King County, Washington King County was organized in 1852 and first named after William R. King, Vice President under Franklin Pierce. It was renamed in 1986, after civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. The first settlements in the county were located in the Duwamish Valley area of present day Seattle. The lumber production began when the first steam sawmill was built on the Puget Sound. King County and Seattle grew and prospered during the late 19th and early 20th centuries with the expansion of the shipping and lumber industries. Today the principal economic activities are manufacturing, shipping and trade, agriculture, business services, shipbuilding, fishing, word products, and tourism. Today King County in made up of 39 cities and covers more than 2,100 square miles, and is home to nearly 1.7 million residents. The areas comfortable temperatures average highs are 60 and lows 46 degrees Fahrenheit and 11 inches annual precipitation. For more information about King County visit www.metrokc.gov