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Mountlake Terrace Tidbits
During the 19th century, the Snohomish Native American group of people inhabited a huge portion of the state of Washington. One of the areas they inhabited is now called Mountlake Terrace, a city in the Snohomish County. The area that the Native American tribe once lived in was later acquired by the Puget Mill Company in the 1860s. At the turn of the 20th century, this area was divided and sold off to ranchers.
Then, in 1910, an interurban railway was paved to connect the cities of Tacoma and Everett. However, because of the Great Depression, the railroad company didn't find success. It was later abandoned in 1939. During the next few years, the United States government used the areas as a landing field. After World War II, however, two land developers came up with the idea to construct housing for returning soldiers and their families.
These two businessmen, Albert LaPierre and Jack Peterson, later named their housing development "Mountlake Terrace" because the new town site gave the residents a view of a mountain and a lake. During the early 1950s, more than 5,000 people lived in the community. Peterson and LaPierre did not expect this, and so Mountlake Terrace had to be reconstructed to accommodate such a large number of residents.
The town's situation had to change, so one resident organized a campaign to have the city incorporated. That way, they can have their own fire station and working telephone lines. In 1954, the city of Mountlake Terrace was finally incorporated. Its first mayor was a hardware store merchant named Gilbert Geiser. He was the one who donated money to have the incorporation papers filed.
After several decades, the city's population increased. Because of this, more businesses were built in the area, thereby, also attracting new residents. At first, city planners foresaw Mountlake Terrace as a bedroom community for nearby cities like Seattle, Shoreline, Lynnwood, Edmonds, and Brier. However, people began to envision a different kind of city later on. The local government leaders wanted their community to be largely self-sufficient with its own historic and exciting downtown district.
Things didn't go as planned, though, since the economic boom in nearby cities drew the crowd away from Mountlake Terrace. In 2006, the city officials planned to revitalize the city, especially downtown. Many businesses and commercial complexes are now being built and more are being planned to promote Mountlake Terrace. This doesn't mean that the city isn't already exciting enough. There are various parks, centers, and events happening all over town that you'll feel dizzy trying to keep up with the locals.
The residents of Mountlake Terrace never run out of things to do. The Tour de Terrace, for example, is an event that draws in thousands of visitors every year. It happens on July and is filled with different contests and shows. Visitors can join marathons, watch a car show, try the rides at the carnival, enjoy the street fair, or listen to live music performances in the park. There's also a pancake breakfast open for all. The celebration first began in 1994 when two residents wanted to commemorate the city's 40th foundation day.
The people of Mountlake Terrace are cooperative and hardworking, especially when it comes to doing something good for the environment. The city always hosts an Earth Day Park Clean Up where young and old residents pick up trash and tidy up their surroundings.
After cleaning the area, participants are invited to lunch at the city hall. It's a great activity, and it's a chance for visitors to see the people of Mountlake in action. Everybody pitches in. You will see older people teaching small children how to plant saplings, sprightly and strong people spreading bark around the area, and others pruning trees and getting rid of weeds.
Close to winter, the city does something exciting. Mountlake Terrace holds the Costume Carnival where people go in costume to attend dances and programs. Prizes will be given to the most creative costumes. The celebration is held by the city's dance and fitness center. Towards the last month of the year, the city also holds a special Tree Lighting Ceremony, where residents gather at Evergreen Park to listen to carols and see the tree light up. The tree isn't actually real. It's a constructed frame on top of the water tower and it's covered in 1,800 LED lights that can be seen miles away. It makes for a beautiful sight against the cold, winter night sky.
Mountlake Terrace has several parks that offer sports fields, picnic benches and tables, access to lakes and beaches, and playground equipment. The city also has retail stores and chains, gadget services, and other commercial establishments. It's far from being a simple suburb. It's exciting, and the people are friendly, making Mountlake Terrace a truly wonderful place to call home.
