Buildings & Sites
Mural - "The Mill Street Logging Scene"
1999 photo by David Bangs
Logging Mural: On Sunset Way just east of Front Street.
This 1998 mural depicts Issaquah’s logging industry circa 1900-1940. At
this time, old growth cedar and fir logs were being cut from the hills
surrounding Issaquah and milled in the town’s many lumber mills. There were a
number of railroad spurs that made transport of lumber into town easier. The
trees growing on the hills today are second and third growth.
Prior to 1960, Sunset Way was known as Mill Street, referring to mills that
were located on either end of the street when the town was first incorporated in
1892.
1998 photo by David Horrocks
The signature section identifies the artist and sponsoring organizations:
City of Issaquah Arts Commission, Greater Issaquah Chamber of Commerce, Downtown
Issaquah Plaza, Issaquah Historical Society, Main Street Issaquah, Front Street
Market, and Ben Franklin
1998 photo by David Horrocks
Employees of the Issaquah Mill Company pose around the "donkey
engine", which was a steam engine rigged to hall logs -- doing the work
that would have been done in early years by horses and oxen.
Issaquah Historical Society photo, 91-7-56
One of the original source photos used in the design of the mural.
According to Eric Erickson: "The photo is of the Issaquah Mill
Company's yarding engine and logging crew taken in 1903 in the vicinity of what
is now Overdale Park. People in photo are William Robert (Tap) Bush with beard
in background at base of large tree, Ralph Darst holding two horses, Charlie
Baxter in white shirt seated on donkey, Dave Hailstone holding white horse. The
steam donkey was built by Washington Iron Works in Seattle and is a two drum
yarder with 9 by 10 1/4 inch cylinders, manufactured on February 10, 1903,
builders #632"
1998 photo by David Horrocks
A closer view of some of those men and women, and their horses.
1998 photo by David Horrocks
Artist Larry Kangas paints a scene, referring to a historic photo provided by
the Issaquah Historical Society
1998 photo by David Horrocks
The work completed, Kangas poses next to a possible "self-portrait"
image on the mural.
Related Web Sites
See More Buildings & Sites
| 
