A quiet town midway between Seattle and Everett on Puget Sound. In 1868 Pleasant H. Elwell built a cabin here; four years later George Brackett, who subsequently became the town’s first mayor, seeking refuge from a storm, saw the possibilities of the heavily forested area near water transportation and shortly thereafter, purchased the Elwell Claim. Soon the settlement became a logging and sawmill center. Edmonds is probably the only town in the United States that included the names of animals on its petition for incorporation. It is said that, in 1890, when the petition was drawn up, it was discovered that it fell short by two names of the required number, and those of two oxen, Bill and Bolivar, were added. The income of the town was today drawn chiefly from poultry raising, a large co-operative shingle mill, and commercial flower gardens.
Edmonds is now home to a marina and fishing pier, numerous beaches, parks, shops, and restaurants. The city also has an active arts community. Year-round festivals and events showcase the town’s history and civic achievements.
Edmonds offers unusually fine views of the Sound. Westward, across a stretch of water, is the jagged line of the Olympic Mountains. Edmonds is the only port of Puget Sound from which the Juan de Fuca Strait can be seen between the maze of islands. Ferries run to Port Ludlow and Port Townsend on the Olympic Peninsula and to Kingston on Kitsap Peninsula.
