Mercer Island

by Priscilla Ledbetter Padgett

Mercer Island occupies a unique geographic position situated in Lake Washington, just 15 minutes to Seattle or Bellevue, yet semirural in feel. Pioneers first settled the island in the late 1800s, surviving mainly by their own ingenuity as the island lacked even the most basic services. Wealthy Seattle residents built summer cabins on the island to enjoy its bucolic setting. With the advent of passenger and car ferry services to Seattle, Mercer Island gradually acquired a school, church, and post office, and many other services took root in the community. Residents continued to use rowboats, steamboats, and ferries to get to and from the island. Development was slow and cumbersome, as all supplies had to be transported by boat. However, with the opening of the East Channel Bridge in 1923 and the Lake Washington Floating Bridge in 1940, the island gradually evolved into a commuter suburb, attracting new residents to its park-like setting and excellent schools.