Coal Creek King County, Washington

Mapped Location

Coal Creek: The mapped location is an approximation and should not be used for navigation or wayfinding.

 

Information

General information on Coal Creek

  • Feature Type: Place

 

Official, historical, colloquial and alternative toponyms for Coal Creek

A brief list of names that this geographic feature has been named

Name Description
Coal Creek Official

 

Origin Notes and History of Coal Creek

References to Coal Creek that document the origin of its place name

Title Cover Image: Origin of Washington geographic names

NEWCASTLE, a town in the west central part of King County. "The coal of this section for a few years previous to 1869 had been opened up and mined in a small way at Coal Creek where Coal Creek cutting down through the measures had exposed the coal. The property extended a mile and a half farther west towards Lake Washington and we believed the coal extended that far west, although there was no indication of it on the surface, and, as the coal was hauled by team to the Lake, if the coal could be opened there, a mile and a half would be saved in the haul, quite an item. Therefore, on a Friday in August (I am not sure of the day of the month) 1869, Rev. George F. Whitworth, J. E. Whitworth, myself and two workmen went to work and by digging pits traced the coal measures across the hill to the point where the mine was subsequently opened. The next day we came back and actually uncovered the seam that was first mined at this point. At the noon hour we were discussing coal and the remark was made this would not be carrying coals to New Castle, and then it was suggested we call the mine, and the village that must necessarily grow up around it, New Castle. This was approved subsequently by all interested and New Castle it has been ever since." (F. H. Whitworth, of Seattle, in Names MSS. Letter 85.)

Edmond S. Meany in Origin of Washington Geographic Names
Meany, Edmond S., Origin of Washington Geographic Names, 1923 University of Washington, pp 187  |  Origin of Washington Geographic Names

 

King County

Political Boundaries

Last updated: 2017-07-03