City of Tukwila

The earliest people in Tukwila were the Duwamish who made their homes along the Black and Duwamish River. They named it Tukwila, a Salish word for the lush forests of hazelnut trees which grew around them. In 1853 Joseph Foster, the "Father of Tukwila," and a Canadian pioneer traveled to the Northwest from Wisconsin. The city was originally known as Foster and commercially began as an agriculture and trading center. Soon highways and heavy and light rail connected Tukwila to Seattle and Tacoma population centers and to their ports. Incorporated in 1908, it is the transportation hub of the Northwest. It has the major highway crossroads Interstates 5 and 405, Sea-Tac International Airport next door and trucking, public transport, rail and seaports all easily accessible. The city is a significant center of commerce with 45,000 people working there everyday even though its population is half that. Widely known for its Westfield Southcenter, visited by 100,000 daily, it is also home to over 2,000 businesses including METRO, Red Dot Corporation, Group Health and is the computer sales capital of Washington. A Tree City USA the last 4 consecutive years, Tukwila has 17 city parks, 2 major interconnected trails systems, a community pool and an abundance of recreational programs to keep citizens busy. It is the home of the Family Fun Center and the Northwest's premier participatory athletic complex, Starfire Sports - practice center to the Seattle Sounders FC. Foster Links Golf Course and the Tukwila Community Center sit alongside of the Duwamish River. The world class Museum of Flight is in town with its "Red Barn," where the Boeing Company manufactured its first aircraft. Community events like the Backyard Wildlife Festival, Family 4th at the Fort or shopping at one of hundreds of stores and restaurants are popular activities. Several nightclubs and casinos are available for adult entertainment and Seattle is just up the road.