Enumclaw is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 10,669 at the 2010 census. Take a look below for 25 fascinating and amazing facts about Enumclaw, Washington, United States.

1. The 2019 estimate is 12,190.

2. The Enumclaw Plateau, on which the city resides, was formed by a volcanic mudflow (lahar) from Mount Rainier approximately 5,700 years ago.

3. The name Enumclaw is derived from a Salish term that translates as “place of evil spirits”, apparently referring to Enumclaw Mountain, located about 6 miles (9.7 km) to the north.

4. The mountain’s name was derived from an evil incident that occurred there or to the occasional powerful windstorms from the east that affect the region.

5. Native American mythology tells the story of two brothers – Enumclaw and Kapoonis – who were turned into thunder and lightning, respectively, by their father. The City of Enumclaw says the name means “thundering noise”.

6. One of the first white settlers in south King County was Allen L. Porter. In 1853, he claimed a 320-acre (1.3 km2) parcel on the White River, about three miles (5 km) west of the site of Enumclaw.

7. He maintained a troubled relationship with the local Smalkamish tribe (some of the ancestors of the Muckleshoot tribe) for some time, and in 1855 his cabin was burned to the ground. Porter, who had been warned in advance by a friend in the tribe, hid in the woods until they had left.

8. After warning the settlers at Fort Steilacoom, he left the area, moving to Roy. He would never return to Enumclaw.

9. Enumclaw itself was homesteaded in 1879 by Frank and Mary Stevenson. In 1885, the Northern Pacific Railroad routed their transcontinental mainline through the site, accepting their offer of cleared, level land on which to build a siding.

10. Confident that the area would grow, the Stevensons filed a plat with King County that same year.

11. They built a hotel and gave away lots for a saloon and a general store.

12. At first the people called the town ‘Stevensonville’ after the founders, who soon refused the honor.

13. One resident suggested ‘Enumclaw,’ which was the name of the strange sawed-off promontory north of town. The name’s uniqueness gained favor with the locals.

14. On January 11, 1895, Mount Baldy, a small peak above the town, “erupted” with tremendous fire and smoke, although no losses or damage were reported, and the conflagration was minimized by residents.

15. Throughout the 1880s and 1890s the area was farmed for hops. When the hops crop failed due to pests and economic downturn, the residents turned to dairy farming, which has been a mainstay ever since. The first census listing Enumclaw in 1900 put the population at 483 people.

16. In the 1890s, the Northern Pacific Railroad rerouted their line through Palmer, a few miles to the east of town. In 1910, the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad routed a branch line through Enumclaw.

17. The city was incorporated on January 27, 1913. In 1929, a much-anticipated route to Eastern Washington was opened across the Naches Pass Highway. In the 1950s Enumclaw Insurance Group greatly expanded its business and the home office became a major employer in the town. The company is an insurer doing business in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Utah.

18. In 2005 the Enumclaw horse sex case occurred on a farm five miles (8 km) northwest of Enumclaw, in unincorporated King County.

19. A Boeing aerospace engineer named Kenneth Pinyan from Gig Harbor died after receiving anal sex from a horse. The case and the surrounding media attention, led to Washington State banning bestiality.

20. In interviews ten years later, the town’s residents declined to discuss the incident because it had upset horse owners in the area.

21. The city is located in the midst of flat, level farmlands and dairy farms in the east Puget Sound lowlands. The flat geography in the middle of mountainous territory is due to the ancient Osceola Mudflow from nearby Mount Rainier.

22. The city is unique in the fact that it is landlocked by farm preservation on three sides and protected forest lands to the east. The city is nestled against the Cascade foothills.

23. While Enumclaw is entirely located in King County, the city owns some park property within the boundaries of Pierce County.

24. Enumclaw is the gateway to Mount Rainier National Park and the Crystal Mountain ski area. It is located along the Chinook Scenic Byway (SR 410), which provides seasonal access to the Yakima Valley and Eastern Washington.

25. According to the FBI’ s latest crime report (2017 data, issued in 2018), out of 281 cities in Washington State, Enumclaw is the 18th safest city for violent and property crimes.