Best Web Design in Auburn, WA (2026)

Web Design for Auburn, Washington

Auburn is a city in the fertile Green River Valley south of Seattle, straddling King and Pierce counties. Once a hops-and-dairy farm town literally named 'Slaughter,' it grew into a railroad and manufacturing hub anchored by a colossal Boeing parts plant and the Muckleshoot Tribe's gaming and horse-racing enterprises. It is now one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the region.

AppWT works with Auburn, WA businesses from Livonia, Michigan, mostly online and travelling as needed.

About Auburn

Also known as. Sweet Auburn (from the Oliver Goldsmith poem the town's name was drawn from). More Than You Imagined (official city motto). formerly named 'Slaughter'.

History. The Green River Valley was home to the Skopamish, Smalhkamish, and Stkamish peoples; the Muckleshoot Indian Reservation borders the city to the south and southeast. The valley's first white settlers arrived in the 1850s; Dr. Levi Ballard set up practice in 1866 and later filed the first plat for the town. The town was platted as 'Slaughter' in honor of Lt. William Slaughter, killed in 1855, and incorporated under that name in 1891. In 1893 residents renamed the town Auburn. In 1913 the Northern Pacific Railway made Auburn a 'boxcar terminus' division point, with a 24-stall roundhouse for breaking down and rebuilding freight trains. Early enterprises included hop farming (until 1891), the Borden Condensery (condensed milk), and the Northern Clay Company.

Local economy. The Boeing Auburn plant, opened in 1966 and spanning about 2.1 million square feet, is one of the largest airplane-parts plants in the world and the city's largest employer (roughly 3,600 workers). Muckleshoot Tribal Enterprises operate the Muckleshoot Casino Resort, the largest casino in the Pacific Northwest, and own Emerald Downs racetrack. Other major employers include the Auburn School District and MultiCare Auburn Medical Center. The Outlet Collection Seattle (formerly the SuperMall of the Great Northwest) opened in 1995. Auburn developed historically as an agricultural trade center and Northern Pacific rail division point in the Green River Valley.

Culture and community. Auburn's Veterans Day Parade is one of the largest such parades west of the Mississippi River, drawing more than 5,500 participants and about 30 marching bands (its 60th annual edition was in 2024). Petpalooza, a large pet festival at Game Farm Park, features stunt-dog shows, agility demos, pony rides, adoptions, and 150-plus vendor booths. The Auburn International Farmers Market reflects the city's cultural diversity with a mix of ethnic foods and produce. Auburn Good Ol' Days celebrates community heritage at Les Gove Park. The nearby White River Amphitheatre, on Muckleshoot land, is a major outdoor concert venue.

What makes Auburn distinct. The town was originally named 'Slaughter' (after a fallen officer) and was renamed Auburn in 1893 because residents found the name off-putting. Eric Barone, known as ConcernedApe and creator of the hit video game Stardew Valley, is from Auburn. Astronaut Dick Scobee, commander of the Space Shuttle Challenger, lived in Auburn. The city's demographics flipped from 93.9% non-Hispanic white in 1980 to about 48.5% by 2020, making it majority-minority. Actress Misty Upham and boxer Greg Haugen are also Auburn natives.

Auburn Landmarks and Local Life

• Emerald Downs - a thoroughbred horse-racing track on land purchased by the Muckleshoot Tribe in 2002
• Muckleshoot Casino Resort - the Pacific Northwest's largest casino
• White River Valley Museum - chronicling Native American history, pioneer life, railroading, and Japanese and European immigration
• The Boeing Auburn parts plant.
• City-landmark historic buildings including the Auburn Masonic Temple (1923-24) - the Auburn Post Office (1937), and the 1914 Carnegie library
• Game Farm Park and Les Gove Park.