Kirkland is located on
Lake Washington's east shore, off Interstate 405 in northern
King County. It lies 10 miles east of downtown
Seattle, west of
Redmond and just north of
Bellevue.
In the 1880s, a British-born steel magnate, Peter Kirk, came to the northwest seeking new opportunities. The city was named after Kirk, who dreamed of developing a "Pittsburgh of the West" along the lake, a thriving new city whose main economy would be derived from steel production.
Today Kirkland produces lumber, agricultural and chemical products. A city with more public waterfront than any other in the state, Kirkland has capitalized on its prime location by evolving into a major watersport attraction. Many lakefront beaches and accompanying activities - sailing, windsurfing, swimming and fishing - add to Kirkland's appeal.
Kirkland is part of the Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA metro area.
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