History of Southeastern Pierce County
Besides a history of Eatonville, Ohop Valley, Longmire, Ashford, National, Elbe, Alder and LaGrande, this 235-page book also includes 154 photographs, an every-name index to text and photographs and the 50th Anniversary Edition of the Eatonville Dispatch. 252 pp. Velobound. 1989.
Where to Order Your Copy
You can order yours through the Tacoma Pierce-County Genealogical Society for $30.00, plus postage and handling.
Eatonville To Rainier 
32 responses to “History of Southeastern Pierce County”
[…] Mr. Sachs brought over the Corduroy Mashell Mt. Road the first logging and mill machinery and stated the first logging with his crew at Elbe in 1902 and soon had a mill in operation. History of Southeastern Pierce County […]
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[…] The amazing part of this story is that there was dynamite kept n the back of the hardware store. An eye witness said it was the Japanese citizens of Eatonville who went into the burning structure and carried it out. (Per History of Eastern Pierce County.) […]
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[…] By the 1950s things looked about the same except that there was also a hobby show, a Pet Parade, and the Commercial Club served free ice cream to kids. (Per History of Southeastern Pierce County.) […]
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[…] Post masters The little post office changed hands frequently. “Fred Hodgins, one of the early settlers, had the store and post office. He died suddenly and his brave little wife, Opal, carried on until she sold out to Floyd Gilbert, who took charge of the store and wife Helen was appointed postmaster in 1939.” History of Tacoma Eastern Area […]
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[…] History of Tacoma Eastern Area says that, in 1914, while B.W. Lyon was superintendent of the Eatonville schools, the county […]
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[…] In fact, in 1912 there were only 30 phones in Eatonville and it cost $1.50 a month to rent. By 1954 there were 437 phones and the cost $2.75 a month. (Per History of South Eastern Pierce County.) […]
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[…] He continued the hospital in Eatonville until 1932 and had doctors in town until 1946 — the year he retired. All the Bridge Clinic contracts with industrial concerned expired the last week of May, 1946, and the local union signed up with the Pierce County medical Bureau. (History of Tacoma Eastern Area) […]
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[…] her for birth certificates, as she had been the attendant at their births. (Information taken from History of Tacoma Eastern Area.) Photos Courtesy of Debbie and Gary Saint. Click on image to […]
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[…] Ed was one of the 33 men who “fell into line at the upper end of Mashell Avenue at the command of J. H. Cosper, formerly First Lieutenant of the 7th Infantry, and Red Men’s Hall. A Welcome Home address was given by T. C. Van Eaton after an introduction by Mayor Bridge. R. A. Canty, fomerly of the stated at Camp Lewis, gave the response.” (History of South Eastern Pierce County.) […]
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[…] The 20 x 40 building, with eight bedrooms, was constructed solely of split cedar boards, nailed up and down onto a frame of hewed poles. There wasn’t a foot of sawed lumber throughout the entire building. (History of Southeastern Pierce County). […]
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[…] The mill was originally built soon after 1904, when the Tacoma Eastern Railroad made it out as far as Elbe and was owned and operated by Robert Patton Sr., Robert Williamson, Carol Williamson and C.R. Campbell. While in operation, it provided a substantial payroll to the growing community. (History of Southeastern Pierce County.) […]
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[…] Clint, Larry, S. P., N. W., B. A. and S. L. were among the signers of the petition requesting incorporation of the Town of Eatonville in 1909. Clint Smith was elected Councilman of the first Town election. And S. L. Smith was the Town Marshal in 1912. (History of Southeastern Pierce County.) […]
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[…] .50 a day then.) It turns out the city man wanted his hunting buddies to think he shot the deer. (History of Southeastern Pierce County.) Conrad home in […]
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[…] In 1925 E. J. McNeeley sold his stock to T. S. Glabraith and in 1930 T.S. sold his stock to John H. Glabraith who then became president. It wasn’t until 1941 when J. H. Galbraith sold his interest in the mill. He moved to Gig Harbor. (History of Southeastern Pierce County.) […]
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[…] during the strike. Although the mills started operating August 15, they were still picketed. (History of Southeastern Pierce County.) Weyerhaeuser's Camp 5 Vail — […]
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[…] It’s hard, but amusing, to image the businessmen wrestling for dollars today. (Info from History of Southeastern Pierce County.) […]
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[…] Information taken from History of Southeastern Pierce County. […]
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[…] Photo courtesy of Rich Williams, and information taken History of Southeastern Pierce County. […]
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[…] back in the early days of telephone, that’s more or less what happened. Per the History of Southeastern Pierce County, the Silver Lake Telephone Company installed two lines in 1912. They were 10 miles apart and […]
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[…] was really starting to take off in 1912. Here is a list (per History of Southeastern Pierce County) of businesses that advertised in the Inter-Mountain Journal in December, […]
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[…] The front of the card shows the Mesler place. “The Meslers’ was another stopping place for rouists. Mr. Mesler had one of the early sawmills on his place. A water wheel was used for power. Mr. and Mrs. Mesler were the parents of one son, Alexander and three daughters, Clara, Belle and Bess.” (Per History of Southeastern Pierce County) […]
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[…] C. C. Biggs was the Fire Chief, but resigned in 1912 and the firemen elected C. H. Williams as Chief. (History of Southeastern Pierce County) […]
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[…] (Per History of Southeastern Pierce County.) […]
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[…] The Kruse family was one of the first settlers in the in Alder area. They built their round log cabin in 1892. (Per History of Southeastern Pierce County.) […]
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[…] Ashford was first known at Succotash Valley, named by the Indians, but was later called Ashford after Walter Ashford — one of the early settlers. (per History of Southeastern Pierce County.) […]
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[…] and automobiles having interfered. The railroad also carried the mail until July 1, 1928.” (History of South Eastern Pierce County.) If you were catching the train, the depot was on Madison, off Center street. Madison […]
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[…] in the organization and served as president continuously for more than twenty years.” (per History of Southeastern Pierce County) At the time of the this picture, Ohop Mutual purchased its power from the City of Tacoma at its […]
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[…] It was Serena who talked Adam Sachs into coming out to the area. He came out, married Miss Marshall and become the owner of Elbe Cash store. (info per History of Southeastern Pierce County.) […]
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[…] “Chas. Boettcher, Glen Parks and Frank Shepherd formed the Nisqually Single Mill Co. and built a two-machine shingle mill in 1914 at the mouth of Alder Creek. This is where the first dam was built by the City of Tacoma across the Nisqually River and it formed a small lake. They used this for a mill pond. They also engaged in logging on a small scale, using the lake to float their logs to the railroad. They ceased operations in 1920.” (Per History of Southeastern Pierce County) […]
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I recently heard about another book written about Ashford, Elbe and, I think, Eatonville. It was written by a local author and I found his website where the says the last printing is sold out and there won’t be another. I remember finding a copy in a library catalog, but now I can’t remember the exact title or the author. Can you provide any information?
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OK, I answered my own question by looking through your links, only I had the towns wrong. I am looking for sources of info on Ashford and Elbe, any assistance would be appreciated.
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[…] following historical excerpt is from the History of Tacoma Eastern Area by Jeannette Hlavin and Pearl Engle written in 1954. “The first school was the log house […]
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