Located on the east shore of Lake Washington, The city of Kirkland is situated of Interstate 405 in northern King county, Washington. As a suburb of Seattle, it is just 10 miles east of downtown Seattle, west of Redmond, and just north of Bellevue. The city had a total population of 46,000 people.

The city's origins lie in the 1880s, when steel tycoon Peter Kirk sought to begin producing steel on the eastern shore of Lake Washington - the new town was to be the Pittsburgh of the West. Subsequent years saw wool-milling and ship-building become the major industries. Today, the city is known for housing many progressive hi-tech companies, the most notable being Redmond-based Microsoft.

Notable features of the town include its downtown, located on the beautiful lakefront. The downtown features many unique shops, resteraunts, art galleries. Kirkland is home to the National Football League's Seattle Seahawks and their training facility.

Today the city is socially and economically integrated into the greater Seattle area. A relatively affluent area, Kirkland is home to many prominent professionals working in Seattle. People continue to make the move to Kirkland drawn by the city's aesthetic, work, and recreational opportunities.