Kirkland Heritage Society and Museum

09/25/2026

It's Thursday, and we've got a special Throwback Thursday ( ), courtesy of the Kirkland Heritage Society and Museum!

Did you know that traveling by ferry across Lake Washington between Kirkland and Seattle was common from the late 1800s to 1950? Ferry ridership slowly fell off after the Lake Washington Floating Bridge opened in 1940, and even more so when the toll was removed in 1949. Regularly scheduled passenger service ended 76 years ago, when the ferry Leschi made its last run on August 31, 1950. Just take a look at that big, beautiful boat 😍!

Learn more about our city’s history by visiting the Kirkland Heritage Society website: https://kirklandheritage.org/

09/23/2026

***Learn about KIRKLAND GEOLOGY with KHS!***

Did you ever wonder how Lake Washington was created, or why Kirkland lays in large part along long, narrow hills that run north/south? How about why the soil here is not so great without additives if you are trying to grow much more than sword ferns or berries? Hey, what's a drumlin? Should I be worried if our home is built on till and will the City charge me a fee if it is?!

Come to our next Kirkland Heritage Society meeting next Wed, 9/30, at 7pm, at Heritage Hall, 203 Market St and meet retired geologist/environmental scientist Wally Hurst who will answer questions like these and take us way, WAY back into Kirkland's past to give us an overview of the fascinating geological forces that shaped the land that became our city. The public is welcome and everything is FREE!

It is a great time of year to get out of your house while the weather is still nice and as if all this is not enough, we will serving ice cream with blackberries for all of our members and the geologically curious public, so please c'mon down and join us!

08/15/2026

Today we are at O. O. Denny Park for DennyFest, hope to see you there!!!

07/12/2026

In Part 2 of this Kirkland Heritage Society presentation, we continue the story of Peter Kirk's ambitious effort to establish a steel manufacturing center on the eastern shore of Lake Washington.

This presentation examines the challenges that ultimately doomed the Kirkland steel enterprise, the economic forces behind its collapse, and the lasting legacy of Peter Kirk's vision. Although the steel mill itself failed, the town it inspired survived and eventually became the thriving City of Kirkland, Washington.

Featuring historic photographs, maps, and original research, this presentation explores one of the most fascinating—and often misunderstood—chapters in Pacific Northwest history.

Presenters:

Mike Donnelly
Mike Intlekofer
Matt McCauley
Sandy Middleton
Kent Sullivan

Kirkland Heritage Society
Preserving and sharing the history of Kirkland, Washington.

If you haven't already watched Part 1, we recommend starting there before viewing this conclusion.

In Part 2 of this Kirkland Heritage Society presentation, we contin...

07/12/2026

Have you ever wondered what Peter Kirk's steel mill on Rose Hill (Near Costco) would have looked like had it actually been completed and begun production of steel railroad rails?

A KHS research team undertook and extensive investigation of these questions and created a digital 2-D model showing the mill site as planned. They presented their findings in a two part presentation:

In this presentation for the Kirkland Heritage Society, we examine ...

05/05/2026

Kirkland Historian Matt McCauley will be guiding his annual tour of the Kirkland Cemetery on Saturday, May 16, 2026 from 10 A.M. to Noon. The tour is free with any donations used to mark the many unmarked graves in the Cemetery. Meet at the fountain. The entrance to the Cemetery is on 122 Avenue NE between NE 85 Street and NE 80th Street (near the Lake Washington High School.

02/04/2026

It’s History Month in Kirkland!

Did you know Kirkland was the original home of the Seahawks from 1976 to 2008? And this weekend, they’ve got a shot at adding another Super Bowl win to their history. Go Hawks! 💙💚