Towns in Pierce County Washington

In PROGRESS

Alder

"Alder, town in Pierce County. It was named by Martin Hotes in February, 1902, after a grove of alder trees where the town in located."
Origin of Washington Geographic Names, 1923

Alderton

Allison

American Lake

"American Lake, a town and lake in Pierce County, near Tacoma. In 1917, Camp Lewis, one of the Federal Cantonments for the new army, was located in that vicinity and gave to American Lake an increased importance. There is a persistent error as to the origin of this name. The error declares that the name arose from the fact that the Wilkes Expedition celebrated the Fourth of July, 1841, on the shore of the lake and thus contributed to it a name. That is very beautiful but not true. Hubert Howe Bancroft quotes Elwood Evan's Puyallup Address as it appeared in the New Tacoma Ledger for July 9, 1880, as follows: 'The lake was never formally named; but on account of the American celebration and the residence of the missionaries, was called American Lake, and sometimes called Richmond Lake, by the settlers of the Puget Sound Company. The prairie was also called the American Plains, and by the natives, 'Boston Illahee.' ' The Wilkes narrative does not even mention the lake, but it is quite clear in fixing the place of the famous Fourth of July celebration. ...records shows that the place of celebration was on the edge of Mission Prairie and that the men were landed from the ships and marched to the place 'about a mile distant.' The second or new Fort Nisqually was later built near the scene of the celebration and the fence of the Dupont Powder works now encloses the ground. Five years after the celebration, the Inskip chart, 1846, showed the location of the new Fort Nisqually, the mission building site, the racecourse and also indicated a road marked 'To Gordon Lake' leading probably toward the present American Lake. Ten years later Preston's Map of Oregon and Washington West of the Cascade Mountains, 1856, shows the lake, then called 'Lake Tolmie'. Mrs. Mary Perry Frost says that in 1854 she moved into cabin on their donation claim near the lake. Other American settlers had claims in the same vicinity and the name of American Lake undoubtedly grew from that fact, as the British still held the ground around Fort Nisqually. The monument erected in recent years to mark the site of the Wilkes celebration in 1841 is located about three miles from the right place."
Origin of Washington Geographic Names, 1923

Arletta

"Arletta, a town in Pierce County. It was named about 1893 by Mrs. G.W. Powell, who used part of the name of her eldest daughter Arla and a portion of Valetta, the name of a city on the Island of Malta, which is reputed one of the most beautiful cities in the world"
Origin of Washington Geographic Names, 1923

Artondale

Ashford

"Ashford, a town in Pierce County. It was named in honor of an old settler, W.A. Ashford, who located there on February 2, 1888. It has gained importance in late years by being the railroad station for the entrance to Mount Rainier National Park."
Origin of Washington Geographic Names, 1923

Bayview

Bee

"Bee, a postoffice on McNeil Island, Pierce County. The name arose from the fact that an extensive apiary was maintained there when the postoffice was secured."
Origin of Washington Geographic Names, 1923

Benroy

Berkeley

Bonney Lake

Brookdale

Browns Point

Buckley

"Buckley, a city in Pierce County. It was first known as 'Perkins Prairie' and later as 'White River Siding.' In 1888 it was given its present name in honor of Superintendent Buckley of the Northern Pacific Railroad division between Ellensburg and Tacoma."
Origin of Washington Geographic Names, 1923

Burnett

"Burnett, a town in the coal mining district of Pierce County. It was named in honor of Charles h. Burnett, one of the pioneer coal mine operators in the Pacific Northwest."
Origin of Washington Geographic Names, 1923

Caledonia

Canterwood

Carbonado

"Carbonado, a town on the Carbon River in Pierce County. The name came from that river, which was named after the discovery of coal on its banks."
Origin of Washington Geographic Names, 1923

Cascade Junction

Castlenook

Cebalop

Ceder View

Clay City

Clinton Park

Clover Park

Croker

Cromwell

Custer

"Custer...There is also a settlement on Steilacoom Lake, Pierce County, by the same name. This latter name was for a settler who lived there."
Origin of Washington Geographic Names, 1923

Dash Point

Dieringer

DuPont

"Dupont, a town in Pierce County near the site of the famous Hudson's Bay Company Fort Nisqually. The new name arose when there was established in that locality the extensive works of the E.I. du Pont de Nemours Powder Company."
Origin of Washington Geographic Names, 1923

Eastward

Eatonville

Edgewood

Elbe

"Elbe, a town on the Nisqually River, in the south central part of Pierce County. The pioneer settler, Henry C. Lutkens, had come from the valley of the Elbe in Germany. When the Tacoma & Eastern Railway was built into that region the place became known as 'Brown's Junction.' When a postoffice was asked for a short name was demanded. A meeting of settlers and pioneers honored Mr. Lutkins by choosing the name of his old home."
Origin of Washington Geographic Names, 1923

Electron

"Electron, a town on the Puyallup River, in the central part of Pierce County. The name came from the location there of a large electric power plant."
Origin of Washington Geographic Names, 1923

Elk Plain

Excelsior

Fairfax

Fern Hill

Fife

Fircrest

Forest Beach

Fort Nisqually

Fox Island

"Fox Island, north of McNeil Island, in Pierce County. It was named by the Wilkes Expedition, 1841, in honor of J.L. Fox, an assistant surgeon of the expedition. The British Admiralty Chart, 1947, Inskip, 1846, shows the island under the name 'Rosario,' but the older name has persisted."
Origin of Washington Geographic Names, 1923

Frederickson

Gertrude

Gig Harbor

"Gig Harbor, a small harbor and town opposite Point Defiance, Pierce County. It was named by the Wilkes Expedition, 1841, saying 'has a sufficient depth of water for small vessels.' "
Origin of Washington Geographic Names, 1923

Glencove

"Glencove, a town in Pierce County. It was first known as Balch's Cove after a man named Balch, who logged there in early days. Why or when the named was changed has not been learned."
Origin of Washington Geographic Names, 1923

Graham

Greenwater

Harbor Heights

Herron

Hillhurst

"Hillhurst, a town in the western part of Pierce County, south of Tacoma. When the railroad was built about 1873 the hill caused frequent delays in the trains. This gave rise to the name. The road has since been regraded but the name remains."
Origin of Washington Geographic Names, 1923

Hillsdale

Home

"Home, a colony of social reformers on Joes Bay, an arm of Carrs Inlet, in the western part of Pierce County. It was established on February 10 1896, by George H. Allen and named for the friendly attitude toward all."
Origin of Washington Geographic Names, 1923

Hope

Interlaken

Jims Corner

Johnson Landing

Johnson Corner

Kapowsin

"Kapowsin, the name of a lake and a town in the central part of Pierce County. It has been spelled Kipowsin and Kapousen. It was evidently of Indian origin."
Origin of Washington Geographic Names, 1923

Ketron

La Grande

Lake Bay

Lake City

Lakebay

Lakeview

Lakewood

Larchmont

Leber

"Leber, a town in the southwestern part of Pierce County, named for the first postmaster there, Peter Leber."
Origin of Washington Geographic Names, 1923

Longbranch

"Longbranch, a town on Dayton Passage in the western part of Pierce County. It was named for the town in New Jersey."
Origin of Washington Geographic Names, 1923

Longmire

Loveland

Magnolia Heights

Manitou

Maplewood

McKenna

McMillin

Meeker

Meridian

Midland

Midway

Milton

Minter

Mock City

Monta Vista

National

New Reliance

Nisqually Vista

Oakland

Ohop

"Ohop, a town, lake and creek, in the south central part of the Pierce County. The Surveyor General of Washington Territory in 1857 mapped the creek and lakes as 'Ow-hap River' and 'Ow-hap Lake.' "
Origin of Washington Geographic Names, 1923

Ohop Bob

Old Tacoma

Orting

Paradist

Park Junction

Parkland

Peach Acres

Pioneer

Ponderosa Estates

Ponders Corner

Prairie Ridge

Purdy

Puyallup

Reliance

Rhododendron Park

Rocky Ridge

Rosedale

Roy

Ruston

Salishan

Shore Acres

Snoquera

South Hill

South Prairie

Spanaway

Steilacoom

Summit

Cumner

Sunrise

Sunset Beach

Sunshine Beach

Surprise Valley

Swede Hill

Tacoma

Tanwax

Thrift

Tillicum

Titlow

University Place

Vaughn

Voss Resort

Waller

Warren

Wauna

Wilkeson

Wollochet

Yoman

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