Long before European settlers arrived, the Puget Sound region was home to Coast Salish peoples, whose rich cultures, languages, and traditions continue to shape the area today. Native communities have lived in the region for thousands of years — with archaeological evidence showing continuous habitation dating back at least 12,000 years. They traveled by canoe, fished the abundant waters, and built longhouses along the shore, developing deep, place-based knowledge and a sustainable way of life.

European exploration began in the late eighteenth century, with British, Spanish, and Russian expeditions charting the coastlines and trading with Native peoples. Known as x̌ʷəlč in Lushootseed, Puget Sound got its English name in 1792 by British explorer George Vancouver for Lieutenant Peter Puget. By the mid-1800s, American settlers arrived in greater numbers, and towns like Seattle, Tacoma, and Olympia began to take root as logging, shipping, and railroads drove early economic growth.

One of the most well-known groups of settlers was the Denny Party, which arrived at Alki Point in 1851 before relocating across Elliott Bay to establish what would become downtown Seattle. They were preceded and followed by other families and entrepreneurs who saw opportunity in the region’s natural harbors, timber-rich hillsides, and fertile river valleys. These early settlers built the foundations of many communities still thriving today — though their arrival also marked a period of deep displacement and transformation for Native populations.