Redmond, Washington

Book excerpt: Only 17 miles northeast of Seattle, Redmond is nestled among fir trees, with the majestic backdrop of the Cascade Mountains to the east and the Olympic Mountains to the west. In 1870, when the first official census of Seattle listed 1,107 people, Luke McRedmond obtained a land patent in the area later to be named for him. From the auspicious beginnings of lumber, fishing, and hunting industries sprang a thriving town which was destined to gain international recognition as the home of Microsoft. With photographs collected from the relatives of its founding families, this volume focuses on the history of Redmond from 1870 to the 1920s. Included are many unpublished photos of the pioneer families, as well as rare glimpses of the railway station, early farms and schools, and historic shots of the Redmond Fire Department. Pictured social occasions include the earliest 4th of July celebrations, birthday parties, and Redmond's famous Derby Days, the country's oldest annual bicycle race, begun in 1939.