It is located between the Pilchuck and Stillaguamish rivers in the western foothills of the Cascade Range, northeast of Lake Stevens and Marysville.

The site of Granite Falls was originally a portage for local Coast Salish tribes prior to the arrival of American settlers.

The Pilchuck River and Upper Stillaguamish basin was historically inhabited by the Skykomish people, who used the modern-day site of Granite Falls as a portage along with other Coast Salish tribes.

[5][6] Several Skykomish archaeological sites were discovered in the 1970s between modern-day Granite Falls and Lochsloy, with over 700 artifacts recovered from later excavation.

[7] The first permanent European settler was Joseph Sous Enas from the Azores, who staked a homestead claim in 1883 on land south of the present city.

The discovery of gold and silver in the Cascades, particularly around Monte Cristo, lured miners and settlers to the Granite Falls area.

[9][10] A general store and post office were established in 1890 at the corner of four homesteads, which would later form the center of the townsite platted in August 1891.

The railroad, now owned by Northern Pacific, stopped running and the tracks were torn out in the early 1930s to make way for the Mountain Loop Highway.

Construction booms through Snohomish and King counties also meant jobs at the gravel pits dotted around Granite Falls.

[citation needed] Expanded housing development has brought an increased population of families who commute to Everett, Seattle, and the Eastside to work.

[17] A truck bypass around the north side of downtown Granite Falls opened in 2010 to serve several quarries to the northeast.

[23] It is situated where the South Fork of the Stillaguamish River leaves its narrow mountain valley, which includes the namesake Granite Falls.

[26] The Rogers Belt, a series of local faults, runs northwest from Granite Falls towards Mount Vernon.

[31] Several of the largest employers are located in an industrial park in the northeast corner of the city near the Mountain Loop Highway.

[33] Granite Falls is located near several rock and gravel quarries, which created traffic congestion in downtown that was later mitigated through the opening of a truck bypass in 2010.

[33]: 4 The town has had an ongoing drug crisis due to the presence of meth and opioids, which earned national coverage in the early 2000s.

[44] Municipal services include public safety, utilities, street maintenance, and managing parks and recreational activities.

[46] Firefighting services are provided by Snohomish County Fire District 17, which covers 38 square miles (98 km2) of Granite Falls and surrounding unincorporated areas.

It cost $3.9 million to construct, using loans and reserve funds, and replaced a smaller building across the street that had accessibility issues.

[50] At the state level, Granite Falls shares the 39th legislative district with Lake Stevens, Darrington, and eastern Skagit County.

[58] The Granite Falls area has been home to several renowned artists, including Kenneth Callahan and Guy Anderson in the 1940s and 1950s.

[61] In 2000, Granite Falls erected several sculptures depicting toilets to raise funds for a public restroom as part of the annual Art in the Parks festival.

[65] Granite Falls is located near recreational areas along the Mountain Loop Highway in the Mount Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest, including sites for hiking, camping, and fishing.

[66] Among the major attractions on the Mountain Loop Highway are the ghost town of Monte Cristo and the Big Four Ice Caves.

[74] The 6,500-square-foot (600 m2) library building is located east of downtown Granite Falls and was initially owned by the city government until it was transferred to Sno-Isle in 2012.

[75][76] The Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America was located west of Granite Falls on 25 acres (10 ha) overlooking the Pilchuck River.

[77] The Tsubaki Grand Shrine was open to the public and hosted several annual festivals and religious ceremonies, as well as aikido lessons.

[81][82] The LDS Church established a local ward in the 1990s and opened a dedicated chapel adjacent to Granite Falls High School in 2009.

[95] Community Transit, the countywide public transportation agency, has one bus route serving Granite Falls.

[99] The city government also manages a sanitary sewage system that terminates at a treatment plant that discharges water into the Pilchuck River.