- Issaquah (or depending on the era: Gilman and Squak Valley) has long been the home of noteworthy women – from a time when the only residents in the area were indigenous communities, to when pioneers arrived settling their homesteads in the mid-1800s, and up into the present day. And while their contributions are vast and varied, today we’re highlighting four select women – each pillars of strength who impacted their communities, and it’s a fair assessment, didn’t follow conventional paths. Oh, but what a life!