As I mentioned at my recent “State of the City” Address, Edmonds will be 125 years old on Aug. 11 this year. Our founder, George Brackett, purchased 147 acres in 1876 for $650 and began to log his property a few years later. The town of Edmonds was founded by Brackett in 1890, 14 years later.

We were named after a United States Senator from Vermont, with the last name of EdmUnds….notice the “U”. Evidently, the U.S. Post Office made an error in spelling when we were granted a post office in 1884, and we became EdmOnds!

We certainly should acknowledge George Brackett as our founder, as he was also our first U.S. Postmaster and our first mayor. An extremely interesting book has just been released, filled with our rich history and highlighting our origins in word and photographs by Sara McGibbon DuBois and Ray E. DuBois, titled “Edmonds 1850s -1950s.” I understand the book is available at the Edmonds Bookshop and the Edmonds Museum.

Enough history…..

While the 125th Anniversary is not necessarily as “big a deal” as a Centennial Anniversary, knowing we are the oldest city in Snohomish County and 125 years old seems reason enough to call attention to this special occasion.

With that idea in mind, we are organizing a task force to assemble ideas for the 125th anniversary celebration. Last Monday, the group led by Patrick Doherty, Community Services/Economic Development Director, met for the first time with representatives from the Edmonds Museum, the Edmonds Historic Preservation Commission, City of Edmonds, the Chamber of Commerce, the Edmonds Downtown Alliance (Ed!) and private citizens.

Anyone wishing to join the effort and help organize the anniversary celebration should contact Cindi Cruz at cindi.cruz@edmondswa.gov or 425-775-7724.

From the first meeting, a long list of potential celebration ideas (none of which have yet been chosen) were advanced. Ideas included: a time capsule to be opened at the 150th anniversary; participation in the 4th of July celebration and other summer festivals; creating a skit depicting the founding of Edmonds with George Brackett; and a community celebration on Aug. 11, closing the street between the museum and City Hall. Again, the task force has not yet selected specific ideas or events.

The group also noted that several other Edmonds organizations are having milestone birthdays such as: the Arts Commission celebrating 40 years, Edmonds in Bloom – 20 years, the summer Concerts in the Park – 25, and the Write on the Sound Conference – 30 years. This could well be a year of celebrations!

We have a unique history in Edmonds, a history we are proud of, and it is our duty to maintain that history as well as take care to keep accurate records and preserve our unique character. Our history is not just about downtown Edmonds, but also how we have evolved throughout the city – from Meadowdale to Lake Ballinger to 5 Corners.

If you are interested in our history and would like to become involved in planning our 125th anniversary, please contact Ms. Cruz (contact info above). I look forward to our community’s celebration of an important milestone by creating an event worthy of enriching our history.

— By Dave Earling, Mayor