These are great shots of the Elbe bridge taken around 1915. In the first photo, the building next to the bridge is Levi Engel’s blacksmith shop.
Levi would have been an interesting guy to know. He was also a photographer, Elbe’s justice of the peace, and edited the Elbe Union for a time.
In the second photo you can also see the Sachs residence. In 1900 Weyerhaeuser started buying up timber from settlers and Adam Sachs happened to own a lot of the timber around Elbe.
Elbe bridge & Sachs home, ca 1915
Mr. Sachs brought over the Corduroy Mashell Mt. Road the first logging and mill machinery and started the first logging with his crew at Elbe in 1902 and soon had a mill in operation. History of Southeastern Pierce County
I live in Elbe now and it has changed in many ways compared to these old pictures and my dad used to work for wheyerhaeuser and they made everything way different. Now Elbe had the trains everywhere and we have a new rest area that was really not worth it, it costs over 4,000 dollars. I think that we could have put something like a hotel there instead I also know that Elbe used to have hotels everywhere now we just have trains and scaleburgers as well as the two Elbe church’s and the stores. If you know anything more about the old history please find me on facebook thank you!!!
Hi, thanks for the message. The tiny Elbe Church is a very old one, and I think if you go over there (I’m assuming you’re in Elbe) there is information on how to contact the group. (I know this because my mom’s on the board.) I’ll contact you by Facebook with some other information. Feel free to type in the word Elbe on the search area on this site and it should bring up a number of pictures.
Eatonville To Rainier 
10 responses to “Elbe Bridge – 1915”
In the second picture the sign on the bridge states you will get a $25.00 fine for riding or diving on the bridge faster than a walk.
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[…] old bridges around here. They weren’t necessary built to stand the test of time. This was the bridge to Elbe in […]
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I live in Elbe now and it has changed in many ways compared to these old pictures and my dad used to work for wheyerhaeuser and they made everything way different. Now Elbe had the trains everywhere and we have a new rest area that was really not worth it, it costs over 4,000 dollars. I think that we could have put something like a hotel there instead I also know that Elbe used to have hotels everywhere now we just have trains and scaleburgers as well as the two Elbe church’s and the stores. If you know anything more about the old history please find me on facebook thank you!!!
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Hi, thanks for the message. The tiny Elbe Church is a very old one, and I think if you go over there (I’m assuming you’re in Elbe) there is information on how to contact the group. (I know this because my mom’s on the board.) I’ll contact you by Facebook with some other information. Feel free to type in the word Elbe on the search area on this site and it should bring up a number of pictures.
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Hi, I can’t seem to find you Facebook. Please feel free to friend me at Diane Mettler. Thanks!
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thank you I will try and I am from ElBE so I will go to the church when I can.
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Another person who is from the community – Donald Johnstone – is a weather of information about the area. I think I have his email address.
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ok thank you My teacher is Kathy Johnstone she has a few books I can use I will keep in touch with you though.
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Yes, please do! 🙂
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[…] photo of the covered bridge across the Nisqually River at Elbe was taken by Steve Burwash. At the far end of the bridge is his […]
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