 |
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
An
island named after a pionner
 The
island’s first habitants were probably the ancestors of
modern American Indians who arrived from Asia when the end of
the most recent ice age made it possible to cross the bering Sea
a little over 9 000 years ago.
This feeling of belonging to a community is very strong and finds
its expressionin a keen sense of civic responsability.
Situated
on the north west coast of the United States,
Mercer Island sits in the middle of Washington
Lake near Seattle. Its population is about 22
000.
Mercer Island is in fact mainly a residential town with a number of shops in the town center. Its people play an extremely active part in local affairs through a number of clubs and associations. 
|
|
On
Washington lake, between seatle and Bellevue |
|
|
|
| |
|
 |
|
|
The
island was no doubt named after a pioneer from Illinois called
Mercer. Although it is still not certain after
which of the Mercer brothers the island took its name, it seems
that it was Thomas MERCER, and the appellation
was adopted in the 1860's.
Traffic between Seattle and the island used to be by boat or ferry. The first bridge linking the island to the mainland was inaugurated on 10 november 1923. A particularly imposing structure which on 2 july 1940, added a touch of modernism to communications between Seattle and Mercer Island was Lake Washington’s floating bridge, the brainchild of George W. Lightfoot.
A
beautiful town with a protected environnement
Mercer Island, like its big neighbourg Seattle, is a lovely town whose environment has been particularly boasts protected. Nestling in the middle of lake Washington, with Mount Rainier as its backdrop, it boats a high concentration of pleasure craft. The ski slopes of Snolqualmie Pass can reached in one hour and a little further everywhere on the landscape becomes desertic ; hunting and fishing is possible.
|
|
||
 |
|
||