Shoreline
The city of Shoreline has a rich history that dates back to its settler days in the late 1800s. Its proximity to the city of Seattle, along with the abundant local resources and beautiful views, made it a natural settlement when the railroad came to Western Washington. Great Northern Railroad platted the Richmond Beach settlement back in 1890; when the Seattle-Everett Interurban line was constructed in 1906 and North Trunk Road was paved with bricks in 1913, the residents of the Shoreline area had even greater access to the Seattle city amenities while maintaining their semi-rural lifestyle at home. When car travel became a regular mode of transportation, U.S. Highway 99 gave local residents the ability to navigate to Seattle.
Incorporated as a city in 1995, Shoreline encompasses 11.74 square miles and has a population of 53,000+ residents. The city is primarily residential, with 70% of the households in Shoreline belonging to the single family resident category, divided into distinct neighborhoods. Shoreline neighborhoods include the following: Richmond Beach, Hillwood, Echo Lake, Ballinger, North City, Fircrest, Briarcrest, Ridgecrest, Parkwood, Meridian Park, Richmond Highlands, Highland Terrace, Westminster Triangle, The Highlands and Innis Arden.
404 acres of park land are within the Shoreline city limits. Residents and visitors can enjoy the saltwater shoreline, a botanical garden, an interurban trail plus hiking trails, along with recently updated athletic fields, courts and playgrounds. The Richmond Highlands Recreational Center, available for rental, features a small gym with a stage, a meeting room with kitchen, a game room, plus ball field and playground equipment adjacent to the center. Shoreline’s Spartan Recreation Center is owned by the Shoreline School District, but it is operated by the city. The Spartan Recreation Center is fitness oriented, and is within walking distance of the Shoreline Pool.
Shoreline special events are available throughout the year for people of all ages to enjoy. Celebrate Shoreline! , the city’s largest special event, has been a community favorite for the past 17 years. Held in August, it includes local music, a parade, sandcastle contest, skate event and festival. The Shoreline Parks and Recreation also offers classes, lessons, workshops and volunteer opportunities year-round.
The city of Shoreline is part of the Shoreline Public Schools, which serves families in both Shoreline and Forest Park. The teachers within the district are 100% NCLB Highly Qualified . 72% of the district teachers have Masters Degrees and 64% are National Board Certified. As of Spring 2010, over 90% of the district graduates graduate on time and over 70% enter college after high school. Shoreline Community College, the 10th largest in Washington, is also located within the city limits. Fully accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, Shoreline Community College offers 100+ academic, professional/technical and workforce training programs to meet the needs of the community at large. The college also has over 550 international students enrolled in their programs, representing 27 counties. The student body is pretty evenly divided between academic transfer students, who will go on to university to earn their bachelors, and professional/technical students.
Julie
