Squak Valley

homesteading

Squak Valley’s Journey: From Wilderness to Homestead (issaquahhistorymuseums.com) Succinctly capturing the essence of the valley’s early settlers, The Issaquah Press eloquently stated in their June 30, 1976 issue: “Pioneer families came seeking a good life, one of hard work, ingenious innovation, and endless days in order to survive.” And with that, Squak Valley went from wilderness to homestead.

From Many, One: The Immigrant Threads of Issaquah’s History (issaquahhistorymuseums.com) Historically, our area was home to the Coast Salish people, which included our local Snoqualmie and Sammamish tribes. Squak Valley (now Issaquah) was remote and wild. No roads, no trains, and the only access was by water or old Indian trails. In the 1860s as Indigenous communities experienced displacement in the valley from land and resources, early immigrants joined those settlers. What they found was a fertile valley, fresh water, big trees, and a place to build a new life. And with them came the traditions and expertise of their homelands, laying the groundwork for Issaquah’s evolving identity.

Issaquah, Washington (Wikipedia) Issaquah (/ˈɪsəkwɑː/ ISS-ə-kwah) is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 40,051 at the 2020 census. Located in a valley and bisected by Interstate 90, the city is bordered by the Sammamish Plateau to the north and the “Issaquah Alps” to the south. It is home to the headquarters of the multinational retail company Costco Wholesale Corporation. Issaquah is included in the Seattle metropolitan area.

Squak Valley is easy to see on a terrain map, e.g., view Issaquah in Google Maps and switch to the terrain layer. To the north is Lake Sammamish and the Issaquah Highlands; to the west is Tiger Mountain and to the east is Squak Mountain.