For the Reporter
Visitors and residents are invited to celebrate Kent’s past at multiple events in August.
Kicking off the festivities is a ribbon cutting and reception to celebrate the official Historic Neighborhood District designation of the Mill Creek neighborhood on Saturday, Aug. 8.
Granted by the King County Landmarks Commission, Mill Creek is the first neighborhood in Washington to receive the historic landmark designation outside of Seattle.
A celebration begins at 1 p.m. at the corner of Temperance Street and Jason Avenue.
The following weekend events will showcase local history, featuring special exhibits and bus and walking tours of the city’s oldest homes, businesses, parks and cemeteries.
Experience Historical Kent
Schedule of events, Aug. 15:
• Greater Kent Historical Museum and Mill Creek Neighborhood Historic Home and Garden Walking Tour, 855 E. Smith St., 10 a.m.-4 p.m., every half-hour. Turn-of-the-century and Great Depression-era homes. Tours start at the museum.
• Neely-Soames Historic Homestead Annual Open House, 5311 S. 237 Place (along the Green River Trail) 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Tour the grounds and get a glimpse of the way residents lived in 1885.
• Historic Downtown Walking Tours, Corner of Second Avenue North and Meeker Street, 10-11:30 a.m. and 12:30-2 p.m. Each walk is limited to the first 25 people.
• Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum, 5917 South 196th St., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Special free admission this day only to the nation’s primary resource for historical information on hydroplane racing.
• 28th Annual Classic Ford Show and Mustang Roundup, 1157 Central Ave. N., 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Free spectator admission and awards for 40-plus classes of cars.
Sunday, Aug. 16:
• Historic Cemeteries Bus Tour, 1:30-4:30 p.m. A docent will accompany guests on this informative tour of Kent’s historic cemeteries. While the tour is free, registration is required at kentwa.gov/Bustourregistration2015 for transportation planning.
For more details, call 253-854-4330 or visit kentwa.gov/ExperienceHistoricalKent.
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