Watson Squire purchases acreage in what is now central Kenmore
Watson Squire, a future territorial governor and U.S. senator, purchases 198 acres sight-unseen from his father-in-law, Philo Remington, in what is now central Kenmore. Squire actively seeks to promote commerce and economic development at the north end of the lake, but his efforts are hampered by the national economic downturn…
The first water transportation begins
The forty-foot Squak begins service on Lake Washington and the Sammamish River, moving passengers and freight from Seattle’s Madison Park to Bothell, Woodinville, Redmond, and Issaquah.
Creator moves to becomes a pillar of Kenmore
Scotsman John McMaster moves from Kenmore, Ontario to Seattle, where he learns of a new shingle-making process at a Seattle mill.
Shingle mill opens
John McMaster opens a shingle mill at the north end of Lake Washington on January 1 and names the surrounding area after his hometown of Kenmore, Scotland.
The first school
The Kenmore School District is established; first classes are held in a shack near the McMaster mill.
Kenmore was an early transportation hub
Bothell Auto Stage driver Casey Bannister stands beside his Winton motor bus near Swamp Creek. The stage line was founded by Elmer Ross after completion in 1913-14 of a brick road that became Bothell Way. Previously, the land routes were rough trails and dirt roads that often became impassable during…
Brick road from Lake Forest Park through Kenmore to Bothell is completed
Italian and Greek immigrants complete work on the Brick Road from Lake Forest Park to Kenmore and Bothell, following the route of a wagon road first used in the late 1880s. The Brick Road adds a hard surface and all-weather reliability to the route, bringing with it an economic boon to…
Early-day public transportation
Kenmore became a more popular destination after red-brick paving replaced the dirt road from north Seattle to Bothell in 1914. In this photo, several of the motorized Bothell Stage Line vehicles make their way on the new road. One can imagine the enjoyment of the “Sunday drive” that was so…
Grand Opening of Inglewood Golf and Country Club
The Inglewood Golf Clubhouse opens next to an 18-hole golf course developed on what had been Peterson’s goat farm and logged-off forest land.
Kenmore Garage
Beginning in 1922, Al Telquist (right) operated Kenmore’s first auto-repair garage at 65th Avenue NE and Bothell Way with his father-in-law, Dan Dygert. The large sign above the door reads “Kenmore Garage, Shell Gasoline, Day and Night Service.” Auto traffic in the area surged after opening of the brick road…
Inglewood Golf and Country Club burns; rebuilt in 1925
After a fire destroys the original Inglewood Golf Club, a more splendid clubhouse opens and continues operating today.
Kenmore Community Club finishes new clubhouse
Kenmore Community Club finishes its new clubhouse, financed from the sale of 150 bonds worth $10 each. Memberships cost fifty cents with dues set at twenty-five cents month.
Construction of St. Edward’s Seminary begins
After several years of construction, the St. Edward Seminary opens to train Catholic priests. The facility was operated for 46 years until 1976.
Sanitarium treated psychiatric cases
A three-story residence on Lakewood Villa Road (later NE 175th Street) became the Lakewood Villa Sanitarium specializing in psychiatry in the 1930s. Later renamed Firlawn, the facility offered private, long-term treatment. The famous American novelist Thomas Wolfe, author of Look Homeward, Angel, was a patient here in 1938. Photo courtesy…
Wooden water tank holding 20,000 gallons is built on the Northlake hill
Kenmore Volunteer Fire Department organized
As advocated by the Kenmore Community Club, the Kenmore Volunteer Fire Department is organized after voters approve creation of King County Fire Protection District 16.
Kenmore Air Harbor
A former swamp becomes the base for Kenmore Air Harbor. Owner Bob Munro and his family lived in the house, right, which doubled as an office. Photo courtesy of Kenmore Air Harbor
Bob Munro establishes Kenmore Air Harbor in a former swamp beside the lake
Soon after their return from World War II, aviation mechanics Bob Munro and Reg Collins and pilot Jack Mines establish Kenmore Air Harbor on 2.5 acres of a former swamp next to Lake Washington. Munroe builds a 36-horsepower airplane from the parts of wrecked planes and Kenmore Air is in…
Water District 79 is organized
Ralph Swanson Sr. opens Plywood Supply Company in Lake City Way
Established by Ralph Swanson in Lake City with a single truck and a small shed, Plywood Supply moves three years later to Kenmore, where it operates with a fleet of trucks and six warehouses, where it becomes one of the city’s largest enterprises.
Kenmore Drive-In Theater opening
The Kenmore Drive-In Theater opened on May 1, 1953 behind what later became the Kenmore Village shopping center. The theater’s slogan was “See the Stars under the Stars.” The first program was a double-feature starring Gregory Peck and Ann Blyth in The World in His Arms and Joe McCrea appearing…
Kenmore Library opens
First Kenmore Library opens with 5,600 books in its collection, housed in a remodeled barn on 73rd Avenue NE following a community fund-raising effort.
The Kenmore Library moves into a 2,112-square-foot modular structure on 73rd Avenue NE.
Official Kenmore community flag is unveiled
Bastyr University moves
Bastyr University moves from Seattle to the St. Thomas Seminary in Kenmore after leasing and later purchasing the 50-acre property from the Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle; within twenty years, Bastyr becomes the nation’s leading naturopathic medical school.
After repeated defeats, a proposal to incorporate the City of Kenmore is approved by voters.
Measure for Kenmore incorporation passes with a 71 percent “yes” vote
The City of Kenmore is incorporated and officially becomes a city on August 31
Kenmore becomes a city
Citizens of Kenmore celebrate the incorporation of their city in August, 1998 with a parade along Northeast 181st Street during the Good Ol’ Days Festival. This small delegation of local residents carried a message from one of the community’s namesakes—Kenmore, Scotland. The new city had a population of nearly 18,000…
Kenmore by the Lake: A Community History is published by Kenmore Heritage Society
Many residents contribute stories and photographs for publication in Kenmore by the Lake, a project of the Kenmore Heritage Society.
Kenmore City Hall dedicated
A new energy-efficient City Hall opens featuring City Council chambers, a community meeting room, and administration offices.
Kenmore Fire Station 51 dedicated
The 2-story, 32,000-square-foot Fire Station 51 opens as operations center for the King County Protection District 16, which has served Kenmore since 1942.
