Editing Kent, Washington (section)

==History==
The Kent area was first permanently settled by European Americans in the 1850s along the banks of what was then the [[White River (Washington)|White River]]. The first settler was Samuel Russell, who sailed the White and [[Duwamish River|Duwamish]] rivers until he claimed a plot of land southeast of modern-day downtown Kent in the spring of 1853. Russell was followed by several other settlers who quickly staked claims around the area.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Johnson|first1=Florence K. Lentz; pictorial research by Linda Van Nest; "Partners in progress" by Lynn|title=Kent—valley of opportunity : an illustrated history|date=1990|publisher=Windsor Publications|location=Chatsworth, Calif.|isbn=0-89781-356-1|page=14|edition=1st}}</ref> The settlements were originally known as "White River" and later the town was called "Titusville" after an early settler by the name of James Henry Titus.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kent and the White River Valley Area|url=https://www.sos.wa.gov/legacy/cities_detail.aspx?i=7|website=Washington Secretary of State|access-date=September 18, 2017}}</ref> (There is still a "Titusville Station" sign on Gowe Street near First Avenue). In 1861 a post office was established under the name White River and was located at the farm of David and Irena Neely who settled in modern-day Kent in 1854. In 1855 their farm was [[Battle of Seattle (1856)#Prelude|attacked by Native Americans]] when David Neely served as a lieutenant in the Territorial Army. Another settler was [[Henry Yesler|Henry L. Yesler]], who was the first sawmill operator in Seattle.<ref name="WR">{{cite web |title=Kent and the White River Valley Area |url=https://www.sos.wa.gov/legacy/cities_detail.aspx?i=7 |publisher=Washington Secretary of State |access-date=June 23, 2020}}</ref> By 1870 the population was 277 and all of the quality bottom-land had been claimed.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Johnson|first1=Florence K. Lentz; pictorial research by Linda Van Nest; "Partners in progress" by Lynn|title=Kent—valley of opportunity : an illustrated history|date=1990|publisher=Windsor Publications|location=Chatsworth, California|isbn=0-89781-356-1|pages=12, 17|edition=1st}}</ref>

Throughout the 1860s and 70's, grain and forage crops such as wheat, barley, oats, hay, and timothy accounted for much of the annual return of farmers in the valley. During the late 1870s the town discovered [[hops]] production as a major source of income.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Johnson|first1=Florence K. Lentz; pictorial research by Linda Van Nest; "Partners in progress" by Lynn|title=Kent—valley of opportunity : an illustrated history|date=1990|publisher=Windsor Publications|location=Chatsworth, California|isbn=0-89781-356-1|page=20|edition=1st}}</ref> Due to an [[aphid]] invasion which affected hops crops in Europe,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.smr.herefordshire.gov.uk/agriculture%20_industry/hops_history.htm |title=Herefordshire Through Time - Welcome |publisher=Government of the United Kingdom |access-date=July 12, 2011 |archive-date=December 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081227010957/http://www.smr.herefordshire.gov.uk/agriculture%20_industry/hops_history.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> hops from the [[Puget Sound]] area began to command high prices. Hops were shipped from Titusville either by the river or via rail. In 1889 the town was renamed for [[Kent|the County of Kent]], the major hops-producing region in England. [[Ezra Meeker]] was asked by the Northern Pacific Railroad to name its station. Meeker suggested that it be known as Kent as it was "Hop Capitol of the West".<ref name="WR"/> Hops production in the White River valley came to an end soon after its own invasion of aphids in 1891.<ref>{{cite web|last=Stein |first=Alan J. |url=http://historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=3587 |title=the Free Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History |publisher=HistoryLink.org |date=September 24, 2001|access-date=July 12, 2011}}</ref>

Kent was officially incorporated on May 28, 1890, with a population of 793, the second city incorporated in King County (after Seattle).<ref>{{cite web|last=Wilma|first=David|url=http://historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=1666|title=the Free Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History|publisher=HistoryLink.org|date=September 14, 1999|access-date=July 12, 2011}}</ref>

After the turn of the 20th century the area turned to [[dairy farming]] and was home to a [[Carnation (brand)|Carnation]] condensed milk plant.<ref>{{cite web|last=Lange |first=Greg |url=http://historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=1114 |title=the Free Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History |publisher=HistoryLink.org |date=May 9, 1999 |access-date=July 12, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Long |first=Priscilla |url=http://historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=1608 |title=the Free Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History |publisher=HistoryLink.org |date=August 6, 1999 |access-date=July 12, 2011}}</ref> Flooding from both the [[Green River (Duwamish River)|Green]] and the [[White River (Washington)|White]] Rivers was a constant problem. In 1906, flooding changed the course of the White River, which reduced the flood hazard by half. The Green River continued to present problems until the creation of the [[Howard A. Hanson Dam]] at Eagle Gorge in 1962.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kent.k12.wa.us/curriculum/vtours/kent/|title=The History of Kent, Washington|access-date=January 27, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060923092832/http://www.kent.k12.wa.us/curriculum/vtours/kent/|archive-date=September 23, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wrvmuseum.org/|title= Welcome to our Home Page|publisher= White River Valley Museum|access-date=July 12, 2011}}</ref>

During and after the [[Great Depression]], Kent was known as the "Lettuce Capital of the World".<ref>{{cite web|title=History of Kent|url=http://kentwa.gov/ExperienceHistoricalKent/|website=kentwa.gov|access-date=November 30, 2014}}</ref> After [[WWII]], Kent began to grow more rapidly. From 1953 to 1960 the city's size grew twelve-fold. In 1965 [[Boeing]] began building in Kent, followed a few years later by other aerospace and high-tech companies.<ref>{{cite web|last=Long |first=Priscilla |url=http://historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=7905 |title=the Free Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History |publisher=HistoryLink.org |date=September 4, 2006 |access-date=July 12, 2011}}</ref>

In 1992, the Greater Kent Historical Society was formed to promote the discovery, preservation and dissemination of knowledge about the history of the greater Kent area.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://kenthistoricalmuseum.org/about/ |title=About &#124; Greater Kent Historical Society Museum |publisher=Kent Historical Museum |access-date=July 12, 2011}}</ref> In 1996, the City of Kent purchased the historic Bereiter house, the home of one of Kent's early mayors, for use as the Kent Historical Museum. The museum is operated by the Greater Kent Historical Society.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kenthistoricalmuseum.org/about/gkhs-history/ |title=History &#124; Greater Kent Historical Society Museum |publisher=Kent Historical Museum |access-date=July 12, 2011}}</ref>