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Lake Washington

The state’s 2nd largest natural lake, covering 22,138 acres with 58 miles of shoreline, borders Seattle on the west shore, and extends nearly twenty miles north from Renton to Kenmore.

The lake’s south end is largely industrial and the north end is mostly residential. The city of Bellevue occupies much of its eastern shore. It came into existence during the glacial period, when a prehistoric stream was dammed by a glacial moraine. In 1851, it was named Lake Geneva by Isaac N. Ebey, for the Swiss lake.

On July 4, 1854, the lake was given its present name at a pioneer picnic, when Thomas Mercer suggested the name of the first president of the United States. In 1856, it appeared on Preston’s Map as Duwamish. The Duwamish Native American name was It-kow-chug, meaning large body of fresh water; other tribes called it At-sar-kal, with about the same general meaning.

Tour winds through valley, along Lyon Creek drainage between Lake Washington and Lake Ballinger.  Lyon Creek Waterfront Preserve, provides public waterfront access.

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