Community

Island History

Just over five miles long and two miles wide, Mercer Island is an island community situated in Lake Washington, east of the City of Seattle and west of the City of Bellevue. Early settlement on Mercer Island began in the late 1870s. The Island was named after one of the three pioneering Mercer brothers from Illinois, all of whom had great influence in the Seattle area. Although none of the brothers lived on Mercer Island, they would often hunt and explore throughout the island’s secluded forests.

In these early days, island settlers would travel by rowboat to the neighboring community of Seattle in order to pick up any necessities. An occasional tramp steamer would drop off items that were too large to transport by rowboat.

Because of the inconveniences of island living, settlement was slow until C.C. Calkins platted the town of East Seattle and built a luxurious resort on the western side of the island in 1891. A ferry dock was built and small steamers began to make regular trips. With transportation available, the area began to attract more residents. Public water travel continued until July 2, 1940 when the floating bridge from Mercer Island to Seattle opened.

Today, Interstate 90 connects Mercer Island with Seattle and Bellevue. It is an eight-lane freeway system, which includes two separate side-by-side floating bridges across Lake Washington. The regional Sound Transit light rail network is being extended along the northern bridge all the way to Redmond, and is slated to open in 2023; Mercer Island will have a station. 

The Community

Mercer Island is primarily a single-family, high-quality residential community with a commercial business district and multi-family dwellings concentrated at the northern end of the Island. Its close proximity to both Seattle and Bellevue makes island living convenient.

The City owns approximately 475 acres of parkland and open space, which helps maintain the island’s natural beauty. The result is quiet, forested neighborhoods, complemented by stunning views of Seattle, the Cascade Mountains, Mount Rainier and Lake Washington. It is an active community where volunteer boards and commissions work closely with the City Council and city staff. The City of Mercer Island is known for providing quality customer service to more than 25,000 residents.

The Mercer Island School District has an outstanding reputation and is a source of community pride. The District serves approximately 4,500 students on the island with four elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. In addition to the public schools, the Island is home to St. Monica’s Catholic School for Kindergarten through eighth grade, Yeshiva Jewish High School, and the French American School for Kindergarten through fifth grade.  On statewide exams Mercer Island students consistently rank among the highest and the district maintains a graduation rate of over 95 percent.

The City’s Parks and Recreation Department operates a number of programs geared to residents of all ages at its community and event center, including youth, senior citizen, and art programs. The City Council’s commitment to open spaces and parks is reflected in the three large city parks on the island, one public boat launch, and more than ten public waterfront parks which provide open access to a significant portion of the island’s shoreline.

There are also numerous ball fields, bike trails and picnic areas, as well as more than 50 miles of marked trails. Effective January 1, 2003 the City Council accepted ownership of Luther Burbank Park from King County. This jewel of a park is 77 acres and lies along the shores of Lake Washington.

City Operations

Mercer Island was incorporated on July 18, 1960 and operates with a council-manager form of government. Seven City Councilmembers are chosen during at-large, non-partisan elections to serve four-year terms. From among their seven-member body, the City Council members elect a Mayor to serve a two-year term. The Mayor and City Council appoint a City Manager to act as the Chief Executive Officer of the City and be responsible for the administration of City policies. The City Manager reports directly to the Council and carries out their policies. 

There are a variety of boards and commissions including the Arts Council, Civil Service Commission, Design Commission, Disability Board, Open Space Conservancy Trust, Parks & Recreation Commission, Planning Commission, and Utility Board. All the boards assist in the formulation of policy and direction for the City. The Council is vitally interested in hearing the voices of all residents and in increasing community involvement.  

The day-to-day activities of the City are carried out by eight City departments. Click on a department for more information.