Why Auburn
Auburn is a Pacific Northwest city situated primarily in King County, Washington, with a small section extending into neighboring Pierce County. Positioned within the Seattle metropolitan region, the community lies directly north of the Muckleshoot Indian Reservation. The local geography is shaped by the Green and White Rivers, which carved the surrounding valley. Diverse neighborhoods span the city's terrain, ranging from low-lying riverside areas like River's Bend to elevated districts such as Lea Hill, West Hill, and the master-planned Lakeland Hills development.
Indigenous Muckleshoot people inhabited the Green River Valley long before European settlers established homesteads in the 1850s and 1860s. Levi Ballard platted a townsite in 1886 originally named Slaughter, which officially incorporated in 1891. To distance itself from the original name, the state legislature renamed the municipality Auburn in 1893, referencing Auburn, New York, due to both regions' reliance on hop farming. Early municipal expansion was frequently disrupted by severe river flooding until the completion of the Mud Mountain Dam and Howard A. Hanson Dam. Auburn also features a rich Japanese-American heritage, marked historically by early 20th-century athletic teams, concrete gravestones added to Pioneer Cemetery, and a 1930 Japanese bath house constructed at the Neely Mansion.
Cultural and historical attractions are centered largely around Les Gove Park, a 20-acre community campus south of State Route 164. The park houses a 20,000-square-foot public library, civic facilities, the "Crow with Fries" sculpture, and the White River Valley Museum. Museum exhibits detail Native American history, pioneer life, immigration, agricultural developments, and regional railroading. Visitors can view a preserved pioneer cabin, step inside a Northern Pacific Railway caboose, and walk through a recreation of 1924 downtown shop spaces. The park also hosts annual community gatherings, including Auburn Good Ol' Days and Fourth of July events.
Beyond historical sites, Auburn offers various commercial and recreational venues. Thoroughbred horse racing takes place at Emerald Downs, a 167-acre facility featuring a six-level stadium constructed on land acquired by the Muckleshoot in 2002. Retail options include The Outlet Collection Seattle, an expansive outlet mall operating since 1995. In downtown Auburn, visitors can observe classic main street architecture alongside preserved Craftsman-style residences constructed during the 1920s.
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