Newcastle, WA

Coal shaped Newcastle long before the King County city incorporated in 1994. Mining began by the 1870s, and more than 13 million tons had been extracted when the mine closed in 1963. Newcastle’s rail link to Seattle was the first in King County, while names such as Coal Creek and China Creek preserve the industry’s history and the legacy of Chinese mine workers. The 2020 census counted 13,017 residents. Coal Creek flows from the Issaquah Alps through the city to Lake Washington, and Lake Boren lies near downtown. Newcastle borders Bellevue on the north, Renton on the south, Cougar Mountain land on the east, and Lake Washington on the west; its trail system connects to Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park.