Mayor Joan McBride on Tuesday proclaimed February as Kirkland History Month in a cooperative effort with the Kirkland Heritage Society to encourage residents to appreciate and share the city’s past.
In past years the society and council have designated the week with the Feb. 15 birth date of city founder Peter Kirk as Founder’s Week. This year, however, with the addition of three new neighborhoods and some 30,000 residents as a result of last June’s annexation, the society asked that all of February be proclaimed History Month.
At Tuesday’s Kirkland City Council meeting, McBride issued the proclamation, which in parts reads: “I, Joan McBride, Mayor of the City of Kirkland, do hereby proclaim the month of February 2012 as ‘Kirkland History Month’ in Kirkland, Washington and urge all citizens of Kirkland to honor the memory of those who helped form our City, to learn about Kirkland’s cultural and historic past, and to share memories, photographs, and stories to keep Kirkland’s history alive.”
As part of the celebration, the heritage society received a King County “4Culture” grant that will help pay for some 30 signs with historic photos that are being placed at businesses in pivotal locations, as well as 12 history banners.
“We’ve had very nice, positive responses to the signs last year,” said Loita Hawkinson, president of the society. “Many people told us this needed to be longer.”
Most of the signs and banners tis year will be downtown, but some will also be at Carillon Point, Juanita and Totem Lake. In addition, the society is encouraging residents to participate in the city’s history.
“We need people to share history, but most of all to get involved with the society,” said Hawkinson.
The society encourages those with historic photos or memories to share them. The society is based at at the southern end of Market Street. For more information, see its web site by clicking here.
Kirkland Patch has also celebrated the city's rich history in a series of "Then and Now" photos and stories. Find them all .
