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In 1975, two years before Steven Spielberg’s movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind hit the theaters, Eatonville was already the hub of supernatural activity. In October, Janet Ahrendsen and her two daughters were interviewed by the Dispatch after seeing a UFO firsthand. “It was the strangest thing I’ve ever seen,” Janet said. “My two…
March, 2011 this postcard appeared on Ebay.com. I purchased in part because I live in Ohop Valley, but also because of the message on top: “25 Marine fliers lost here December 1946. Bodies found summer of 1947.” After a little research at the Eatonville Library, I found an article about the missing bomber and 32…
Timber Town and Later, the Story of Eatonville, written by Edith E. Erickson is a great read but should also be in inspiration to budding historians. Edith, born 1914, moved to Eatonville in 1990. She couldn’t find much information on her new community and started researching. Her research become this book. She says in the…
Postmarked Washington: Pierce County by Guy Reed Ramsey, is a collection of post office history. Mr. Ramsey devoted 29 years to tracking down information on every post office in Washington. (When you see the amount of detail in this book, you’ll wonder if Ramsey’s devotion bordered on obsession.) The details in this 123-page book, however,…
The book focuses on three settler families of the 1800s whose preserved log cabins now stand at the Pioneer Farm Museum. The 54-page book, with many excellent photos, also describes major events and developments that affected the settlers. You can find the book at the Eatonville Library and it may also be for sale at…
Here is another version of the Friendly Inn Shootout by Pat Hamilton, which ran in The Dispatch, March 15, 2011. Pat knew the family and his accounts are different that written up on the History of Tacoma Eastern Area, written in 1954 by Mrs. Pearl Hengel and Mrs. Jeannette Hlavin. An article that recounts the HTEA…
Roy Swanson provided these pictures of the local loggers clearing the land and building the Swanson airport. Roy believes the pictures were originally Bud Blancher’s. (Just lick on the image to enlarge.) All the men volunteered their machines and time. Even more astounding, the 1,850 runway took them just a little over two weeks to…
Indian Henry (So-To-Lick, 1820-95) was a complex man, able to live in two worlds. While he was dedicated to indian customs he was also comfortable with the white man. Some believe he was a Klickitat or Yakama from the village at Simco and that he arrived on the Mashell Prairie around 1864. “Indian Henry’s village…
These loggers thought they were high tech back in the 40s. This photo shows the shift from steam to diesel power in in the woods. Pat Van Eaton says this eliminated the need for water and the fire hazard of burning wood to fire the steam boiler. Photo was taken about 1942 near National, WA. Courtesy Donna…
This great photo of Mashell Ave. taken in about 1910 comes from the Eatonville Facebook page. (Click on image for larger viewing.) David Beane says he found this pictures on Ebay. He bid on it but lost. Someone out there has a incredible picture of the town’s yearly years. The road was still dirt, and many…
The high school was dedicated April 29, 1916. The faculty numbered 12 and the school board (per Timber Town and Later) was E.L. Howard, N.P. Christensen, and C.C. Biggs. The first graduation class of 1916 (per Hlavan) had 5 students.
Eatonville To Rainier 