Located 16 miles southeast of downtown Seattle, the City of Kent is the 6th largest municipality in the state of Washington with a population of approximately 137,000. First settled by European Americans in the 1850s, the area became a thriving agricultural center in the 1860s and 1870s with the harvesting of grain, forage crops and hops.
The City of Kent grew rapidly in the years following WWII, increasing 12-fold in size between 1953 and 1960. Boeing opened the Kent Space Center in 1964, establishing the area as a hub for industry and manufacture. Aerospace and steel production have historically been dominant industries in Kent, and Amazon, Boeing, Whirlpool and General Electric currently operate sizeable facilities in the city.
The blocks surrounding Kent Station are home to a terrific assortment of shops and restaurants, including Iron Pot, Wild Wheat and Airways Brewing. Kent Station also provides easy commuter access to Seattle by bus or by rail. Kent’s robust park system includes 73 parks, mini parks, playfields, skate parks, greenbelts and other related facilities. Riverbend Golf Complex features an 18-hole golf course that’s one of the busiest in the state. Annual festivals in the area include Kent Cornucopia Days in July and Canterbury Faire (an arts festival) in mid-August.