Mukilteo is a waterfront city in Snohomish County, Washington, set on the eastern shore of Puget Sound about 25 miles north of Seattle. Its name comes from the Lushootseed language, and the area was home to the Snohomish people before European settlement. The community grew through the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries as a lumber port, with a sawmill and a gunpowder factory along the shore, and the federal Lighthouse Service completed the Mukilteo Lighthouse in 1906 to guide maritime traffic. Today the city of roughly 21,000 people is known for its shoreline and its transportation links. The Mukilteo-Clinton ferry carries vehicles and passengers across to Whidbey Island, and Sound Transit's Sounder commuter rail runs from Mukilteo south to Seattle, making the city a practical base for regional commuters. Just east of the city lies Paine Field, where Boeing assembles wide-body aircraft, anchoring a significant local aerospace and manufacturing job base. Old Town Mukilteo, near the ferry terminal and lighthouse, is the city's historic and cultural center, with waterfront parks, restaurants, and views across the Sound. Lighthouse Park, beside the historic light, offers beach access and serves as a focal point for community gatherings. The Mukilteo School District serves the city and portions of neighboring communities, and nearby green spaces such as Japanese Gulch add forested trail access within the city. Mukilteo tends to appeal to families and professionals drawn to its coastal setting, strong schools, and direct access to both the Seattle job market and the outdoor recreation of the Puget Sound region. The result is a community that balances a small waterfront town's character with the conveniences of a major metropolitan area.