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D−History
History · Bonney Lake

Bonney Lake dates to 1949

More historic than 2% of U.S. towns · #282 of 285 in Washington. What drives it

Most of Bonney Lake was built recently: 0.7% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 2001. Below: maps from 1942 on and the census since 1950.

1949founded
0on the National Register
0.7%homes built before 1940
2famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Bonney Lake began

When was Bonney Lake founded?

1949

Bonney Lake dates its founding to 1949 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1950.

First census: 275 in 19502020 census: 22,48777 years

How historic is Bonney Lake?

D−

More historic than 2% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikipedia.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Bonney Lake’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Bonney Lake is more historic than 2% of U.S. towns, #282 of 285 in Washington. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.

D−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Bonney Lake’s overall grade.
Founding era1949, from Wikipedia: founded 1945 or later, an older era than 2% of U.S. townsD−Homes built before 19400.7% of homes (±0.6) · typical WA town 4.3% · U.S. 8.4%DNational RegisterNo listings counted · typical WA town 0.1 per 10,000 · U.S. 2.4C−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 2%
NewerOlder
Washington towns of 2,500+ (285)#282 of 285

Few Washington towns list much on the Register (a typical Washington town has 0.1 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Bonney Lake’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (27% of Washington towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikipedia alone; no second source gives 1949.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D− to D. The pre-1940 share (±0.6 points) is firm at this size.

Founding year: Wikipedia (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Bonney Lake’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Bonney Lake are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Bonney Lake’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Bonney Lake’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
The story

How Bonney Lake came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Bonney Lake.

Read it all →

Bonney Lake was named after William P. Bonney due to his contributions to preserving the history of settlers' in the area.

Bonney Lake was incorporated as a town on February 28, 1949, after the establishment of a co-op venture to bring electricity and tap water service to local residents. Several unsuccessful attempts were made to disincorporate the town from 1952 to 1972.

The City of Bonney Lake and the Greater Bonney Lake Historical Society placed in 13 historical markers between 2009 and 2015, including one for the Naches Trail, which was a well-used immigrant and military trail during the later half of the 1800s.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Bonney Lake, 1942 to 1996

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 20th century
  2. 1942On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  3. 1949
    FoundingBonney Lake is established
  4. 1982Born hereJosh Penner is born here
  5. 1996Born hereDylan Gambrell is born here
By decade

Bonney Lake, decade by decade

Today22 recent
Tall Firs 10 03822024Tall Firs 10 0382Bonney Lk Med Bldg 03732024Bonney Lk Med Bldg 0373Bonney Lk Med Bldg (2-23-23) 03712024Bonney Lk Med Bldg (2-23-23) 0371Valvoline & Mt Rainier 59392022Valvoline & Mt Rainier 5939Taqueria 58562022Taqueria 5856Mr Jalapeno, LCaesars, J Mike's 44922022Mr Jalapeno, LCaesars, J Mike's 4492Medical Emergency 58712022Medical Emergency 5871Medical Emergency 58702022Medical Emergency 5870Little Caesars & Jersey Mike's 44952022Little Caesars & Jersey Mike's 4495Les Schwab 44662022Les Schwab 4466Home Depot 58552022Home Depot 5855Home Depot 58542022Home Depot 5854Home Depot 58532022Home Depot 5853Best Tire Ctr (11-18-22) 58812022Best Tire Ctr (11-18-22) 5881BL Emergency 58802022BL Emergency 5880Applebee's (BL) 58762022Applebee's (BL) 58762021-06-07, Cedarview Park20212021-06-07, Cedarview ParkAmazon Hub Locker - Bahama (Bonney Lake, Washington), 022020Amazon Hub Locker - Bahama (Bonney Lake, Washington),…Amazon Hub Locker - Bahama (Bonney Lake, Washington), 012020Amazon Hub Locker - Bahama (Bonney Lake, Washington),…FEMA - 27695 - Photograph by Marvin Nauman taken on 01-19-2007 in Washington2007FEMA - 27695 - Photograph by Marvin Nauman taken on 0…FEMA - 27694 - Photograph by Marvin Nauman taken on 01-19-2007 in Washington2007FEMA - 27694 - Photograph by Marvin Nauman taken on 0…WAMap-doton-Bonney Lake2004WAMap-doton-Bonney Lake
On the map

Bonney Lake on the map, 1942 to 1993

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Bonney Lake. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Bonney Lake on the 1942 USGS mapBonney Lake on the 1956 USGS mapBonney Lake on the 1968 USGS mapBonney Lake on the 1973 USGS mapBonney Lake on the 1993 USGS map1942Lake Tapps sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Bonney Lake.

People over time

Bonney Lake, census by census

05,00010,00015,00020,00025,000196019802000202022,487

Grew from 275 people in 1950 to 22,487 in 2020, more than tenfold.

8 censuses, 1950–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Bonney Lake’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

2 famous people were born in Bonney Lake

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Dylan GambrellAmerican ice hockey center · b. 1996
J
Josh PennerAmerican politician · b. 1982
Places that used to be

Old corners

Old hamlets and crossroads still carry their names on the map.

Hamlets and corners on the map
Cedar ViewQuiet Meadows Mobile Park

Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Alderton3 historic placesB−Lake TappsIts storyC−Prairie RidgeIts storyD−Prairie HeightsIts storyDSumner3 historic placesB

Questions about Bonney Lake’s history

What year was Bonney Lake founded?

In 1949, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1950 counted 275 people here.

How does Bonney Lake rank for history?

Bonney Lake is more historic than 2% of U.S. towns, #282 of 285 in Washington. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

How old are the homes in Bonney Lake?

0.7% of Bonney Lake’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 4.3% for a Washington town; the median home was built in 2001.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (22), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.