Early 20th century

Scotsman John McMasters and his wife Annie arrived in Puget Sound in May 1889 from Kenmore, Ontario, intending to establish themselves in the shingle-making trade. McMasters and his business partner, Chris Kruse, leased land from Squire and opened a shingle mill on the northeastern shore of Lake Washington on January 1, 1901. Establishing a company town alongside the mill for his employees, McMasters named it after his earlier hometown in Canada, which in turn was named after the village in Scotland, registering the name with the state on January 10.^[11][12] By 1903, Kenmore had established a school system and post office, with McMasters named the first postmaster for the latter.^[11][13]

Despite cargo railway service passing through the area as early as 1887 via the Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railway, most access to the city in its early days was by boat, with regular ferry service to Seattle, Bothell, and Woodinville starting in 1906. The city later gained a passenger railroad stop. The first improved road connection to Seattle and Bothell—the Red Brick Road—opened between 1913 and 1914, with bus service following the laying of the bricks. As a result, Kenmore became a country retreat for weekend gardeners with local landowners selling off clear-cut "garden plots" to Seattlites with automobiles and green thumbs. It attracted at least two short-lived nudist camps during the 1920s.

Far more striking, however, was the impact of Prohibition. Kenmore quickly became famous in Seattle for its fine country dining and, more importantly, its fine country drinking, as a substantial illegal alcohol industry developed to meet the demands of Jazz Age Seattle nightlife. Although relatively close to Seattle proper thanks to Bothell Way's status as one of the few improved roads then heading north from downtown it was nonetheless far enough out that Department of Revenue officers could, for the most part, ignore it.

The Blind Pig, a roadhouse on Shuter's Landing at Lake Washington, was probably the most famous of the Kenmore speakeasys. At the lakeside, its illegal hooch could be dumped into the lake quickly and easily should it become necessary. Few people were fooled; the name itself was, in fact, a well-known slang term meaning "speakeasy". But despite its notoriety, the Pig was not even the city's most infamous saloon. Routine violence and fist-fights at the Inglewood Tavern earned that establishment an alternative name: the Bucket of Blood.

This archipelago of dining and entertainment - over 30 different restaurants, dance halls, bars, and clubs in a three-block area - remained a major part of Kenmore's identity through the 1940s.

Post-war redevelopment

Once the Great Depression hit, Kenmore became home for a small settlement of workers under President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Back to the Land program. Paid by the Works Progress Administration, a small number of workers settled in an area of northwestern Kenmore which became known as "Voucherville", after the vouchers the WPA paid in lieu of a cash salary.

After the end of World War II, Kenmore became home to US Army Nike Hercules missile batteries as part of cold-war era defense plans. These nuclear-tipped anti-aircraft missiles were intended to protect Seattle and environs from Soviet bombers, should war break out. They were removed in 1974.^[14]

The post-war era largely transformed downtown. Kenmore Air Harbor, which today is one of the world's largest seaplane-only airports, opened not far from the old location of the Blind Pig; Kenmore Air itself today runs a fleet of seaplanes serving waterside destinations throughout Cascadia. At the same time, Kenmore's immediate proximity to Seattle—just two miles (3 km) north of modern Seattle city limits— made it an early target of post-war housing development. The first plats in the new Uplake neighborhood were sold in 1954. Housing development continued throughout the Kenmore area for the next several decades, mostly following the postwar suburban model; industrial and commercial growth followed quickly behind, and within a few decades, most of the old Kenmore dining and drinking had vanished, replaced by shopping centers, industrial development, and housing. However, one part of this new development brought its own history along with it: the Jewel Box Building in downtown Kenmore is a Seattle World's Fair artifact, moved from Seattle Center to Kenmore after the end of the fair in October, 1962.

The city gained its first college in 1996, with the relocation of Bastyr University from Seattle onto the grounds of the former St. Edward Seminary.

Incorporation and downtown revitalization

Kenmore residents considered incorporation many times since the town's founding; one such incorporation vote failed in 1954.^[15] The idea gained popular support through the 1990s, however, partly in response to the passage of the Washington State Growth Management Act of 1990. Formation of an exploration committee in 1995 led to a successful public vote shortly thereafter, and the city formally incorporated on August 31, 1998, 97 years after its original founding.^[10]

The Hangar at Town Square

Following incorporation, the new government set about devising a local set of zoning codes and a downtown development plan with the intent of reviving and rebuilding the traditional core areas of the city. A significant component of this plan involved extensive use of land now owned by the city, in the area known within the plan as the Northwest Quadrant. An open invitation was extended to all architects and developers to submit development plans for this newly available area in December, 2005. The City Council chose to negotiate primarily with Kenmore Partners LLC in April 2006. Design plans were submitted to the city the following summer, with a conceptual overview made available to the public at the same time.^[16] In 2012, the City of Kenmore and Kenmore Partners LLC broke off their development agreement. After the split, Kenmore sold off 4.75 acres of former park and ride property in 2013 and sold two parcels north of Town Square in 2016 to MainStreet Property Group LLC to develop into mixed-use buildings. In 2017, Kenmore opened a community center called the Hangar at Town Square, a community gathering space which is available to the public to reserve for free. ^[17]

Kenmore's oldest roads, now known most often by their county-assigned number systems, originally had more traditional names such as Cat's Whiskers Road (61st Avenue NE), Squire Boulevard (later Red Brick Road, now Bothell Way/SR 522), and Remington Drive (NE 181st Street). These traditional names were reinstated in 2007 as secondary names in the downtown area.^[18]

In 2009, Kenmore started building a new city hall on the corner of 68th Avenue Northeast and 181st Avenue Northeast. The building received a LEED gold rating and features solar panels, energy efficient lighting, and a rain garden among other energy-saving features. On May 22, 2010, Kenmore formally opened the new city hall building.^[19]

Surrounding cities & lake

Climate

The climate of Kenmore is substantially similar to that of nearby Seattle, being defined principally by its latitude, proximity to the Pacific Ocean and Puget Sound, and inclusion in the Puget Sound Convergence Zone. As such, it is usually considered Marine west coast in nature, with damp, cool winters, and mild, dry summers, despite being further north than cities such as Toronto, Ontario and Montreal, Quebec.

Neighborhoods

Kenmore has several distinct neighborhoods. These include:

Arrowhead, Kenmore, from across Lake Washington in Log Boom Park

• Arrowhead, in southern Kenmore, on the west (or lake) side, saw its first house built in 1888. This was a small summer cabin; the oldest house still standing dates from 1929.
• Inglewood, in southern Kenmore, was first platted in 1953, with large-scale suburban development appearing by 1962.
• Lower Moorlands, in eastern Kenmore, saw its first house in 1904. The significant development occurring in this area after World War I included the 1927 landmark Charles and Elvera Thomsen House.^[22]
• Upper Moorlands, also in eastern Kenmore, saw initial building in 1938-1939 but stayed quite rural due to the lack of a good water system until suburban development arrived in the mid-1950s.
• Central (or downtown) Kenmore hugs Bothell Way and formed the original core of the city. Today it is Kenmore's commercial and industrial core.

Northern Kenmore and the Cascade Mountains as seen from Uplake Terrace, looking east

• Northlake Terrace, an early residential neighborhood just north of town, is now a mix of commercial and residential development. Much of the eastern portion of this area is to be redeveloped as part of the new Downtown Plan.
• Linwood Heights, in northwest Kenmore, was first founded as part of the "Back to the Land" movement during the Great Depression. Then derisively referred to as Voucherville, it has long since been redeveloped and is now largely suburban housing. Portions were annexed by Lake Forest Park in 1995, predating Kenmore's formal incorporation.
• Kenlake Vista, in northern Kenmore, is post-war residential suburban housing.
• Uplake Terrace, a suburban neighborhood developed started in 1953.^[23]
• Kenmore Terrace
• Northshore Summit

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 20,460 people, 7,984 households, and 5,487 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,326.8 inhabitants per square mile (1,284.5/km²). There were 8,569 housing units at an average density of 1,393.3 per square mile (538.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 79.9% White, 1.6% African American, 0.5% Native American, 10.5% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 2.5% from other races, and 4.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.0% of the population.

There were 7,984 households, of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.3% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.3% were non-families. 23.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.9% 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 3.01.

The median age in the city was 39.5 years. 22.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.2% were from 25 to 44; 29.6% were from 45 to 64; and 11.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.6% male and 50.4% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 18,678 people, 7,307 households, and 4,961 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,028.7 people per square mile (1,168.8/km²). There were 7,562 housing units at an average density of 1,226.2 per square mile (473.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 86.70% White, 1.39% African American, 0.37% Native American, 7.16% Asian, 0.18% Pacific Islander, 1.24% from other races, and 2.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.51% of the population.

There were 7,307 households, out of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.1% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the city the population was spread out, with 24.5% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 31.9% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.7 males.

Police

Kenmore contracts with the King County Sheriff's Office for police services. Deputies assigned to Kenmore wear city uniforms and drive patrol cars marked with the city logo. There are currently 9 patrol officers, one traffic officer, one storefront officer, and one chief assigned full-time to the city.

Civic events and festivals

Major annual civic events include:

• The Kenmore Summer Concert Series, hosted at Saint Edward State Park^[36]
• The annual Kenmore Art Show, a juried art exhibition sponsored by the Arts of Kenmore.
• Fourth of July Fireworks, a fireworks display at Log Boom Park, a tradition which started in 2006.
• Farmers Market at Town Square held every Wednesday from June to August;^[37] debuted in 2022 as a pilot program^[38]

Media

Kenmore is served by Seattle-area media, but town and neighborhood events are covered primarily by the Bothell/Kenmore Reporter, a weekly and online newspaper published by Sound Publishing. Once a month, a Kenmore city government update is printed within the newspaper as a two- to four-page supplement. For its part, the city also sends out a quarterly eight-page newsletter to all residents discussing government activities, development project status reports, budgetary summaries, and a community events calendar.

Family Circle Magazine selected Kenmore, Washington as one of the "10 Best Towns for families" in their August 2009 edition. Seattle Magazine also ranked Kenmore as the best Seattle-area neighborhood or surrounding city for 2008–2009.^[39]

Parks

Wallace Swamp Creek Park in 2017

Not all parks within city limits are operated by city government; the Burke-Gilman Trail is a King County park, and St. Edward State Park is operated by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. Extant parks within city limits include:

• Burke-Gilman Trail, a King County park which, combined with the Sammamish River Trail, connects Marymoor Park just outside downtown Redmond through the downtowns of Woodinville, Bothell, Kenmore, and Lake Forest Park to Gas Works Park in Seattle and points west. Several other trails and bike routes branch off of this trail backbone.
• ƛ̕ax̌ʷadis Park (formerly known as Squire's Landing), a park along the Sammamish River named for a former Lushootseed village located near downtown Kenmore^[40]
• Linwood Park, a small 3-acre (12,000 m²) park in northwest Kenmore with grass commons, playground, and picnic tables
• Moorlands Park, a 5-acre (20,000 m²) park which includes baseball and basketball facilities in southeastern Kenmore
• Rhododendron Park, formerly Kenmore Park, a 13-acre (53,000 m²) park with hundreds of Rhododendron plants and a public boathouse^[41]
• Saint Edward State Park, the largest park in Kenmore at 365 acres (1.48 km²); it includes over half a mile of undeveloped Lake Washington shoreline, the historic Saint Edward Seminary (which is now used as a hotel) and gymnasium, and the largest playground in the state ^[42]
• Swamp Creek Park, along the Sammamish River, consists of city-purchased farmland currently left in an undeveloped state
• Log Boom Park (Tracy Owen Station), includes 16 acres (65,000 m²) of shoreline and a large walking dock extending out into the lake
• Wallace Swamp Creek Park, 17 acres (69,000 m²) a park that surrounds Swamp Creek in northeast Kenmore and features walking trails