King County

King County is an administrative division in western Washington that includes parts of the city of Seattle as well as forested hills, lakes, and mountain slopes. The territory connects densely built neighborhoods with rural areas and waterfront stretches along Puget Sound.

The administrative division was created in the mid-19th century during early settlement by European immigrants. The name change came later to honor the civil rights leader rather than an earlier political namesake.

The name honors Martin Luther King Jr. and reflects a deliberate choice for equality and justice. Many public buildings and parks today carry his name and remind visitors of this connection to the civil rights movement.

Public transport connects the different places within this administrative area with buses, light rail, and water taxis. Distances between densely built neighborhoods and rural areas often require multiple modes of transport or longer journeys.

Kokanee salmon return from the lake to surrounding streams each fall and create a small natural event for visitors. This species spends its entire life in freshwater and does not migrate to the ocean like other relatives.

Location: Washington

Inception: December 22, 1852

Capital city: Seattle

Shares border with: Snohomish County, Pierce County, Chelan County, Kittitas County, Kitsap County, Yakima County

Website: https://kingcounty.gov

GPS coordinates: 47.47000,-121.84000

Latest update: December 4, 2025 14:20