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Federal Way, Washington

Located between Seattle and Tacoma along I-5, Federal Way takes its name from Federal Highway 99 — the old Pacific Highway. Once a quiet logging area, it boomed in the 1960s-80s with the opening of Weyerhaeuser's headquarters and the SeaTac Mall, becoming one of Washington's largest cities.
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Founded 1929 | Population 101,000 | Peak 101,000 (2024) | County King County

Top 10 Most Important Events for Federal Way, Washington

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1929 Named: The community was named for Federal Highway 99, the main road connecting Seattle and Tacoma.
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1968 Weyerhaeuser HQ: Weyerhaeuser, one of the world's largest timber companies, moved its headquarters to Federal Way.
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1975 SeaTac Mall: SeaTac Mall (later The Commons at Federal Way) opened, establishing the city as a retail center.
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1990 Incorporated: Federal Way incorporated as a city, becoming the 6th largest in Washington.
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2007 Performing Arts Center: The Federal Way Performing Arts and Event Center enhanced the city's cultural offerings.
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Latest News in Federal Way

Jan 1, 1970
Trump’s Executive Intervention on TSA Pay Amid DHS Funding Stalemate Raises Questions of Executive Overreach and Congressional Gridlock
President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he will sign an executive order directing the Department of Homeland Security to im…
Jan 1, 1970
Trump Administration Deploys ICE Agents to Major Airports Amid Partial DHS Funding Impasse
WASHINGTON—Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been stationed at more than a dozen major U.S. airports as a partial …
Jan 1, 1970
DOJ Probes Iran’s Use of Binance to Evade Sanctions
The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a formal probe into Iran’s alleged use of the Binance cryptocurrency exchange to…
Jan 1, 1970
CBS Investigation Reveals Hospice Fraud Hotspot in Los Angeles
CBS News has exposed a troubling epicenter of hospice fraud in Los Angeles, California, shedding light on a systemic issue that ha…
Jan 1, 1970
Could $8 Gas Be Coming to California Soon?
Gas prices in Southern California continue their relentless climb, with a stark warning from an expert suggesting that drivers mig…
Jan 1, 1970
Suspect Detained After Broad-Daylight Attack in SF
The recent surveillance footage from San Francisco’s Chinatown has exposed a harrowing incident of violence, where a stabbin…

Complete Historical Timeline

1929 Transport
Named
1968 Business
Weyerhaeuser HQ
1975 Business
SeaTac Mall
1990 Government
Incorporated
2007 Culture
Performing Arts Center

Did You Know?

1
Named for Federal Highway 99, not the federal government.
2
Sits midway between Seattle and Tacoma.
3
Weyerhaeuser, one of the world's largest timber companies, was headquartered here.
4
Federal Way is located in King County, Washington.
5
Federal Way was founded in 1929.

Famous People from Federal Way, Washington

JM
Jaden McDaniels
Basketball Player · Born Sep 29, 2000 · Age 25
AK
Ariana Kukors
Swimmer · Born Jun 1, 1989 · Age 36
KR
Kelyn Rowe
Association Football Player · Born Dec 2, 1991 · Age 34
SK
Sam Kim
Singer, Songwriter · Born Feb 19, 1998 · Age 28
MM
Michael McGrady
Actor, Television Actor · Born Mar 30, 1960 · Age 65

Other Cities in Washington

View all Washington cities →
S
Seattle
Pop. 737,015
T
Tacoma
Pop. 232,425
S
Spokane
Pop. 231,311
V
Vancouver
Pop. 202,846
B
Bellevue
Pop. 155,672
K
Kent
Pop. 136,588
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