Maple Valley WA: About Maple Valley Living

Maple Valley WA History

The city of Maple Valley WA was incorporated in 1997 in the southeast region of King County, Washington. Home to about 23,000 — primarily young families — the population has grown by over 60% in the 21st century alone.

Nestled in the foothills of the gorgeous Mt. Rainier, Maple Valley WA was recognized by FamilyCircle magazine as one of the top 10 family cities in the nation in 2011. In 2013, Businessweek declared Maple Valley WA one of the Best Places to Raise Kids in the country. The city is also part of the Tahoma School District, which consistently educates students to within the top 10% nationally.

Maple Valley Living is your view into the heart of Maple Valley.

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Some Interesting Facts About Maple Valley:

Maple Valley was originally settled in 1879 by three families. After the community had grown, two names were suggested: Vine Maple Valley and Maple Ridge. Vine Maple Valley won by popular vote, but the post office later dropped off the “Vine” because it made the name too long.

Several famous people grew up in Maple Valley WA, including singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile, NFL athlete Omare Lowe, and UFC Champion Jens Pulver.

Local legends claim that “Tahoma” (the name of the local school district) originated from a group of students among the first at Tahoma High School, who combined the first two letters of the names of three towns: Taylor, Hobart, and Maple Valley. But Tahoma was actually the original Native American name for Mount Rainier. The name “Tahoma” is from the Puyallup Tribe and means “That Frozen Water.”