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The history of Bothell

Bothell’s riverfront history includes Coast Salish communities, settlement and logging along the Sammamish River, and a town incorporated in 1909. Learn more through the linked historical account and the Bothell Historical Museum.

People who shaped Bothell

These milestones are an introduction, not a complete local history. Follow the linked city and museum sources to explore the people and places behind them.Read the local historical account.

1. Before settlement-era logging

   Indigenous river communities

   The historical account describes Indigenous communities along the Sammamish River before settlement-era logging. Consult community-authored histories alongside this secondary overview.

   HistoryLink, David Wilma (2003) ↗
2. 1888

   Railroad connection

   The Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern Railroad reached Bothell in 1888, connecting the growing settlement to the wider region.

   HistoryLink, David Wilma (2003) ↗
3. 1909

   Municipal incorporation

   Bothell incorporated on April 14, 1909. George Bothell became its first mayor.

   HistoryLink, David Wilma (2003) ↗
4. 1992

   A city in two counties

   The Canyon Park annexation expanded Bothell north into Snohomish County; the present city spans King and Snohomish counties.

   HistoryLink, David Wilma (2003) ↗
5. 2000

   A shared college campus

   UW Bothell and Cascadia moved into their permanent shared campus in 2000. Check each institution’s own information for current programs and visitor access.

   HistoryLink, David Wilma (2003) ↗

See the history for yourself.

Visit the museum’s historic buildings at the Park at Bothell Landing, then follow the linked local-history account for a wider chronology. Bothell Historical Museum.

For deeper research, the Ronald H. Roberts Bothell Public Library is a starting point for archival material and research help. Historic photographs have their own permissions; we link to the collection instead of treating every old image as free to reuse.

Selected milestones researched October 10, 2026. Follow the historical account and museum sources for more detail.