Lake Sammamish Through Time

Lake Sammamish, a freshwater lake located east of Seattle, Washington is nestled among the cities of Issaquah, Bellevue, Redmond, and Sammamish. The shores of the lake have been home to many, from the Sammamish Native Americans, to the current population. In the nineteenth century, timber companies realized the potential for development along Lake Sammamish, and logging operations thrived for years. Boating on Lake Sammamish was a necessity for transport of logs to mills and later was a favorite pastime for those who loved the water. Water skiing became popular on the lake in the 1950s. Resort life boomed in the 1920s on Lake Sammamish, and by the 1930s, nine resorts crowded the lake, five on the northwest shore alone. Today, though most traces of milling have disappeared, Lake Sammamish still provides recreation opportunities for tens of thousands of people a year. The resort landscapes have changed, but children and adults alike still enjoy the lake waters by boating, swimming, and fishing.