Sequim ( ) is a city in

Clallam County, Washington Clallam County is a county in the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2020 census, the population was 77,155, with an estimated population of 77,616 in 2023. The county seat and largest city is Port Angeles; the county as a whole comprises th ...

, United States. It is located on the north side of the

Olympic Peninsula The Olympic Peninsula is a large peninsula in Western Washington that lies across Puget Sound from Seattle, and contains Olympic National Park. It is bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean, the north by the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the ...

between the

Dungeness River The Dungeness River is a long river located in the Olympic Peninsula in the U.S. state of Washington. It rises near Mount Constance in the Olympic Mountains within the Olympic National Park, flows through the Buckhorn Wilderness, passes by the ...

and

Sequim Bay Sequim Bay is a bay in northwestern Washington (U.S. state), Washington, on the Olympic Peninsula. The bay is on the Strait of Juan de Fuca of the Pacific Ocean and is located east of Sequim, Washington and north of Blyn, Washington, Blyn. Sequ ...

. The city is south of the

Strait of Juan de Fuca The Strait of Juan de Fuca (officially named Juan de Fuca Strait in Canada) is a body of water about long that is the Salish Sea's main outlet to the Pacific Ocean. The Canada–United States border, international boundary between Canada and the ...

and north of the

Olympic Mountains The Olympic Mountains are a mountain range on the Olympic Peninsula of the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The mountains, part of the Pacific Coast Ranges, are not especially high – Mount Olympus (Washington), Mount Olympus is the high ...

. The population was 8,024 as of the 2020 census; the estimated population in 2023 was 8,203. Sequim is connected to nearby

Port Angeles Port Angeles ( ) is a city and county seat of Clallam County, Washington, United States. The population was 19,960 at the 2020 census, it is the most populous city in the county, as well as the most populous city on the Olympic Peninsula. T ...

U.S. Route 101 U.S. Route 101, or U.S. Highway 101 (US 101), is a major north–south highway that traverses the states of California, Oregon, and Washington on the West Coast of the United States. It is part of the United States Numbered Highway Syst ...

, which runs south of the city's downtown. The city lies within the

rain shadow A rain shadow is an area of significantly reduced rainfall behind a mountainous region, on the side facing away from prevailing winds, known as its leeward side. Evaporated moisture from body of water, bodies of water (such as oceans and larg ...

of the Olympic Mountains and receives, on average, less than of rain per year – about the same as

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

– giving rise to the region's local nickname of ''Sunny Sequim''. However, the city is relatively close to some of the wettest

temperate rainforest Temperate rainforests are rainforests with coniferous or Broad-leaved tree, broadleaf forests that occur in the temperate zone and receive heavy rain. Temperate rainforests occur in oceanic moist regions around the world: the Pacific temperate ...

s of the

contiguous United States The contiguous United States, also known as the U.S. mainland, officially referred to as the conterminous United States, consists of the 48 adjoining U.S. states and the District of Columbia of the United States in central North America. The te ...

. This climate anomaly is sometimes called the "Blue Hole of Sequim". Fogs and cool breezes from the Strait of Juan de Fuca make Sequim's climate more humid than would be expected from the low average rate of annual precipitation. Sequim and the surrounding area are particularly known for the commercial cultivation of

lavender ''Lavandula'' (common name lavender) is a genus of 47 known species of perennial flowering plants in the sage family, Lamiaceae. It is native plant, native to the Old World, primarily found across the drier, warmer regions of the Mediterranean ...

, supported by the unique climate. The city is nicknamed the "Lavender Capital of North America". The area is also known for its

Dungeness crab The Dungeness crab (''Metacarcinus magister'') makes up one of the most important seafood industries along the west coast of North America. Its typical range extends from Alaska's Aleutian Islands to Point Conception, near Santa Barbara, Califo ...

, named for the nearby

Dungeness Spit Dungeness Spit is a sand spit jutting out approximately from the northern edge of the Olympic Peninsula in northeastern Clallam County, Washington into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. It is the longest natural sand spit in the United States. Th ...

Etymology

The name Sequim is derived from the

Klallam The Klallam (; also known as the S'Klallam or Clallam) are a Coast Salish people Indigenous to the northern Olympic Peninsula. The language of the Klallam is the Klallam language (), a language closely related to the North Straits Salish lang ...

word ''sxʷčkʷíyəŋ'', which means "hunting ground" or "place for going to shoot". It was adopted as the name of the settlement in 1879, with the spelling replacing the earlier "Seguim". The historic translation of "quiet waters" was disproven in 2010 by linguist

Timothy Montler Timothy Montler is an American academic and linguist. Montler is a professor of linguistics at the University of North Texas, as of 2013. He has worked to preserve the Klallam language since 1990. Montler collaborated with Adeline Smith, a Low ...

, who had researched the Klallam language and interviewed elders of the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe. Sequim is pronounced as one syllable, with the ''e'' elided: "skwim"; a common mispronounciation is "see-kwim".

History

Indigenous inhabitants

Fossils discovered in the late 1970s – at a dig near Sequim known as the Manis Mastodon site, by Carl Gustafson, an archaeologist at

Washington State University Washington State University (WSU, or colloquially Wazzu) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Pullman, Washington, United States. Founded in 1890, WSU is also one of the oldest Land-grant uni ...

– included a

mastodon A mastodon, from Ancient Greek μαστός (''mastós''), meaning "breast", and ὀδούς (''odoús'') "tooth", is a member of the genus ''Mammut'' (German for 'mammoth'), which was endemic to North America and lived from the late Miocene to ...

bone with an embedded bone point, evidencing the presence of hunters in the area about 14,000 years ago. According to Michael R. Waters, an archaeologist at

Texas A&M University Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, TA&M, or TAMU) is a public university, public, Land-grant university, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas, United States. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of ...

, this is the first hunting weapon found that dates to the pre-

Clovis Clovis may refer to: People * Clovis (given name), the early medieval (Frankish) form of the name Louis ** Clovis I (c. 466 – 511), the first king of the Franks to unite all the Frankish tribes under one ruler ** Clovis II (c. 634 – c. 657), ...

period. The

S'Klallam The Klallam (; also known as the S'Klallam or Clallam) are a Coast Salish people Indigenous to the northern Olympic Peninsula. The language of the Klallam is the Klallam language (), a language closely related to the North Straits Salish lan ...

tribe had inhabited the region prior to the arrival of the first Europeans. S'Klallam means "the strong people". The band of S'Klallam Indians disbanded into their own individual federally recognized tribes in the early 1900s. The local tribe is the Jamestown S'Klallam tribe, named after one of their early leaders, Lord James Balch. According to other tales, the town Sequim in S'Klallam means "a place for going to shoot", which represents the abundance of game and wildlife of the area. Archeological excavation during construction of the

bypass in the 1990s found artifacts that were dated between 6000 to 8000 years

before present Before Present (BP) or "years before present (YBP)" is a time scale used mainly in archaeology, geology, and other scientific disciplines to specify when events occurred relative to the origin of practical radiocarbon dating in the 1950s. Because ...

Settlement

Manuel Quimper Manuel Quimper Benítez del Pino (c. 1757 – April 2, 1844) was a Spanish Peruvian explorer, cartographer, naval officer, and colonial official. He participated in charting the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Sandwich Islands in the late 18th ...

and

George Vancouver Captain (Royal Navy), Captain George Vancouver (; 22 June 1757 – 10 May 1798) was a Royal Navy officer and explorer best known for leading the Vancouver Expedition, which explored and charted North America's northwestern West Coast of the Uni ...

explored the region's coast in the 1790s. The first European settlers arrived in the Dungeness Valley in the 1850s, settling nearby

Dungeness, Washington Dungeness is an unincorporated community in Clallam County, Washington, United States, located north of Sequim and on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Dungeness has a number of waterfront residential communities, but also features the Dungeness Spit, ...

. While the lands along the river became fertile farmlands, the remainder of the area remained arid prairie, known as "the desert". Irrigation canals first brought water to the prairie in the 1890s, allowing the expansion of farmlands. Sequim was officially incorporated on October 31, 1913. For many decades small farms, mostly dairy farms, dotted the area around the small town. Near the end of World War I, Sequim became a stop for a railway that passed through from

Port Townsend Port Townsend is a city on the Quimper Peninsula in Jefferson County, Washington, United States. The population was 10,148 at the 2020 United States Census. It is the county seat and only incorporated city of Jefferson County. In addition ...

, built primarily to carry wood products from the forests of the western

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. The forests around Sequim are dominated by

Douglas-fir The Douglas fir (''Pseudotsuga menziesii'') is an evergreen conifer species in the pine family, Pinaceae. It is the tallest tree in the Pinaceae family. It is native to western North America and is also known as Douglas-fir, Douglas spruce, Or ...

and

western red cedar ''Thuja plicata'' is a large evergreen coniferous tree in the family Cupressaceae, native to the Pacific Northwest of North America. Its common name is western redcedar in the U.S. or western red cedar in the UK, and it is also called pacific re ...

. Other trees growing in the area include

black cottonwood ''Populus trichocarpa'', the black cottonwood, western balsam-poplar or California poplar, is a deciduous broadleaf tree species native to western North America. It is used for timber, and is notable as a model organism in plant biology. The t ...

red alder ''Alnus rubra'', the red alder, is a deciduous broadleaf tree native to western North America (Alaska, Yukon, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho and Montana). Description ''Alnus rubra'' is the largest species of alder in ...

bigleaf maple ''Acer macrophyllum'', the bigleaf maple or Oregon maple, is a large deciduous tree in the genus '' Acer''. It is native to western North America. In addition to uses by animals, it is of some culinary and woodworking interest. Description Big ...

Pacific madrone ''Arbutus menziesii'', or Pacific madrone (commonly madrone or madrona in the United States and arbutus in Canada), is a species of broadleaf evergreen tree in the family Ericaceae. It has waxy foliage, a contorted growth habit, and flaky bark ...

lodgepole pine ''Pinus contorta'', with the common names lodgepole pine and shore pine, and also known as twisted pine, and contorta pine, is a common tree in western North America. It is common near the ocean shore and in dry montane forests to the subalpin ...

and

Garry oak ''Quercus garryana'' is an oak tree species named for Nicholas Garry, deputy governor of the Hudson's Bay Company. It is commonly known as the Garry oak, Oregon white oak or Oregon oak. The species is found in the Pacific Northwest, with a ran ...

, all of which can grow to a significant size. Historically, much of the area was an open, oak-studded prairie, supported by somewhat excessively-drained gravelly and sandy loam soil; agriculture and development of the Dungeness valley have changed this ecosystem. Most soils under Sequim have been placed in a series that is named after the city. This "Sequim series" is one of the few

Mollisol Mollisol is a soil type which has deep, high organic matter, nutrient-enriched surface soil ( A horizon), typically between 60 and 80 cm (24-31 in) in depth. This fertile surface horizon, called a mollic epipedon, is the defining diagnost ...

s in western Washington and its high

base saturation Cation-exchange capacity (CEC) is a measure of how many cations can be retained on soil particle surfaces. Negative charges on the surfaces of soil particles bind positively-charged atoms or molecules (cations), but allow these to exchange with ot ...

, a characteristic of the Mollisol order, is attributed to the minimal leaching of bases caused by low annual rainfall. Sequim is home to a herd of

Roosevelt elk The Roosevelt elk (''Cervus canadensis roosevelti)'', also known commonly as the Olympic elk and Roosevelt's wapiti, is the largest of the four surviving subspecies of elk ('' Cervus canadensis'') in North America by body mass. Mature bulls we ...

. The herd occasionally crosses U.S. Route 101 just to the southeast of the town. Radio collars on some members of the herd trigger warning lights for motorists.

Climate

Sequim experiences a

warm-summer Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...

(

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

''Csb''), sometimes classified as an oceanic climate owing to the relatively cool temperatures. Sequim is in the

of the

, so annual precipitation is the lowest in the western portion of the state at only 16 inches, Winters are mostly mild with very little snowfall. Many years there is no snow at all. The highest temperature recorded in Sequim was on July 16, 1941, and the lowest on January 19, 1935.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 8,018 people and 3,480 households in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . The racial makeup of the city was 86.7%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 1.9%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.9% Native American, 3.1% Asian, 0.0%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, and 6.1% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino people of any race were 8.5% of the population. 19.3% of residents were under the age of 18; and 34.0% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 44.7% male and 55.3% female.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 6,606 people, 3,340 households, and 1,626 families residing in the city. The

was . There were 3,767 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 91.3%

, 0.4%

, 1.2% Native American, 1.9% Asian, 0.1%

, 1.7% from other races, and 3.2% from two or more races.

or Latino people of any race were 4.8% of the population. There were 3,340 households, of which 17.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.5% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 51.3% were non-families. 45.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 29.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.87 and the average family size was 2.57. The median age in the city was 57.9 years. 15.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 15.9% were from 25 to 44; 22.1% were from 45 to 64; and 40.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 44.4% male and 55.6% female.

Economy

The

U.S. Department of Energy The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government that oversees U.S. national energy policy and energy production, the research and development of nuclear power, the military's nuclear we ...

maintains a marine laboratory on Sequim Bay that is operated by the

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is one of the United States Department of Energy national laboratories, managed by the Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Science. The main campus of the laboratory is in Richland, Washington ...

Tourism

The

Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge The Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge is located near the town of Sequim in Clallam County in the U.S. state of Washington, on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The refuge is composed of which include Dungeness Spit, Graveyard Spit, and portions ...

is located just north of the city, near the mouth of the

. It includes the

and a five-mile (8 km) hike to the New Dungeness Lighthouse at the end of the spit. To the east along U.S. Route 101 is Sequim Bay, a 4-mile (6.5 km) long inlet from the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Along the western stretch is the Sequim Bay State Park. The inlet is a popular birdwatching area. The Museum and Arts Center features both natural and cultural exhibits, including a mastodon mural mounted with the remaining mastodon bones, artifacts, and a video on the

excavation Excavation may refer to: * Archaeological excavation * Excavation (medicine) * ''Excavation'' (The Haxan Cloak album), 2013 * ''Excavation'' (Ben Monder album), 2000 * ''Excavation'' (novel), a 2000 novel by James Rollins * '' Excavation: A Mem ...

Government

Sequim has had a

council–manager government The council–manager government is a form of local government commonly used for municipalities and counties in the United States and Ireland, in New Zealand regional councils, and in Canadian municipalities. In the council-manager government, ...

since a 1995 referendum was approved by city residents. The

city council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, borough counc ...

has seven members who each serve a four-year term and are elected

at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather tha ...

. The city council appoints a ceremonial

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

to preside over meetings during a two-year term and approves the hiring of a

city manager A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city in the council–manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are referred to as the chief executive officer (CEO) or chief administ ...

as head of the municipal government's departments. Councilmember Brandon Janisse was elected as mayor in January 2024. Matt Huish has been the city manager since his hiring in November 2021. At the federal level, the city lies within the 6th congressional district, which encompasses the entire Olympic Peninsula, the neighboring

Kitsap Peninsula The Kitsap Peninsula () lies west of Seattle across Puget Sound, in Washington state in the Pacific Northwest. Hood Canal separates the peninsula from the Olympic Peninsula on its west side. The peninsula, a.k.a. "Kitsap", encompasses all of Kits ...

, and part of

Tacoma Tacoma ( ) is the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. A port city, it is situated along Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, southwest of Bellevue, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, northwest of Mount ...

. Sequim is part of the state's 24th legislative district, which includes most of the Olympic Peninsula except for Mason County. The city is represented in the Clallam County Commission as part of the 1st district, which includes most areas east of the Dungeness River.

Arts and culture

Festivals and events

Sequim holds its annual Irrigation Festival in early May. It was first held on May 1, 1896, to commemorate the first anniversary of an irrigation system on the Dungeness River and is the longest continually running festival in the state, reaching its 130th edition in 2025. The festival includes a street parade, concerts, live entertainment and performances,

arts and crafts The Arts and Crafts movement was an international trend in the Decorative arts, decorative and fine arts that developed earliest and most fully in the British Isles and subsequently spread across the British Empire and to the rest of Europe and ...

, a

car show An auto show, also known as a motor show or car show, is a public exhibition of current automobile models, debuts, concept cars, or out-of-production classics. It is attended by automotive industry representatives, dealers, auto journalists a ...

, and a

fashion show A fashion show is an event put on by a fashion designer to showcase their upcoming line of clothing and/or accessories during a fashion week. Fashion shows debut every season, particularly the spring/summer and fall/winter seasons. This is wh ...

for clothing made with recycled materials. Other annual festivals include the Sunshine Festival, which began in 2020 and is held in March, and the Sequim Lavender Weekend, held in July since 1997.

Library

The city is part of the North Olympic Library System (NOLS), which serves Clallam County. Sequim had its own library that was established in the 1910s and moved into the Clyde Rhodefer Memorial Library in 1936. The new library, named for the first Clallam County casualty in

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, was opened in November 1936 and was constructed by the federal

Public Works Administration The Public Works Administration (PWA), part of the New Deal of 1933, was a large-scale public works construction agency in the United States headed by United States Secretary of the Interior, Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes. It was ...

. The Clallam County Rural Library District, the predecessor to NOLS, acquired the branch in 1947. It was replaced with a modern building near Sequim High School in 1983. The Sequim branch later became too small for the growing city and was proposed for replacement in a 2001 study; it was renovated in 2009 and a replacement was to be funded by a

bond measure A municipal bond, commonly known as a muni, is a bond issued by state or local governments, or entities they create such as authorities and special districts. In the United States, interest income received by holders of municipal bonds is often ...

in 2018 that failed to pass with the required supermajority. The state government awarded a grant in 2020 for the replacement library project, which broke ground in 2024. It is scheduled to open in 2025 and cost $10.6million; funding from the state government was supplemented by private donations.

Education

The Sequim School District provides public

K–12 education K-1 is a professional kickboxing promotion established in 1993 by karateka Kazuyoshi Ishii. Originally under the ownership of the Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG), K-1 was considered to be the largest Kickboxing organization in the worl ...

to pupils in the city and surrounding area, which includes a portion of northeastern Jefferson County. During the 2023–24 school year, the district had 2,613 total students and 145 teachers or instructors. It has one high school, one middle school, two elementary schools, and one

alternative school An alternative school is an educational establishment with a curriculum and methods that are nontraditional. Such schools offer a wide range of philosophies and teaching methods; some have political, scholarly, or philosophical orientations, wh ...

. A private school, the Five Acre School, was established in 1995 at a rural property near Sequim and holds classes for students through the sixth grade. It became a non-profit organization in 2019.

Media

Film and television

Due to a social media post, students from the

rotary club Rotary International is one of the largest Service club, service organizations in the world. The self-declared mission of Rotary, as stated on its website, is to "provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, go ...

of Sequim High School were able to procure a film screening of

The Boys in the Boat ''The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics'' is a non-fiction book written by Daniel James Brown and published on June 4, 2013. Background ''The Boys in the Boat'' is a true story based ...

, a movie centered around

Joe Rantz Joseph Harry Rantz (March 31, 1914 – September 10, 2007) was an American rower who won Olympic gold in the men's eight at the 1936 Summer Olympics. Early life Born in Spokane, Washington, Joe Rantz had a harsh childhood in Boulder City, Id ...

and his gold-medal

1936 Summer Olympics The 1936 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XI Olympiad () and officially branded as Berlin 1936, were an international multi-sport event held from 1 to 16 August 1936 in Berlin, then capital of Nazi Germany. Berlin won the bid to ...

rowing team. The 2023 motion picture, directed by

George Clooney George Timothy Clooney (born May 6, 1961) is an American actor, filmmaker, and philanthropist. Known for his leading man roles on screen in both blockbuster and independent films, Clooney has received numerous accolades, including two Ac ...

, was planned to be shown at a school auditorium as the city lacks a formal movie theater. A number of students from the school district were in invited attendance at the premiere in December 2023, held at the

SIFF Cinema Downtown The SIFF Cinema Downtown, formerly the Seattle Cinerama, is a landmark movie theater in the Belltown neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, United States. The theater opened in 1963 and was renovated in the 1990s after its acquisition by Paul All ...

in Seattle.

Newspapers

A local newspaper, the ''

Sequim Gazette Sequim ( ) is a city in Clallam County, Washington, United States. It is located on the north side of the Olympic Peninsula between the Dungeness River and Sequim Bay. The city is south of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and north of the Olympic Mount ...

'', is owned by

Sound Publishing Black Press Group Ltd. (BPG) is a Canadian commercial printer and newspaper publisher founded in 1975 by David Holmes Black. Based in Surrey, British Columbia, it was previously owned by the publisher of ''Toronto Star'' (Torstar, 19.35%) and Bl ...

and publishes weekly print editions on Wednesdays that are delivered to subscribers. Its sister newspaper ''

Peninsula Daily News The ''Peninsula Daily News'' is a daily newspaper printed Sundays through Fridays (for publication days of Monday through Saturday), covering the northern Olympic Peninsula in the state of Washington, United States. The paper's main offices a ...

'', based in Port Angeles, also covers the area and has daily print editions. The city's earliest newspaper, the ''Sequim Press'', was founded in 1911 and ceased publication in 1985. The ''Gazette'' was originally known as the ''Sequim Shopper'' when it began publication in January 1974 and was renamed later that year to the ''Jimmy Come Lately Gazette''. The newspaper was renamed to the ''Sequim Gazette'' on April 4, 1990, and was owned by Olympic View Publishing until it was sold to Sound Publishing in 2011.

Radio

Sequim is served by local radio stations based in the city and nearby Port Angeles, as well as broadcasts from

Victoria, British Columbia Victoria is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of British Columbia, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific Ocean, Pacific coast. The city has a population of 91,867, and the Gre ...

. Non-commercial station KSQM debuted in 2009 and broadcasts community programming as well as music. A commercial classic rock station,

KZEG KMCN (94.7 FM broadcasting, FM) is a radio station licensed to Clinton, Iowa and broadcasting an Adult Hits format under the branding ''Mac 94.7''. The transmitter for KMCN is co-located with the transmitter of sister AM station KCLN in norther ...

, went on the air in 2018 and was originally named KZQM.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Sequim is connected to nearby Port Angeles and other areas of the Olympic Peninsula by

, a major highway that travels around most of the peninsula. The highway uses a bypass around the south side of the city's downtown with three interchanges. The bypass opened to traffic in August 1999 following several decades of planning to alleviate traffic congestion through Sequim. It cost $40.7 million (equivalent to $ in dollars) to construct and included the installation of warning signals triggered by the presence of nearby

wearing radio collars for tracking. The city is also served by Clallam Transit, a local fare-free bus system that connects Sequim to Port Angeles, Blyn, and Diamond Point. It also operates a

microtransit Microtransit is a form of bus demand responsive transport vehicle for hire. This transit service offers a flexible routing and/or flexible scheduling of minibus vehicles shared with other passengers. Microtransit providers build routes ad-hoc ex ...

service within the city. The agency operates intercity service to

Poulsbo Poulsbo ( ) is a city on Liberty Bay in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. It is the smallest of the four cities in Kitsap County. The population was 11,970 at the 2020 census and an estimated 10,927 in 2018. The Suquamish people hav ...

and

Bainbridge Island Bainbridge Island is a city and island in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. It is located in Puget Sound. The population was 24,825 at the 2020 census, making Bainbridge Island the second largest city in Kitsap County. The island is se ...

ferry terminal on the Strait Shot, a route it launched in 2017 and still charges fares. Additional intercity service to

Edmonds Edmonds may refer to: * Edmonds (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the surname) * Edmonds, Washington, a city in Washington, US **Edmonds station (Washington), a passenger train station in Washington, US * Edmonds station (SkyTrai ...

and

Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...

is provided by the Dungeness Line, a private bus line operated by

Greyhound The English Greyhound, or simply the Greyhound, is a dog breed, breed of dog, a sighthound which has been bred for coursing, greyhound racing and hunting. Some are kept as show dogs or pets. Greyhounds are defined as a tall, muscular, smooth-c ...

and partially funded by the state's

Travel Washington Travel Washington is an intercity bus service in the U.S. state of Washington funded by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). It has four routes that connect major cities to other modes, including Amtrak and Greyhound Lines. ...

program. A private airfield, named

Sequim Valley Airport Sequim Valley Airport is a privately owned, public use airport located four nautical miles (5 mi, 7 km) northwest of the central business district of Sequim, a city in Clallam County, Washington, United States. History During 2 ...

, was built northwest of the city near Carlsborg in 1983. The area was chosen for its dry climate and level terrain; a paved runway was added in 1986. The airport is primarily used for

general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations except for commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services for other ...

and also hosts flight instructors,

hot air balloon A hot air balloon is a lighter-than-air aircraft consisting of a bag, called an envelope, which contains heated air. Suspended beneath is a gondola or wicker basket (in some long-distance or high-altitude balloons, a capsule), which carri ...

flights, air cargo, and emergency services. It is the site of the annual Olympic Peninsula Air Affaire/Fly-In, a

fly-in A fly-in, also called an aviation meet, is a pre-arranged gathering of aircraft, pilots and passengers for recreational and Socialization, social purposes. Fly-ins may be formally or informally organised, members of the public may or may not be ...

festival.

Utilities

Electric power for Sequim residents and businesses is provided by the

Clallam County Public Utility District The Klallam (; also known as the S'Klallam or Clallam) are a Coast Salish people Indigenous to the northern Olympic Peninsula. The language of the Klallam is the Klallam language (), a language closely related to the North Straits Salish langua ...

(PUD), a public utility that serves most of the county. Most of its electricity is purchased from the federal

Bonneville Power Administration The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) is an American federal agency operating in the Pacific Northwest. BPA was created by an act of United States Congress, Congress in 1937 to market electric power from the Bonneville Dam located on the Col ...

and is derived primarily from hydroelectric dams on the Columbia and

Snake Snakes are elongated limbless reptiles of the suborder Serpentes (). Cladistically squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales much like other members of the group. Many species of snakes have s ...

rivers. The PUD constructed a 30-kilowatt community

solar array A photovoltaic system, also called a PV system or solar power system, is an electric power system designed to supply usable solar power by means of photovoltaics. It consists of an arrangement of several components, including solar panels to abs ...

at its former Sequim

substation A substation is a part of an electrical Electricity generation, generation, electric power transmission, transmission, and electric power distribution, distribution system. Substations transform voltage from high to low, or the reverse, or pe ...

in 2019 and offered direct purchases for consumers. It is planned to be expanded with a

microgrid A microgrid is a local electrical grid with defined electrical boundaries, acting as a single and controllable entity. It is able to operate in grid-connected and off-grid modes.

demonstration project funded with a grant from the

Washington State Department of Commerce The Washington State Department of Commerce is a state agency in Washington (state), Washington. Based in the state's capitol, Olympia, Washington, the agency is responsible for community and economic development. The agency manages several boar ...

. The city government provides

tap water Tap water (also known as running water, piped water or municipal water) is water supplied through a Tap (valve), tap, a water dispenser valve. In many countries, tap water usually has the quality of drinking water. Tap water is commonly used f ...

from three sources: an

infiltration gallery An infiltration gallery is a structure including perforated conduits in gravel to expedite transfer of water to or from a soil. Water supply Infiltration galleries may be used to collect water from the aquifer underlying a river. Water from an infi ...

on the Dungeness River and two groundwater

well A well is an excavation or structure created on the earth by digging, driving, or drilling to access liquid resources, usually water. The oldest and most common kind of well is a water well, to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The ...

s. Sequim has three

reservoir A reservoir (; ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam, usually built to water storage, store fresh water, often doubling for hydroelectric power generation. Reservoirs are created by controlling a watercourse that drains an existing body of wa ...

s that hold a combined that is treated and chlorinated before use. The city maintains of pipes and provides approximately of water per day. The infiltration gallery was constructed in 1953 to replace a direct feed from the Dungeness River. The city government also operates a

sewage Sewage (or domestic sewage, domestic wastewater, municipal wastewater) is a type of wastewater that is produced by a community of people. It is typically transported through a sewerage, sewer system. Sewage consists of wastewater discharged fro ...

system that collects wastewater with of sewer lines that lead to a

sewage treatment plant Sewage treatment is a type of wastewater treatment which aims to remove contaminants from sewage to produce an effluent that is suitable to discharge to the surrounding environment or an intended reuse application, thereby preventing water p ...

that processes up to per day. The wastewater is separated into reclaimed water, used for other city projects, and biosolids that are used on

hay Hay is grass, legumes, or other herbaceous plants that have been cut and dried to be stored for use as animal fodder, either for large grazing animals raised as livestock, such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep, or for smaller domesticate ...

fields; a portion of the treated water is also discharged into the Strait of Juan de Fuca through an

outfall An outfall is the discharge point of a storm drain or waste stream into a body of water. In the United Kingdom, the term may also apply to discharges from a "watercourse", which may be a river, stream or canal. United States permit requirements ...

pipe off the coast. The sewage system also serves the unincorporated Carlsborg area under a contract with Clallam County and the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe's facilities in Blyn per a 2018 agreement. Sequim contracts with Olympic Disposal, a subsidiary of

Waste Connections Waste Connections, Inc. is a North American integrated waste services company that provides waste collection, transfer, disposal and recycling services, primarily of solid waste. It has operations in both the United States and Canada. Its he ...

, to provide curbside pickup of

garbage Garbage, trash (American English), rubbish (British English), or refuse is waste material that is discarded by humans, usually due to a perceived lack of utility. The term generally does not encompass bodily waste products, purely liquid or ...

recycling Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. This concept often includes the recovery of energy from waste materials. The recyclability of a material depends on its ability to reacquire the propert ...

, and yard waste from residents and businesses.

Healthcare

The city lies within the

public hospital A public hospital, or government hospital, is a hospital which is government owned and is predominantly funded by the government and operates predominantly off the money that is collected from taxpayers to fund healthcare initiatives. In almost al ...

district for

Olympic Medical Center Olympic Medical Center is a medical organization located in Port Angeles and Sequim, Washington which provides services to patients in Clallam and Jefferson counties. The principal operating location is Olympic Memorial Hospital in Port Angeles ...

, which has its main facilities in Port Angeles and serves most of Clallam County. Olympic Medical Center operates several

clinics A clinic (or outpatient clinic or ambulatory care clinic) is a health facility that is primarily focused on the care of outpatients. Clinics can be privately operated or publicly managed and funded. They typically cover the primary care need ...

in Sequim, including a walk-in facility for non-emergency care and specialty facilities in the city. In 2022, the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe opened an opioid treatment center in Sequim to serve its tribal citizens and other members of the community. The tribe plans to also construct a

psychiatric hospital A psychiatric hospital, also known as a mental health hospital, a behavioral health hospital, or an asylum is a specialized medical facility that focuses on the treatment of severe Mental disorder, mental disorders. These institutions cater t ...

using funds from the state government.

Notable people

* Richard B. Anderson, World War II soldier, posthumous

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

recipient * , daughter of the late Belgian King

Leopold III of Belgium Leopold III (3 November 1901 – 25 September 1983) was King of the Belgians from 23 February 1934 until his abdication on 16 July 1951. At the outbreak of World War II, Leopold tried to maintain Belgian neutrality, but after the Battle of Belgi ...

and aunt of the current Monarch of Belgium, King Philippe *

Bailey Bryan Bailey Myown Bryan is an American singer-songwriter based in Nashville. Her debut single "Own It" was released as the lead single from her debut EP titled “So Far...” the single debuted at number 60 on the U.S. Country Airplay chart. In Octob ...

, country music artist *

Matthew Dryke Matthew Alexander Dryke (born August 21, 1958, in Port Angeles, Washington) is an American former shooting sports, sport shooter. He competed and won a gold medal in the 1984 Summer Olympics. He is a two-time world champion in skeet shooting, fr ...

, two-time world champion skeet shooter and Olympic gold medalist *

Dorothy Eck Dorothy Eck (née Fritz; January 23, 1924 – September 23, 2017) was an American politician in the state of Montana. She served in the Montana Senate from 1980 to 2000. Eck was also active in feminist movements including the League of Women ...

, Montana politician * Hal Keller, baseball player and executive *

Donald M. Kendall Donald Mcintosh Kendall (March 16, 1921 – September 19, 2020) was an American businessman and political adviser. He was CEO of Pepsi Cola (which merged with Herman Lay's Frito Lay, Inc. to become PepsiCo in 1965), and CEO of PepsiCo from ...

, former PepsiCo CEO and political adviser *

Robbie Knievel Robert Edward Knievel II (May 7, 1962 – January 13, 2023) was an American motorcycle jumping stunt performer. He had also used the stage name Kaptain Robbie Knievel. His last daredevil jump was in 2011, and he died in 2023 at age 60 of pan ...

, daredevil and stunt performer *

Jesse Marunde Jesse Marunde (September 14, 1979 – July 25, 2007) was an American strongman athlete who placed second in the 2005 World's Strongest Man competition. He is the brother of mixed martial artist Bristol Marunde. Early life Originally from Glen ...

, 2005 World's Strongest Man runner-up *

James Henry McCourt James Henry McCourt was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S ...

, Wisconsin politician * Pauline Moore, actress * Andrew Nisbet, Jr., member of the

Washington House of Representatives The Washington House of Representatives is the lower house of the Washington State Legislature, and along with the Washington State Senate makes up the legislature of the U.S. state of Washington. It is composed of 98 Representatives from 49 ...

and Army officer *

, rower and Olympic gold medalist; depicted in the book '' Boys in the Boat'' * Jennifer Thomas, classical pianist, violinist, composer, and recording artist *

Phil Woolpert Philipp D. Woolpert (December 15, 1915 – May 5, 1987) was an American basketball coach, best known as the head coach of the University of San Francisco Dons in the 1950s. He led them to consecutive national championships in 1955 Biograph ...

, member of the

Basketball Hall of Fame The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pres ...

and NCAA Basketball Hall of Fame

Musical groups

Emblem3 Emblem3 is an American rap rock band from Sequim, Washington, consisting of Wesley Stromberg (born December 6, 1993), Drew Chadwick (born October 1, 1992), and Keaton Stromberg (born July 16, 1996). In 2013, they signed with Simon Cowell's reco ...

, musical group

Sister city

Sequim has a

sister city A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inte ...

relationship with Shiso, Hyōgo, Japan. The city originally signed a sister city agreement in June 1993 with

Yamasaki, Hyōgo was a town in Shisō District, Hyōgo, Japan. Geography Yamasaki translates as "Mountain Cape", a reference to its seclusion amongst a range of forest-covered mountains. The extensive forest area provides the town's biggest industry, logging. ...

, which merged with several municipalities to form Shiso in 2005. The two cities operate a short-term

exchange student A student exchange program is a program in which students from a secondary school (high school) or higher education study abroad at one of their institution's partner institutions. A student exchange program may involve international travel, bu ...

program through Sequim's high school and middle school.

References

External links

*
Sequim School District

Sequim City US 2020 Census Data
{{Authority control Cities in Clallam County, Washington Cities in Washington (state) Populated coastal places in Washington (state) Washington (state) placenames of Native American origin