The first inhabitants of the Puget Sound were the Coast Salish people.  These American Indians developed very distinctive and complex culture unlike any other.  The white man largely replaced their way of life.  In 1792 Captain George Vancouver ordered the first exploration of Puget Sound.  He named after his Lieutenant Peter Puget.  The US-Canadian border was at the 49^th parallel making Puget Sound country to American settlement.

In September 1851 Luther Collins, Henry Van Asselt, Jacob maple and his son Samuel chose land of the Duwamish River and became the first white settlers of King County and later, although their claims were outside the village helped fine Seattle.   - University of Washington (founded in 1861)

           In late September of 1851, David Denny, John Low and Lee Terry appeared at Alki and decided it was a good place to live.  David Denny sent word to his brother and requested he “come at once” The group that were on the way were known as the Denny Party, there were 21 members of the group.  They all got off the ship at Alki on November 13, 1851.  Later Dr. David Maynard from Olympia suggested that the settlement be named “Seattle” in honor of the elderly and friendly chief of the local American Indian tribes.

Puget Sounds first saw mill was in 1853 it was located at the foot of what is now Yesler Way then called “the sag” Seattle’s founders thought that if to build a city there must be opportunities.  They seeked out for trained and skilled settlers such as blacksmiths, doctors, tinsmiths, millers, druggists, butchers, attracted merchants and developed educational and recreational services.  They built wharves where they mined coal and transported it from east of lake Washington to bunkers at the foot of Pike street.  They farmed the river bottoms and fished the bays, cleared a road over the cascades and struggled for forty years before securing a railroad terminus.  These men were influential in establishing a separate territory of Washington and in developing a new county called king with its seat of government in Seattle.  Pioneers worked hard to make Seattle the major port on Puget Sound.  

  - Yesler's sawmill

Chief Seattle claims to have seen Captain Vancouver’s ship when it first explored Puget Sound in 1792, he must have been about six years old.  His father was the chief of the Suquamish and his mother the daughter of the Duwamish.  Chief Seattle took over both tribes.  When the white settlers arrived he managed to be friendly even during the wars.  He maintained peace.  He delivered a speech to governor Isaac Stevens which was translated by Dr. Henry Smith it indicate how deep were his feelings.

Historical Quotation

"Yonder sky that has wept tears of compassion upon our fathers for centuries untold, and which, to us, looks eternal, may change. Today it is fair, tomorrow it may be overcast with clouds. My words are like the stars that never set. What Seattle says, the Great Chief, Washington, [Native Americans thought George Washington still lived, a confusion compounded by the name of the national capital city] can rely upon, with as much certainty as our pale-face brothers can rely upon the return of the seasons.

The son [a reference to Territory Gov. Stevens] of the White Chief says his father sends us greetings of friendship and good will. This is kind, for we know he has little need of our friendship in return. because his people are many. They are like the grass that covers the vast prairies, while my people are few, and resemble the scattering trees of a storm-swept plain.

The Great, and I presume, also good, White Chief sends us word that he wants to buy our lands but is willing to allow us to reserve enough to live on comfortably. This indeed appears generous, for the Red Man no longer has rights that he need respect, and the offer may be wise, also, for we are no longer in need of a great country."

- Chief Seattle Speech 1887

- Chief Seattle