History of Marysville, Washington in Timeline

Marysville, Washington, is a city in Snohomish County and part of the Seattle metropolitan area, located 35 miles north of Seattle. Situated on the Snohomish River delta, adjacent to Everett, it's the second-largest city in its county, with a population of 70,714 as of the 2020 census. Marysville experienced rapid growth, being the fastest-growing city in Washington state as of 2015, with an annual growth rate of 2.5 percent.

1911: Marysville Opera House Built

In 1911, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows built the Marysville Opera House.

1912: Tulalip Indian Agency Office Built

In 1912, the Tulalip Indian Agency Office was built.

1921: Water Tower Built

In 1921, the city's landmark water tower was built in Comeford Park.

1927: Cedarcrest Golf Course Established

In 1927, the Cedarcrest Golf Course was established.

1932: First Strawberry Festival Held

In 1932, the first annual strawberry festival was held to celebrate the city's strawberry growing industry.

1942: Strawberry Festival Cancelled

In 1942, the Strawberry Festival was cancelled during World War II.

1945: Strawberry Festival Cancelled

In 1945, the Strawberry Festival was cancelled during World War II.

1949: Strawberry Festival Cancelled

In 1949, the Strawberry Festival was cancelled due to a polio outbreak.

May 6, 1955: Weiser Lumber Company Fire

On May 6, 1955, the Weiser Lumber Company, the city's largest employer, was destroyed in a fire causing $300,000 in damage.

1963: Jennings Park Opens

In 1963, Jennings Park opened on land donated by the Jennings family.

1968: Library Annexation

In 1968, Marysville's public library was annexed into the Sno-Isle Libraries system.

1972: City Acquires Cedarcrest Golf Course

In 1972, the city acquired the Cedarcrest Golf Course.

1974: Marysville Historical Society Formed

In 1974, the Marysville Historical Society was formed as a non-profit organization.

1976: Churches Listed on National Register

In 1976, the Indian Shaker Church and St. Anne's Roman Catholic Church were listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

1978: Library Building Opens

In 1978, a 4,000-square-foot library building opened on Grove Street.

1980: Trouble in High Timber Country Filmed in Marysville

In 1980, the made for TV movie "Trouble in High Timber Country" was filmed in Marysville.

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1980: Decline of Lumber Industry

Since 1980, the lumber industry has largely ceased in Marysville and is no longer a major economic factor.

1982: Marysville Opera House Listed on National Register

In 1982, the Marysville Opera House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

1986: Museum Planning Begins

In 1986, the society began planning the construction of a museum at Jennings Park.

1987: Demolition of Second Water Tower

In 1987, a second water tower was demolished.

1987: Marysville Towne Center Mall Opening

In 1987, the downtown Marysville Towne Center Mall opened, contributing to the city's shift towards retail.

1993: Children's Museum Opens

In 1993, a children's museum opened in Marysville Towne Center Mall.

July 27, 1995: New Library Building Opens

On July 27, 1995, a 23,000-square-foot library building opened on Grove Street to replace the previous building.

1995: Naval Support Complex Opening

In 1995, the Naval Support Complex opened in Marysville, adding to the city's retail sector.

1995: Children's Museum Relocates

In 1995, the children's museum relocated to a temporary space in Everett.

1996: Telephone Museum Opens

Since 1996, Marysville has been home to a historic telephone museum located in downtown.

July 1997: Mayor Becomes Full-Time Position

In July 1997, the mayor of Marysville became a full-time position.

2002: Council-Manager Government Proposal Rejected

In 2002, a proposal to change Marysville's government to a council–manager system was rejected by voters.

2002: Skate Park Opens

In 2002, a skate park opened in Marysville.

2002: Water Tower Saved

In 2002, the Marysville Historical Society raised $500,000 to save the water tower from demolition and renovate it.

2003: Marysville Opera House Renovated

In 2003, the Marysville Opera House was renovated for use by city events.

2004: Imagine Children's Museum Opens in Everett

In 2004, the children's museum opened a permanent downtown Everett location as the Imagine Children's Museum.

2005: Ebey Waterfront Park and Boat Launch Opened

In 2005, the Ebey Waterfront Park and boat launch opened.

September 2007: North County Outlook Publication

From September 2007, the North County Outlook was published weekly.

November 28, 2007: Marysville Globe Free Delivery

From November 28, 2007, The Marysville Globe delivered free newspapers to all Marysville residents.

2007: Welco Lumber Plant Closure

In 2007, Welco Lumber closed the lumber plant that it had acquired from Weiser Lumber Company.

2009: Red Curtain Foundation for the Arts Founded

In 2009, the Red Curtain Foundation for the Arts was founded to offer art, music, and theatre classes in Marysville.

June 28, 2010: Jon Nehring Appointed Mayor

On June 28, 2010, Jon Nehring was appointed as the 32nd mayor of Marysville after the resignation of Dennis Kendall.

2010: 2010 Census Data

In 2010, the census recorded a population of 60,020 people residing in Marysville, with 21,219 households and 15,370 families. The racial makeup was predominantly White (80.0%), with smaller percentages of African American (1.9%), Native American (1.9%), Asian (5.6%), and other groups. The population density was 2,902.3 inhabitants per square mile.

November 2011: Jon Nehring Elected Mayor

In November 2011, Jon Nehring was elected to a full term as mayor of Marysville.

2012: Museum Construction Begins

In 2012, the Marysville Historical Society was able to raise enough funds to begin the museum's construction.

2012: Red Curtain Renovation

In 2012, the Red Curtain renovated a former lumber store to house a community arts center.

2014: Spray Park Opens

In 2014, a spray park opened in Comeford Park.

2015: Municipal Government Employment and Expenditures

According to the Washington State Auditor, Marysville's municipal government employed 266 people in 2015, and its general fund expenditures totaled $38.7 million.

2015: Jon Nehring Reelected Mayor

In 2015, Jon Nehring was re-elected as mayor of Marysville.

2015: Farmer's Market Re-established

In 2015, Marysville re-established a farmer's market in the old city hall's parking lot on State Avenue.

2015: Red Curtain Moves

In 2015, the Red Curtain Foundation for the Arts moved to a new location at a shopping center in central Marysville.

March 19, 2016: Museum Opens

On March 19, 2016, the museum opened, coinciding with the 125th anniversary of the city's incorporation.

2016: Budget Expenditures

In 2016, Marysville's biennial budget allocated $109.7 million in expenditures and general fund spending was limited to $45.1 million.

2016: Northside USA Opens Headquarters

In 2016, outdoor footwear manufacturer Northside USA opened a new headquarters at a 110,000-square-foot warehouse in northern Marysville.

2018: Pilot Library Established

In 2018, a pilot library was established in northern Marysville near Smokey Point and Lakewood.

2019: Jon Nehring Reelected Mayor

In 2019, Jon Nehring was re-elected as mayor of Marysville.

2019: Cascade Industrial Center Approved

In 2019, the Puget Sound Regional Council approved the creation of the Cascade Industrial Center, lobbied for by Arlington and Marysville.

March 2020: Marysville Globe Publication Suspended

In March 2020, The Marysville Globe suspended publication along with The Arlington Times due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

October 2022: New Civic Campus Opens

In October 2022, a new civic campus combining a police station, city jail, and city hall opened adjacent to Comeford Park in downtown Marysville.

October 2022: North County Outlook Stops Publication

In October 2022, the North County Outlook stopped being published weekly.

2022: First Buildings Open at Cascade Industrial Center

In 2022, the first buildings for Amazon, Blue Origin, and other companies opened at the Cascade Industrial Center.

2022: Congressional District

Since 2022, Marysville has been part of the 1st congressional district, represented by Democrat Suzan DelBene.

June 2023: Farmer's Market Moved

In June 2023, the farmer's market moved to 3rd Street in downtown Marysville.

2023: Jon Nehring Reelected Mayor

In 2023, Jon Nehring was re-elected as mayor of Marysville, running unopposed.

2023: Gravitics Opens Facility

In 2023, space module manufacturer Gravitics opened a manufacturing and design facility in Marysville.

2024: Sales Tax Rate

As of 2024, the combined sales tax rate in Marysville is 9.4 percent, of which 1.3 percent is collected by the city government and its associated transportation benefit district.