Edmonds Self-Guided Tour
Welcome to the Edmonds Self-guided Walking Tour in partnership with the University of Washington 2022 Thesis project and Edmonds Historical Museum. We hope you enjoy this experience. Thank you.
Edmonds sits, lives, works, and plays, on the unceded ancestral homeland of the Coast Salish people. The Duwamish, Snohomish, Stillaguamish, and Suquamish ancestors have cared for this land since time immemorial. This land acknowledgment does not take the place of authentic relationships with indigenous communities.
Historic Edmonds Audio Tours
Choose a tour to explore.
-
Bakery Audio Tour
Donut miss your chance to fall in loaf with the Edmonds Bakery. The bakery has been enjoyed by residents and tourists alike for almost a century. See historical pictures showing …
-
Beeson Building Audio Tour
Standing firm through time, the Beeson Building has witnessed an ever-changing Edmonds. Look through historic photos and listen to an audio guide to learn more about the businesses that have …
-
5th and Main Intersection Audio Tour
Welcome to the heart of Edmonds where past and present intersect. See how the center of Edmonds has developed over the past century through photos and personal stories. Transcript The …
-
Movie Theater Audio Tour
Reel through entertainment across the decades by learning about the history of the Edmonds Theater. Examine historical photographs and listen to the audio guide. Transcript The Edmonds Theater is one …
Introduction to Edmonds
Edmonds as we know it today began when George Brackett arrived by canoe in 1870. At the time, dense forests of red cedar and a thick layer of underbrush ran all the way to the water’s edge. In awe of his surroundings, Brackett envisioned a future for the area. He vowed to return and establish a town with a logging operation.
Two years later, he acquired 147 acres of land and returned to the area in 1876. While Brackett was busying himself with logging and draining marshlands, other settlers began to arrive. Captain William H. Hamlin arrived in 1881 and built a small wharf near modern-day Third Avenue. Charles B. Breed set up a sawmill on his 160-acre homestead.
Edmonds was officially established and got its name, post office and first school district in 1884. The first classes were held in Mr. Brackett’s feed barn. As the first postmaster, Mr. Brackett was given the privilege of naming the town. Allegedly, Brackett admired a Vermont senator named George Franklin Edmunds. However, a spelling error resulted in the “U” in Edmunds becoming an “O”, and it’s been that way ever since.
