Juanita Beach Park has been a popular summer destination since the early 1900s. The property was originally settled by Dorr and Eliza Forbes in 1876. Their original house burned in 1905, but their second home still stands on the park property next to the ballfield.
In 1916, the construction of the Lake Washington Ship Canal caused Lake Washington to drop 8.8 feet revealing a sandy shore at Juanita Beach. The park became a popular resort with a two-story bathhouse in the 1920s under the guidance of Dora and Eliza's son Leslie and his wife Alicia. In 1956, they sold the park to King County. It remained a county park until 2002, when ownership was transferred to the City of Kirkland and a voter-approved maintenance levy dedicated new funds for improved park stewardship.
Read more about the history of Juanita Beach Park.(PDF, 73KB)
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