How the City of Everett got its name

By Mindy, Everett Public Library staff

In honor of Everett’s 125th anniversary, this month we’re sharing the story of how Everett got its name.

At a New York City dinner party in 1890, a group of East Coast capitalists gathered in Charles Colby’s home to discuss their ambitious project. They planned to develop a robust industrial city on the Puget Sound, nearly 3,000 miles away. The investments and business plans were underway, but the town they were developing needed a good, strong name.

That’s when the group’s leader, Henry Hewitt, spotted the host’s teenage son, Everett Colby, ask for more dessert. He was a hungry kid, who wasn’t yet satisfied. “That’s it!” Hewitt laughed. “We should name our city Everett. This boy wants only the best, and so do we.”

Our city’s namesake, Everett Colby, never lived here. Everett was born in Wisconsin in 1874 and attended Brown University. (Fun fact: his college classmate was John D. Rockefeller, Jr., whose famous capitalist dad was also an early Everett investor.) Everett Colby became a prominent politician in New Jersey. He visited the Washington state city named for him only once, in the spring of 1898.

The story of how Everett was founded and got its name is included in Norman H. Clark’s Mill Town, the definitive book on Everett history. It’s a great read for anyone wanting to know the fascinating facts about Everett’s roots.

We’re excited to hear your favorite Everett stories!

Drop by the library to fill out an official time capsule entry form. We’ll be closing it on August 19, to be opened in 50 years! Check out our 125th anniversary website for all the details about the time capsule and our special programs this summer.

Visit the Everett Public Library blog for more reviews and news of all things happening at the library.