If you made your way to Eatonville in its first years, you would be staying at the Pioneer Hotel. Paul Haynes built the hotel for Frank Groe in 1892 on the southern corner of Mashell Avenue and Groe Street. It looks pretty primitive, but someone still managed to carry in a camera to get this shot.
Later on it became the Hotel Groe and even served as the first church in 1912. Like most buildings of its time, it eventually burned.
On a completely different note — and I’m aware this is a girl talking — how did the woman in this picture keep her apron so white? I can’t keep my own clothes that clean in the kitchen.
*Note: Read comment below about the water system in the picture.
Photo courtesy of Pat Van Eaton.
Click on image to enlarge.
Eatonville To Rainier 
3 responses to “Early Pioneer Hotel (1892)”
This an amazing photo of old time pioneer days and do it yourself reliance. Notice the water system they built entirely by hand,a hand dug well, the carved out log with rough legs for a trough, the lever dipping system was made out of a small pole tree, drilled with what looks like a wooden pin,set between two naturally close trees,and an old wooden barrel to bring the water up. It must have taken a few men to lift the full barrel that high. It was also quite a feat to dig a hand dug well that deep in the rocky Eatonville soil the rope on the lever looks like its 25 ft. long.
LikeLike
Wow, thanks for all this information. Just the thought of digging a well in our soil makes my arms and back hurt. I have hard time just digging a couple feet to plant bush. My folks still use a natural spring that was used when farmers moved out here.
LikeLike
Good old Fels-Naptha. Keep your clothes white & I washed my barbies diales with it & never had a problem
LikeLike