The port was formed in hopes of luring a naval shipyard amid a maritime boom caused by World War I, which would end a few months later.

[4] The port later became dependent on importing parts for Boeing's aircraft assembly business in Everett, which also required rebuilding of several terminal facilities.

[5] The port sold 110 acres (45 ha) to the U.S. Navy in 1987 for the creation of Naval Station Everett, a military installation that opened in 1991.

[4] The Port of Everett acquired the 58-acre (23 ha) Kimberly-Clark mill site in 2019 with plans for a redeveloped office park and other uses.

[16] Each September, Tenth Street Park on the waterfront is home to the annual Everett Coho Derby,[17] while each August the marina promenade is gowned in local art during the Fresh Paint Festival of Artists.

[25][26] The second major area of the redevelopment, named the Millwright District, is scheduled to open beginning in 2026 once construction of new buildings and roads is completed.