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Kenmore incorporates on August 31, 1998.

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On August 31, 1998, Kenmore, located between Lake Forest Park and Bothell at the north end of Lake Washington (in King County), incorporates. The move to incorporate was in response to the need to manage growth. The vote took place on September 16, 1997.

Seventy percent of the voters in this community of 17,000 residents voted for incorporation. The celebration included a parade, a ribbon-cutting at City Hall, a kiddie carnival, and food and music.

The City established a $750,000 line of credit until it could collect taxes. The seven-person city council also enacted 245 traffic ordinances. The council selects a mayor and deputy mayor for two-year terms. Kenmore's first mayor was Jack Crawford.

The forest that was Kenmore was originally owned by investor Philo Remington (of Remington gun fame). He sold the land to his son-in-law, Watson C. Squire (1838-1926), Washington's last territorial governor. Squire put up a water tower and the availability of water attracted others.

Kenmore was named by John McMasters and his wife, Annie, who came from the town of Kenmore, Canada, located 40 miles south of Ottawa. 

In 2009, Seattle Magazine ranked Kenmore as No. 1 in terms of best Seattle-area community in which to live. The city of 20,000 (in 2009) has top-ranked schools, a regional trail (the Burke-Gilman Trail), safe neighborhoods, and many parks.

Sources:
Larry Lange, "Kenmore Adopts Cityhood," Seattle Post-Intelligencer September 17, 1997, p. A-8; Tan Vinh, "Kenmore Becomes a Town of Its Own," The Seattle Times, August 24, 1998, p. B-3; "Kenmore History," City of Kenmore website accessed August 25, 2009 (http://www.cityofkenmore.com/).
This essay was expanded on August 25, 2009.

By David Wilma, December 26, 2002

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