The city is located east of Redmond and south of Duvall on State Route 203. The population was 2,158 at the 2020 census.[3] Prior to American settlement, the area was occupied by a large village of the Snoqualmie. It was the center of Snoqualmie society in the 19th century. After the removal of the Snoqualmie to reservations, the city was resettled by Americans, who founded the city of Tolt in 1865. It became a thriving dairy town in the 20th century, eventually being renamed to Carnation in honor of the Carnation Evaporated Milk Company. After being renamed again back and forth twice, the name Carnation stuck.[7] In the 1990s, the city became a bedroom community for the Eastside of Seattle.[8]
History
Snoqualmie settlement
The Snoqualmie people have inhabited the Carnation area for more than 10,000 years.[9] Prior to American settlement, the Snoqualmie had a large village spanning the Tolt River (Lushootseed: tultxʷ)[6] at its confluence with the Snoqualmie.[10] This village was highly important as it was the second-largest village in the Snoqualmie river valley. The village also had the best natural defenses in the Snoqualmie river valley.[11][12]
The most important building in the village was the x̌alalʔtxʷ (lit. "marked house").[5] The x̌alalʔtxʷ was a giant longhouse which served as a sort of capitol building, where council was held by both local elders and visiting leaders. It also was an education center for all the people living in the Snoqualmie valley. Elders taught valuable skills and knowledge, such as Snoqualmie language, customs, and laws.[11][12]
In the 19th century, the prominent Snoqualmie leader Patkanim (Lushootseed: p̓əƛ̕qidəb) was born in this village. At this time, Snoqualmie society began to centralize into a chiefdom. During the colonial period, the village served as the de facto capital of the Snoqualmie chiefdom under Patkanim.[11][12]
American settlement
The Snoqualmie Valley was resettled by Americans in the 1850s and 1860s following the signing of the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliot and the relocation of many of the Snoqualmie people to reservations like Tulalip. The community of Tolt was founded in 1865 and platted in 1902.[13][14] The name of the community was derived from an Anglicization of the Lushootseed name for the Tolt River and the Snoqualmie village (variously spelled as tultxʷ, dxʷtultxʷ, or tulq in Lushootseed).[5][6] Tolt was incorporated as a town on December 30, 1912, shortly after the arrival of the Milwaukee Road, which provided train connections to Monroe in the north.[15]
The valley was home to several dairy farms established in the 1900s, including a research farm for the Carnation Evaporated Milk Company. Following lobbying from the company and the approval of the state legislature, Tolt was renamed to "Carnation" in 1917.[15][8] The renaming of the town was opposed by local residents and members of the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe, and later changed back to Tolt on May 3, 1928.[7] The "Carnation" name remained on the post office and train depot, and continued to be used by outsiders.[15] Tolt was then renamed back to "Carnation" on October 29, 1951.[7] During the late 20th century, Carnation moved away from dairy farming and became a community for job centers in the Eastside, growing to a population of 2,158 by 2020.[8]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.18 square miles (3.06 km2), of which, 1.16 square miles (3.00 km2) is land and 0.02 square miles (0.05 km2) is water.[17]
Camlann Medieval Village, a living history museum of a medieval English village, is located approximately four miles (6.4 km) north of Carnation. Founded in the early 1980s, Camlann is devoted to teaching and entertaining schools, clubs, families, and individuals about what life in England in 1376 would have been like.[21]
Remlinger Farms is a functioning farm located less than one mile (1.6 km) outside of the town center where families can spend time around crops, eat locally raised and grown food, and go on park rides.[21]
At the 2010 census, there were 1,786 people in 631 households, including 474 families, in the city. The population density was 1,539.7 inhabitants per square mile (594.5/km2). There were 665 housing units at an average density of 573.3 units per square mile (221.4 units/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 85.8% White, 0.9% African American, 1.0% Native American, 3.1% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 7.1% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.7%.[23]
Of the 631 households, 45.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.5% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 24.9% were non-families. 19.0% of households were one person, and 6.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.24.
The median age was 34.9 years. 30.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 29.4% were from 25 to 44; 27.7% were from 45 to 64; and 6% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.8% male and 50.2% female.
Carnation has a high rate of home ownership for King County; 73.31% of the homes in Carnation are occupied by people who own them.[24] This rate is considerably higher than nearby cities like Redmond (50.19%), Bellevue (53.78%), and Seattle (44.91%).
2000 census
At the 2000 census, there were 1,893 people in 636 households, including 487 families, in the city. The population density was 1,728.4 inhabitants per square mile (667.3/km2). There were 650 housing units at an average density of 593.5 units per square mile (229.2 units/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 91.76% White, 1.32% Native American, 3.59% Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 1.80% from other races, and 1.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.91% of the population.
Of the 636 households, 48.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.8% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.4% were non-families. 17.5% of households were one person, and 7.2% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.98 and the average family size was 3.40.
In the city the population was spread out, with 34.4% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 37.5% from 25 to 44, 15.9% from 45 to 64, and 5.7% 65 or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.5 males.
The median household income was $60,156 and the median family income was $64,167. Males had a median income of $46,667 versus $33,281 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,907. About 5.8% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.5% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.
Schools
Carnation is in the Riverview School District,[25] which consists of 4 traditional elementary schools and a homeschooling parent partnership program: Carnation Elementary and PARADE Program, Cherry Valley Elementary, Eagle Rock Multi-Age, and Stillwater Elementary, a single middle school: Tolt Middle School, and a single high school: Cedarcrest High School.
Carnation Elementary and PARADE: Located in Carnation, Washington 32239 E. Morrison St.
Carnation's government has a council-manager structure with five elected council members. Every other January, the council members elect from their body a mayor. The incumbent mayor as of 2023 is Jim Rabail.[28]
Law enforcement services in Carnation has changed hands several times throughout its history. Until late 2004, the King County Sheriff's Office provided law enforcement services to the city on a contract basis. From late 2004 until January 1, 2014, the city contracted with the City of Duvall Police Department for law enforcement services. Effective January 1, 2014 the city is again contracting with the King County Sheriff's Office.[29] The contract with the KCSO provides for one full-time dedicated officer to the city, when that officer is not working KCSO Deputies patrolling neighboring unincorporated areas will respond to calls in the city.
