.7% were married couples living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.7% were non-families. 20.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 2.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.4% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 37.9% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 6.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $80,320, and the median income for a family was $91,381. Males had a median income of $60,639 versus $41,868 for females. The per capita income for the city was $35,057. About 1.8% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.1% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.
Although the present-day African American population of Newcastle is small, in the 1880s when it was a mining center, Newcastle had the Puget Sound area's largest African American population, greater even than that of Seattle.[7]
Notable residents
James Hasty - Former NFL player for the Kansas City Chiefs and the New York Jets.
Mack Strong - Former NFL Player for the Seattle Seahawks.
City landmarks
The City of Newcastle has designated the following landmarks:
| Landmark | Built | Listed | Address | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newcastle Cemetery[8] | c. 1870 | 1982 | SW of 69th Way off 129th Avenue SE | |
| Pacific Coast Coal Co. House #75[8] | 1870s | 1982 | 7210 138th Avenue SE | |
| Thomas Rouse Road[8] | 1880 | 1984 | 136th SE & 144th Place SE |
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.
- ^ "City Profile and History". City of Newcastle. http://www.ci.newcastle.wa.us/r_an_city_profile_and_history.asp. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
- ^ "Surveyors discover coal at Newcastle (east King County) in October 1863.". HistoryLink. http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=149. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
- ^ "Newcastle (King County) produces 75 to 100 tons of coal per day in 1872.". HistoryLink. http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=195. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Esther Hall Mumford (1980), Seattle's Black Victorians 1852-1901, Seattle: Ananse Press, p. 13.
- ^ a b c King County and Local Landmarks List, King County (undated, last modified 2003-02-26). Accessed online 2009-05-08.
External links
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