1912

Taking the Train in 1912

2 Comments / The Early 1900s / By dimettler

I’ve always loved postcards, especially those that have have a message and were sent off.

I love that you get to see what the person had to say back then. What note or message they wanted to jot down and send off to a friend. Like listening to the echo of a long ago conversation.

Also, the card (in this case over 100 years old) was important enough or that person was dear enough that the recipient kept it around.

This card was mailed in Eatonville, February 12, 1912 (a month before the Titanic went down). There was a train running through the town and as we read — the grass is green, it’s warm and rainy, and Oscar and Margaret are at the train.

Alder Dam Under Construction (Aug. 23, 1943)

Leave a Comment / The 30s, 40s and 50s / By dimettler

The Alder Dam (aka La Grande Dam) was built in the 40s, replacing an earlier version. This show reads: Aug. 23, 1943, La Grande Dam, View Downstream Toward East Abutment.

This building of the dam and the creation of the reservoir had a big impact, requiring buildings to be moved, as well as the railroad track.

The building of the first dam in 1912 created the first all-electric city in La Grande, Washington.

Click on image to enlarge.

Dr. Bridge’s Lumberman’s Hospital – April 30, 1912

Leave a Comment / The Early 1900s / By dimettler

Lumberman's Hospital, April 1912 — Lumberman’s Hospital, April 1912

We have an new photo provided to us by Elaine Burch. The image is of Dr. Bridge’s Lumberman’s Hospital, which was located on Mashell. (The building still stands across from the high school.)

What’s amazing about this picture is not only that it exists and the names were written on the back . . . but that Elaine found this photo at a garage sale in Illinois in an old album. Which goes to show, you never know.

The back of this photo reads:

Eatonville, Washington April 30, 1912

Lumberman's Hospital (back), 1912 — Lumberman’s Hospital (back), 1912

Sitting on the stairs are
Dickson, Joef & Mr. Luck
Standing are: Dr. Bridge, Montonegry (?), Erickson (Swedish) Tony (Italian), Mrs. Canty, Lars A., Mr. Okrey, Mrs. Martines (cook), Mrs. Luck.
(I may have these names misspelled. In anyone knows the correct spellings, please let me know.)

For those that would like to read a little more on this hospital and Dr. Bridge, please click here.

Photo courtesy of Elaine Burch.

Click on images to enlarge.

LaGrande in the 1912-1950

3 Comments / The 30s, 40s and 50s, The Early 1900s / By dimettler

Early home in LaGrande - no chimney, all electric — Early home in LaGrande – no chimney, all electric

Homes in the upper left, and Tacoma Power sign to the right

We are lucky enough to have a great photos shared by Jeannie Woehl.

Her family had lived in LaGrande, Wash., when she was young and contacted Tacoma Power for any images that they might have. They provided her quite a few. Here is the first batch.

If anyone has any memories of that area, please feel free to share them below.

Photos courtesy of Jeannie Woehl.

Click on images to enlarge.

1912-1913 Eatonville High Catalog Ads

2 Comments / The Early 1900s / By dimettler

Eatonville School Catalogue 1912-1913 pgs. 18, 19

This comes to us from Terry Larson. She scanned these ads straight from the 1912-1913 Eatonville High School catalog.

Some familiar names here. And several of these business were brand new — had just started up in 1912:
• C. A. Nettleton, butcher (set up shop in 1912)
• E. J. Reed, Tailor
• Hotel Snow (built in 1912)
• E. A. Williams, ice cream parlor owner (launches business in 1912)
• Inter-Mountain Journal.

To give a little perspective on 1912 — it was the year Arizona was admitted as the 48th state and the Titanic sank.

Photo courtesy of Terry Larson.

Click on image to enlarge.

Pacific National Mill Fire – May 13, 1912

3 Comments / The Early 1900s / By dimettler

Pacific National Fire - May 13, 1912 — Pacific National Fire – May 13, 1912

The Pacific National was one of the more well-known sawmills on the Tacoma Eastern, as well as being on the the largest of its time. (Rails to Paradise.)

The mighty mill was brought down by a devastating fire on May 13, 1912. (It was rebuilt by December 2.) These shots give a glimpse into the destruction.

The first shot is the mill on fire. In the second shot Japanese-American mill workers turned scrapper stand on some of the wreckage. And the third shot, Pat Walmagott believes, is of her grandparent’s home after the fire. Her grandfather was Smith H. Miller, the sec/bookkeeper at Pacific National Lumber Company (PNLC).

Japanese-American Millworkers standing on wreckage after the PNLC fire.

Photos are courtesy of Pat Walmagott.

Click in images to enlarge.

Japanese-American Millworkers standing on wreckage after the PNLC fire, May 13, 1912 — Remnants of the Smith H. Miller home after the PNLC fire.

La Grande homes

Leave a Comment / The Early 1900s / By dimettler

The 1912 homes in La Grande were famous for their futuristic attribute — they were all electric in a time when everyone heated with wood thanks to Tacoma Power.

(To read and see more pictures of these homes, click HERE.)

Click on image to enlarge.

Behind the Desk at the Snow Hotel (early 1900s)

1 Comment / The Early 1900s / By dimettler

The Snow Hotel, built in 1912, was part of Eatonville’s Mashell Ave. for many years (in the lot next to Key Bank). Here is a shot of Mr. C. C. Snow behind the desk. It’s August 8, but I can’t make out the year.

For more information about the hotel just click HERE.

Photo courtesy of the Parnell family.

Click on image to enlarge.

1912 Eatonville Ads (Bridge, Kipper, Bridge, Howard & Benston)

Leave a Comment / The Early 1900s / By dimettler

Want to get a glimpse of Eatonville in 1912? Just look at the advertisements. This page of ads comes from the 1912 EHS High School Catalog. You may recognize some familiar names. A. W. Bridge M.D. was one of the town’s first doctor’s. When he passed away he gave his money in his mother’s (Mary Bridge) to a children’s hospital. The hospital still goes by that name today.

The Kippers were a familiar name in town. Later on you would be able to have your car fixed at the Kipper Ford Garage.

G. B. Ingersoll’s store would later burn in the fire of 1915. Japanese citizens went in and removed the dynamite in the back of his store before it went off.

Howard & Benston were bankers. In 1912 they were paying out 4% on deposits.

Images courtesy of Rich and Ruthie Williams and Pat Van Eaton.

Click on images to enlarge.