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(; ) is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 11,116 at the 2000 census. The center of population of Washington is located in Enumclaw .
The Enumclaw Plateau, on which the city resides, was formed by a volcanic mudflow (lahar) from Mount Rainier approximately 5700 years ago . The name Enumclaw is derived from a local Native American word meaning "strong wind" or "thundering noise" due to the significant winds that sweep along the plateau . The city is named after a mountain about six miles (10 km) north.
One of the first white settlers in south King Conty was a man named Allen L. Porter. In 1853, he claimed a 320-acre parcel on the White River about 3 miles west of Enumclaw. He maintained a troubled relationship with the local Smalkamish tribe (some of the ancestors of the Muckleshoot tribe) for some time, but in 1855 his cabin was burned to the ground. Porter, who had been warned in advance by a friend in the tribe hid in the woods until they had left. After warning the settlers at Fort Steilacoom, he left the area, moving to Roy. He would never return to Enumclaw.
Enumclaw itself was homesteaded in 1879 by Frank and Mary Stevenson. In 1885, the Northern Pacific Railroad routed their transcontinental mainline through the site, accepting their offer of cleared, level land on which to build a siding. Confident that the area would grow, the Stevensons filed a plat with King County that same year. They built a hotel, and gave away lots for a saloon and a general store.
At first the people called the town 'Stevensonville' after the founders, but they soon refused the honor. One resident suggested 'Enumclaw', which was the name of the strange sawed-off promontory north of town. The name's uniqueness gained favor with the locals.
On January 11, 1895 Mount Baldy, a small peak above the town, erupted with tremendous noise and smoke, although no losses or damage were reported. Throughout the 1880s and 1890s the area was farmed for hops. When the hops crop failed due to pests and economic downturn, the residents turned to dairy farming, which has been a mainstay ever since. The first census listing Enumclaw in 1900 put the population at 483 people.
In the 1890s, the Northern Pacific Railroad re-routed their line through Palmer, a few miles to the east of town. In 1910, the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad routed a branch line through Enumclaw.
The city was incorporated on January 27, 1913. In 1929, a much-anticipated route to Eastern Washington was opened across the Naches Pass Highway. In the 1950s Mutual of Enumclaw Insurance Company greatly expanded its business and the home office became a major employer in the town.
newspaper and Mutual of Enumclaw, an insurer doing business in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Utah.
The Enumclaw Expo Center annually hosts the King County Fair and the Pacific Northwest Scottish Highland Games , among a number of other exhibitions and festivals.