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The Worst Year Ever!
Was 2020 the worst year ever? IHM volunteer and long-time resident Jane Garrison muses over the similarities and differences between the 2020s and the 1920s.
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The Worst Year Ever!
/in Blog /by IssqEricaWas 2020 the worst year ever? IHM volunteer and long-time resident Jane Garrison muses over the similarities and differences between the 2020s and the 1920s.
Skyport Memories
/in Blog /by IssqEricaIHM Volunteer and long-time Issaquah resident Jane Garrison shares her memories of the Issaquah Skyport – and how the Skyport days came to an end.
Collecting Our COVID-19 History
/0 Comments/in Blog /by IssqEricaRobert Baskett, Issaquah Soldier in Normandy
/in Blog /by Kayla BolandRead about the journey of one young Issaquah soldier who fought in Normandy during the D-Day invasion.
IHM Social Media Community Guidelines
/in Blog /by Kayla BolandThe Issaquah History Museums (IHM)’s mission is to discover, preserve, and share the history of Issaquah and its environs. On our social media pages, we strive to create an open, informative, engaging, and supportive online community where we can share stories from the collection; what’s happening at the museum; and have meaningful, constructive conversations. We […]
Issaquah Valley Trolley to Cease Operations
/in Blog /by IssqEricaIHM to cease Trolley operations due to an increase in program expenses.
June Brides
/in Blog /by IssqEricaJune has traditionally been a popular month for weddings. In this post, we take a look at the wedding gowns of three different eras of June brides.
Henry Smith & the Ill-fated Gilman Hotel
/in Blog /by IssqEricaHenry Smith wanted to be a hotelier, but the universe had other ideas. Read about two different Gilman Hotels that he operated, circa 1900.
The Tale of Ole Bergen
/in Blog /by IssqEricaOle Bergen was a long-time Issaquqah resident and coal-miner who had a relaxed view of local laws. Read more about this colorful character in Issaquah’s past.
David Edmonds
/in Blog /by IssqEricaDavid Edmonds was a successful and dedicated Mine Superintendent who went missing in May 1900.
Bob Gray and the Church Without a Church
/in Blog, Oral History /by IssqEricaBob Gray, who passed away on May 31, 2020, was a remarkable man whose work withe the Pine Lake Presbyterian Church gave us the Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank and Issaquah Community Services.
Issaquah’s “Lady Mayors”
/in Blog, Featured, People /by IssqEricaWhile Issaquah’s first woman mayor was referred to disparagingly as a “lady mayor,” she set a precedent for other women who would run for — and attain — the office of mayor.
Issaquah History Museums Reopen to the Public
/in Blog /by IssqEricaIn March of 2020, the Issaquah History Museums closed their doors due to the risk of the COVID-19 pandemic to visitors, volunteers, and staff. Now that Washington State is beginning to slowly reopen, we’re looking forward to welcoming visitors back to the Gilman Town Hall and Issaquah Depot Museum. You can purchased a timed entry […]
Quarantine Baking: Vintage Recipe Edition
/in Blog /by IssqEricaThanks to the quarantine, you, like our archivist, may now have some time to try out some of Issaquah’s vintage recipes. Click here to try out Vic’s Cream Muffins!
From the Issaquah Mines to France: Al Larson’s Service
/in Blog /by IssqEricaCarl “Al” Albert Larson’s life was were interwoven into the fabric of the coal mining community.
The Case of the Inlaid Knife
/in Blog /by IssqEricaA knife found during building maintenance turns out to be a Native American artifact.
The 1918-19 Influenza Epidemic in Issaquah
/in Blog /by IssqEricaIn 1918, an influenza pandemic infected more than 500 million people worldwide.
The Tibbetts’s Journey East
/in Blog /by IssqEricaName Game – What to Call The City?
/in Blog /by IssqEricaIssaquah was not always Issaquah! Over the years, different people have called the area ishquoh, Squak, Gilman, Olney, and Issaquah.
Click to learn more!
Historic Detail Restored at Issaquah Depot
/in Blog, Featured /by IssqEricaThanks to a generous grant from 4Culture, we were able to restore unique hobo graffiti at the Issaquah Depot!
Newly-Digitized Press Yields More Than 100 Years of Stories
/in Blog, Featured /by IssqEricaThanks to a generous donation from local philanthropist Skip Rowley, of Rowley Properties, the full archives of The Issaquah Press are now available online! Click to explore.
High Point History
/in Blog /by IssqEricaYou’ve probably noticed the exit to High Point off I-90. If you’ve ever wondered about the story behind the name, and the history of the place, this blog post by Tom Anderson is for you.
Walt Seil Remembers Hard Men, Fair Men, From Another Era
/in Blog, People /by IssqEricaWalt Seil was a lifetime resident of Issaquah. A longtime volunteer for the Issaquah History Museums, Walt was also a consummate story teller. Enjoy some of his reminiscences in this story by volunteer Jean Cerar.
Kateri Brow
/in Blog, People /by IssqEricaKateri Brow (pronounced Bro) served as superintendent of the Issaquah School District from January, 1987 until her death in 1992. She was a significant change-maker in the Issaquah School District. Learn more about her impact.
Ruth Kees Recalls Local Land Battles
/in Blog /by IssqEricaDrawing on two oral histories conducted with Issaquah conservationist Ruth Kees, IHM volunteer Jean Cerar penned this piece about Kees’ advocacy work in support of Issaquah’s open space.
Ruth Kees Recalls the Early Days of Conservation in the Issaquah Alps
/in Blog /by IssqEricaDrawing on two oral histories done with Issaquah conservationist Ruth Kees, IHM volunteer Jean Cerar wrote this piece about the efforts to create Tiger Mountain State Forest.
The Squak Valley Hot Shots
/in Blog /by IssqEricaThe Squak Valley Hot Shots were an Issaquah-based all-women’s folk band who entertained throughout the Pacific Northwest. The group originally grew out of Issaquah’s Eagles Club. Although the membership changed over the years, the group played together from 1957 to 1980. Artifacts relating the Hot Shots recently entered the IHM collections.
Making Hisssstory
/in Blog /by IssqEricaThe Issaquah police and community residents didn’t doubt the Reverend’s tale, or the rattle at the end of it. Click to read more about the snake that made hisssssstory!
Willa Stevenson Eastlick’s Wedding Quilt
/in Blog /by IssqEricaJoin Collections Manager Julie Hunter for a deep dive into one of our latest artifacts – a wedding quilt from 1904.
Willa Stevenson Eastlick’s Wedding Quilt, continued
/in Blog /by IssqEricaPart II: The story of Willa Stevenson Eastlick’s 1904 wedding quilt, continued.
Willa Stevenson Eastlick’s Wedding Quilt, continued
/in Blog /by IssqEricaPart III: The story of Willa Stevenson Eastlick’s 1904 wedding quilt, continued.
Willa Stevenson Eastlick’s Wedding Quilt, continued
/in Blog /by IssqEricaPart IV: The story of Willa Stevenson Eastlick’s 1904 wedding quilt, continued.
How Farms Became State Park
/in Blog, Buildings & Sites /by IssqEricaBefore Lake Sammamish State Park existed, land on the banks of Lake Sammamish belonged to local farming families. Learn more about the land that became the park in this article.
Bojo The Horse-Riding Dog
/in Blog /by IssqEricaIn addition to being one of the founding members of the Issaquah Historical Society (today’s Issaquah History Museums), Harriet Fish was a writer who researched and recorded the stories of her fellow Issaquahns. She and her husband, Edwards Fish, wrote mostly about Issaquah’s distant history. But Harriet Fish also enjoyed recording Issaquah as it was […]
Member Matters: 2017 Bylaws
/in Blog /by IssqEricaBeing a member of the Issaquah History Museums comes with a number of benefits: FREE admission to the museums and trolley, 10% off gift shop purchases, and discounts on IHM programs. Members are also able to vote for board candidates and approve bylaw changes.The board of the Issaquah History Museums is proposing key changes to the organization’s […]
The Mighty Alpines
/in Blog /by IssqEricaLong before Seattle had the Seahawks, Issaquah had the Alpines. In 1933 a group of young men, under the management of Ted Stonebridge, formed a local football team.
The Great Depression
/in Blog /by IssqEricaOver a cup of coffee recently, Donna Pedegana Arndt, a lifelong Issaquah resident, provided a glimpse of daily life in Issaquah during the Depression era.
Irving Petite of Tiger Mountain
/in Blog /by IssqEricaReports of the occasional bear or cougar in our neighborhoods stir memories of the local wildlife in Irving Petite’s engaging books, written on his ranch up Tiger Mountain Road, where he lived pretty much off the land for over 40 years.
Frogtown
/in Blog /by IssqEricaLongtime Issaquah residents may recall hearing references to Frogtown, an area just north of Issaquah’s downtown area; the area’s name was derived from its boggy nature…
Mrs. Elsie Wendt, Issaquah Miner
/in Blog /by IssqEricaAlthough she was not well documented elsewhere in Issaquah’s past, Mrs. Elsie Wendt made the news for working in the coal mines.
Issaquah’s Kranick Family and the Year 1908
/in Blog /by IssqEricaGeorge Kranick: Murder Most Foul In the January 11, 1908 issue of the Issaquah Independent (forerunner of today’s Issaquah Press), community news included mention of a New Year’s party hosted by Miss Olive Gibson (at which Mary Wold, dressed as a witch, told fortunes). A new piano had been purchased for the IOOF Hall and […]
Anita Huovar
/in Blog /by adminThe Issaquah History Museums aim to preserve what we call “local history” – the stories of people and events in our immediate area. But “local history” is never only local. The story of any area is always impacted by other events – regional, national, or global – and people rarely stay in just one area. We […]
New High School Name Honors Gibson, Gibson and Ek
/in Blog /by IssqEricaIn autumn of 2016, Issaquah’s newest high school opened. Named Gibson Ek Innovative High, the high school lives up to its title. The school has been constructed to look like a traditional work site, rather than a school. Instead of traditional classes, students sign up for “offerings” that apply to their goals and interests. Each […]
Bertha’s Correspondence: Other Correspondents
/in Blog /by IssqEricaBy Julie Hunter, Collections Manager (See “What Bertha’s Correspondence Tells Us” for an introduction to this series of posts) There are three instances of a single letter surviving from a correspondent. One of these, from “Grandma & Mattie S. Woodin” is probably from Susan Woodin, who settled what is now Woodinville with her husband Ira. […]
Bertha’s Correspondence: Walter Lorin Lane
/in Blog /by IssqEricaBy Julie Hunter, Collections Manager (See “What Bertha’s Correspondence Tells Us” for an introduction to this series of posts) According to records on Ancestry.com, Walter was born on October 8, 1873, in Shettlerville, Illinois. His parents were Peter Holland Lane and his wife, Hannah Bradley Dunn. They had two other sons and a daughter, as […]
Bertha’s Correspondence: The Estate of Tom Cherry
/in Blog /by IssqEricaBy Julie Hunter, Collections Manager (See “What Bertha’s Correspondence Tells Us” for an introduction to this series of posts) Bertha’s skill with correspondence was used to help her grandmother in at least one instance. When fellow Issaquah pioneer Tom Cherry died in 1899, none of his family lived in the area. Bertha had known him […]
Bertha’s Correspondence: The Oregon Folks
/in Blog /by IssqEricaNew tidbits about Issaquah’s past are constantly revealing themselves here at the Issaquah History Museums. We recently received a treasure trove of letters from the late 1890s and early 1900s, all written to Bertha Wold Baxter. What can we learn from Bertha’s correspondence? Find out!
Bertha’s Correspondence: Peter & Sarah Wold
/in Blog /by IssqEricaNew tidbits about Issaquah’s past are constantly revealing themselves here at the Issaquah History Museums. We recently received a treasure trove of letters from the late 1890s and early 1900s, all written to Bertha Wold Baxter. What can we learn from Bertha’s correspondence? Find out!
Bertha’s Correspondence: William Wold
/2 Comments/in Blog /by IssqEricaNew tidbits about Issaquah’s past are constantly revealing themselves here at the Issaquah History Museums. We recently received a treasure trove of letters from the late 1890s and early 1900s, all written to Bertha Wold Baxter. What can we learn from Bertha’s correspondence? Find out!
What Bertha’s Correspondence Tells Us
/in Blog /by adminNew tidbits about Issaquah’s past are constantly revealing themselves here at the Issaquah History Museums. We recently received a treasure trove of letters from the late 1890s and early 1900s, all written to Bertha Wold Baxter. What can we learn from Bertha’s correspondence? Find out!
Ding Dong!
/in Blog /by IssqEricaThe Issaquah History Museums receive hundreds of research requests each year. Some of them are duplicates (“What does Issaquah mean?” is a common one) and some of them are unique and memorable (in 2000, someone called to ask if Issaquah’s gingko tree is a male or female). Some of them lead us down interesting paths […]
Issaquah’s Fire Laddies
/in Blog /by IssqEricaFancy a seething, roaring whirlpool of white heat covering more than an acre of ground.
The Werner Murder
/in Blog /by IssqEricaBy Polly Good, Historian Murder, Investigation and Arrests On the morning of March 2, 1914, Henry Werner was found brutally murdered in his barn. During the next few days, authorities questioned Henry’s wife, Magdalena, and his son, Wilheim, about the events of that fateful morning. Eight-year old Wilheim told Seattle deputies that he was standing […]
Who Was Sena Wold?
/in Blog /by IssqEricaThe City of Issaquah recently named its newest park Sena Park — after early Issaquah resident Sena Wold. Find out more about the woman after whom the park was named in this new blog post!
Tutorial: Finding People in the Digital Collections
/in Blog /by IssqEricaWe’ve written many entries on this blog about how to go about finding records in our Digital Collections (as well as tutorials on other ways to find local history.) To review those tutorials, click on the tag “tutorial” from the column on the right. If you’re a researcher, genealogist, or just an Issaquah history enthusiast, […]
The Story of a Quilt: Salmon Days, 1983
/in Blog /by IssqEricaWhen artifacts come to the Issaquah Historical Society, we often have a vague outline of where that item came from, where it has been, and what it meant to those who have owned it. In rare instances, an artifact comes to us with a long and detailed history. This summer we received one such item, […]
Jo’s Bob
/in Blog /by IssqEricaAs we examine some of the icons of the 1920s in the lives of our Local History Month heroines, we can’t help but consider the bob. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story, Bernice Bobs Her Hair, captures the transformative power of bobbed hair as a rite of passage into the Roaring Twenties. In Bernice’s case, she […]
Top 10 Records in the Digital Collections from 2014
/in Blog /by IssqEricaWe present 2014’s ten most popular records in our Digital Collection!
Fifteen Minutes With a Person From the Past
/in Blog /by adminPublished in the the Winter 2004 edition of Past Times.
Top 10 Records in the Digital Collections from 2013
/in Blog /by IssqEricaAt the end of every year we’re able to see what the top records from our Digital Collections are – meaning which photo, document, letter, etc. was accessed by the most people. It always fascinates me to see what records make this list and it is never what I expect. The following are […]
Photo Mystery!
/1 Comment/in Blog /by IssqEricaUnidentified image from the Anderson Collection photo 2010.011.051 Downtown Issaquah, cars, people, and a man with a lottery style cage on a platform We’ve had this image in our collections for a few years now, and it hasn’t been added to our digital collections for the sole reason that we’re not sure exactly what […]
Hearing History: James “Pinky” Hailstone
/in Blog /by IssqEricaHailstone Feed Store – the closest thing IHM has to a picture of James “Pinky” Hailstone (left to right: Frank Hailstone, Nell Hailstone Falkenstein, Emma Greenier Hailstone [wife of James Hailstone]) Did you ever hear anything about that hanging over by the Marchettis, a maple tree? James “Pinky” Hailstone: Oh, yes. My older brother witnessed […]
Hearing History: Dorothy Hailstone Beale
/in Blog /by IssqEricaHazel Hircko (left) and Dorothy Hailstone Beale (right) ca 1936 Dorothy Beale (right) ca 1993 Dorothy H. Beale: But I knew Dorothy. And Dorothy Miles. And Dorothy Castagno. When I went to school, I went by “Margaret.” I said, “No, I’m not [going to be called Dorothy]. They’re going to get all mixed up!” […]
Hearing History: Jake Jones
/in Blog /by IssqEricaStudent Body of Squak School Jake Jones (believed to be 3rd from right, in front) Full Record Full Record 2 Jake Jones: And furring and trapping and trading, so they created what they called the Chinook language. It had something like about a hundred words. And many of them words, the way you […]
Hearing History: Ruth Kees
/in Blog /by IssqEricaRuth Kees (left) and Fred Nystrom (right) walk along Issaquah Creek ca late 1980s Maria McLeod: So I wanted to ask you about the Issaquah Creek, I wanted to ask you about the watershed, and I wanted to ask you about water quality, and what you’ve noticed about water quality, and what ways […]
Hearing History: Bill Evans
/in Blog /by IssqEricaMaria McLeod: …Tell me a story about you and Walt Seil. I know you guys ran around together, and I’m sure there’s a lot of stories. Some you could probably tell, some you can’t. [laughter] But what’s a memorable moment with your friend Walt? Bill Evans: Well, of course, we graduated in the […]
Hearing History: Bob Gray
/in Blog /by IssqEricaSeattle Biomedical Research Institute was founded in 1976 with an unlikely start in Issaquah. Seattle BioMed began as the Issaquah Research Group Lab, a project that was sponsored by the Pine Lake Presbyterian Church. Bob Gray, pastor of the church, tells the story of how it all began. In related news, The Museum of History […]
Hearing History: Camilla Berg Erickson
/in Blog /by IssqEricaCamilla Berg Erickson Yearbook Photo ca 1936 Camilla Erickson: I don’t recall that there was anything specific about being Norwegian in with Swedes. My Uncle Andrew, he was married to a Swedish lady. And she had a brother that lived here, and he had a fairly large family. And my folks had Norwegian friends […]
Hearing History: Walt Seil
/in Blog /by IssqEricaWalt Seil Senior Yearbook Photo ca 1941 Maria McLeod: Well, OK, so tell me the story about shooting off your hand. Walt Seil: Well, this was in the fall of the year. And Tony Campbell, who was neighbors to us, him and I decided to go hunting for deer. We walked up to […]
Hearing History: Vernon “Babe” Anderson
/in Blog /by IssqEricaVernon “Babe” Anderson ca 1945 Full Record Maria McLeod: …So what land are you giving to the city? Vernon Anderson: The whole thing. MM: The old farmhouse, too? And this place? VA: Yeah, everything. MM: So what is this going to become? VA: A park. […] MM: You seem to really enjoy history. […]
Hearing History: Washington Archives Month 2013
/in Blog /by IssqEricaWelcome to Washington Archives Month 2013! Every year Washington State’s Archives celebrate the month of October by choosing a topic to highlight in museum collections across the state. This year the theme has been chosen as oral histories – and we couldn’t be more excited! Issaquah History Museums has a substantial amount of oral histories […]
From the Digital Collections: Labor Day Celebrations
/in Blog /by IssqEricaLabor Day festivities were a time for laughter and outrageous jokes. In this photograph, circa the 1940s, members of the Issaquah Volunteer Fire Department, in drag, celebrate ”Miss Firehose of 1905,” who ”Still keeps her dates and town alive.” Pictured in the driver’s seat from left to right are: unidentified, Gordon Crosby, and Claude Brown. […]
From the Digital Collections: Back to School!
/in Blog /by IssqEricaWith the end of August and summer comes back to school season. Here are some class pictures of Issaquah’s schools from the past 130 years. Visit our Digital Collections to see more school related records. Tibbetts’ School ca 1883 Full Record Squak School ca 1890 Full Record Issaquah’s First School Building ca 1898 Full Record […]
From the Digital Archives: Happy Fourth of July!
/in Blog /by IssqErica“First Prize Car in July 4th Parade” ca 1910s Full Record
From the Digital Archives: Camp Fire Girls
/in Blog /by IssqEricaMinnie Wilson Schomber’s Camp Fire Girls Uniform Full Record Just recently we photographed two Camp Fire Girls uniforms that we have in our collections. Our research for Local History Month of Josephine Cornick Ross, Minnie Wilson Schomber, and Ferol Tibbetts Jess landed us with a common thread – they all participated in Camp Fire. We […]
LHM: Ferol Tibbetts Cuts Her Hair
/in Blog /by IssqEricaPre-bob Ferol Tibbetts (right) Mary [Tillie] Hayward (left) Full Record Post-bob Ferol Tibbetts Full Record In our collection we have about 10 daily journals kept by Ferol Tibbetts Jess written starting in 1923. While the journals contain a lot of basic daily notes (sewing, washing, visiting friends) they also contain wonderful tidbits about what it […]
LHM: Ferol Tibbetts’ Snapshots
/in Blog /by IssqEricaJust like Josephine Cornick, Ferol Tibbetts had her share of albums full of snapshots as well. Here are some of our favorites: “Ferol and Dorothy” ca late 1910s Full Record “Camping at the Lake ca late 1910s Full Record “Follies Bathing Beauties” ca late 1910s Full Record “Dad and Ferol Relax at Camp” […]
LHM: Jo Cornick’s Snapshots
/in Blog /by IssqEricaOne of the commonalities we’ve noticed between Josephine Cornick and Ferol Tibbets was their posession of personal cameras. In 1888, the Eastman Kodak Company released it’s first amateur camera. George Eastman’s goal was to make photography “as convenient as the pencil.” By the time Josephine Cornick and Ferol Tibbetts were old enough to shop for […]
LHM: Ferol and her Automobiles
/in Blog /by IssqEricaFerol Tibbetts sitting on car ca. late 1910s Full Record Seomtime around 1915 Ferol Tibbetts’ father, George Wilson Tibbetts, purchased and ran an auto shop and garage. For Ferol, this meant constant interaction with automobiles. There are accounts in her journals of she and her father driving somewhere to pickup a vehicle, presumably for […]
LHM: Josephine Cornick’s Catalog of Cars
/in Blog /by IssqEricaIn 1979, Josephine Cornick Ross was 77 years old and lived at the Issaquah Villa nursing home. A student with a tape recorder interviewed her for a school assignment. More than 30 years later, their 22 minute conversation found its way into the collection of the Issaquah History Museums. This recording is the only narrative […]
LHM: Ferol Tibbetts
/in Blog /by IssqEricaFerol Tibbets was born November 11, 1902 to George Wilson Tibbetts and Mattie Ray Tibbetts. The Tibbetts line had been in the Issaquah area since 1874 when Ferol’s grandparents, George Washington Tibbetts and his wife Rebecca Wilson Tibbetts, relocated here. Ferol Tibbetts was an only child. Her parents owned an auto shop and were probably considered part […]
Our Poetic Heritage
/in Blog /by IssqEricaWhen settlers first arrived in Issaquah, they brought the necessities for survival, arguably impractical items that reminded them of home, and their hopes for the future. They also brought with them the cultural traditions of their homeland and ancestors: language, food, music, dance — and poetry. We’ve enjoyed sharing some of the poetry created in […]
The Ladies of Local History Month 2013
/in Blog /by IssqEricaFerol Tibbetts Jess Josephine Cornick Ross Minnie Wilson Schomber May is Local History month! Local History Month is an opportunity for residents to consider the big themes present in the history of small places. Each community has its own weird, wild and wonderful stories that are unique to that place. Sharing these stories helps […]
From the Digital Collections: Bertha Wold Autograph Album ca 1890s
/in Blog /by IssqEricaIn celebration of National Poetry Month, we’ve been posting some of our favorite poems from our collections here at the Issaquah History Museums. Bertha Wold date unknown (probably late 1890s- 1910s) This “Cinderella Album” belonging to Bertha Wold Baxter dates to the early 1890s. It’s very fragile – most of the pages are falling out […]
From the Digital Collections: “The Future of Seattle” Robert Legg
/in Blog /by IssqEricaIn celebration of National Poetry Month, we’ve been posting some of our favorite poems from our collections here at the Issaquah History Museums. This poem by Robert Legg entitled “The Future of Seattle/As a Commercial City, Her People, and Tributaries” was first published in 1893. The poem is a long praise of Seattle and it’s […]
From the Research Center: “From Vasa to Issaquah” by Hilda Johanson Erickson
/in Blog /by IssqEricaIn celebration of National Poetry Month we’ve been posting some of our favorite poems. Located in Gilman Town Hall, our David J. Horrocks research center contains many resources including some writings from the local community. “From Vasa to Issaquah, Poems Verses and Stories” by Hilda Johanson Erickson is one of those titles. Hilda Johanson Erickson […]
From the Digital Collections: Poem by William Udd
/in Blog /by IssqEricaIn celebration of National Poetry Month, we’ve been posting some of our favorite poems from our collections here at the Issaquah History Museums. This untitled poem by William Udd is about growing old. William Udd was born in Sweden in 1882. He came to the United States at the age of 9. He arrived in […]
From the Gift Shop: “Squak Valley: A Tale of Old Issaquah”
/in Blog /by IssqEricaIn celebration of National Poetry Month, we’ve been posting some of our favorite poems from our collections here at the Issaquah History Museums. This poem by Bessie Wilson Craine entitled “Back to the Scenes of my Childhood” is a part of a wonderful book from our gift shop called “Squak Valley: A Tale of Old […]
From the Digital Collections: Ferol Tibbets’ Autograph Album
/in Blog /by IssqEricaIn celebration of National Poetry Month, we’ve been posting some of our favorite poems from our collections here at the Issaquah History Museums. This autograph album, belonging to Ferol Tibbetts, is full of wonderful little verses written in Spring of 1916. Ferol wrote her own name on the first page and dated it March 14, 1916 […]
From the Digital Collections: “To Whomsoever It May Be That Poisoned My Dog Bounce” by Robert Legg
/in Blog /by IssqEricaIn celebration of National Poetry Month, we’ve been posting some of our favorite poems from our collections here at the Issaquah History Museums. This poem by Robert Legg entitled “To Whomsoever It May Be That Poisoned My Dog Bounce” was probably published in the late 1890s. The poem references the Panic of 1893 but is […]
From the Digital Collections: “Twixt Cloud and Earth”
/in Blog /by IssqEricaIn celebration of National Poetry Month, we’ve been posting some of our favorite poems from our collections here at the Issaquah History Museums. This collection of writings by Berniece S. Embree Wold entitled “Twixt Cloud and Earth” was first published in 1976, however the writings date much earlier than that. Berniece Sorenson was born in Pine […]
Issaquah History Museums Celebrate National Poetry Month!
/in Blog /by IssqEricaWelcome to National Poetry Month, April 2013! Small mother of pearl fountain pen with nib (89.014.033) and ink bottle (86.018.188) from the IHM collection. What would I say On this noted poetry day Yes I wish I was a poet true I then would tell my story to you Hilda Johanson Erickson, circa 1960 Today marks […]
From the Digital Collections: Happy Easter!
/in Blog /by IssqEricaEaster Postcard ca 1912 “A Happy Easter To You” Postcard from unknown to Dave Horrocks, Issaquah, Washington. Postmarked from Taylor, Washington, April 7, 1912.
From the Digital Collections: Happy St. Patricks Day!
/in Blog /by IssqEricaSt. Patricks Day postcard ca 1910s Full Record “The Land of the Shamrock Green” Postcard from Mamie to Mrs. Bertha Baxter. Not postmarked. See all St. Patrick’s Day related records
From the Digital Collections: Happy Thanksgiving!
/in Blog /by IssqEricaThanksgiving Postcard ca 1911 Full Record “Hearty Thanksgiving Greetings” Postcard from “EB” of Walla Walla, WA to Miss Mattie Bush of Issaquah, WA. Postmarked November 28, 1911. See all Thanksgiving related records
A Time of Giving: Issaquah Thanksgivings in the Great Depression
/in Blog /by IssqErica“As a man eatest, so is he; if your diet is of meat, you become beefy; if your diet is fish you become slimy; if your diet is nuts you become nutty; but if your diet is milk and eggs you become healthy and cocky and crow all over the world.” So quipped a guest […]
From the Digital Collections: Happy Halloween!
/in Blog /by IssqEricaHalloween Postcard ca 1912 Full Record “The Highest Expectations for Halloween!” Postcard from “Aunt Minnie” to “Master Bennie Trigg” of Issaquah, WA. Postmarked October 24, 1912. See all Halloween related records
Looking for Local History: Ed Mott and WAM 2012 Wrap-Up
/in Blog /by IssqEricaAnd so concludes Washington Archives Month 2012! We hope that you’ve been following our daily posts on Pinterest and Facebook as well as the occasional blog here. We’ve been saving the best for last: a part of our Issaquah Oral History Video (available here in our online gift shop – this is a collection of stories […]
Looking for Local History: Law & Order – IHM edition
/in Blog /by IssqEricaWe’ve done tutorials in the past on how to search our digital collections so this will just be a general refresher – only with a focus on our Washington Archives Month 2012 theme: Law and Order. We’ve made searching for these sort of things easy. I think the best way to do this […]
From the Digital Collections: “Finding the Site of the Attack on Chinese Laborers in Squak Valley”
/in Blog /by IssqEricaA wonderful record from our collection comes to us just recently – January, 2010. Tim Greyhavens, in a project called No Place for Your Kind, documented in a photographic narrative contemporary locations in America where anti-Chinese violence took place. Greyhavens location of attack on Chinese hop pickers As a part of that project, Tim came to Issaquah and attempted […]
Issaquah History Museums Celebrates Washington Archives Month!
/in Blog /by IssqEricaWelcome to WashingtonArchives Month, October 2012! Ray Robertson and his two oldest children Full Record The purpose of Archives Month is “to celebrate the value of Washington’s historical records, to publicize the many ways these records enrich our lives, to recognize those who maintain our communities’ historical records, and to increase public awareness of the […]
From the Digital Collections: Issaquah Labor Day Celebration
/in Blog /by IssqEricaLabor Day Parade, 1910s Full Record “They are going to have a big time here Labor Day. They are going to have sports as usual in the afternoon, the races for the children, Ladies race, Leap Frog Race, Old Mans Race, Base Running & Ball throwing and all sorts of things.” – Letter from […]
Looking For Local History: Searching the Oral History Collection
/in Blog /by IssqEricaIn 2006, we launched a project to record and transcribe oral histories with more than 25 community members. At the end of the project, after staff members had an opportunity to review the transcripts, we realized the value of the information we’d gathered. It also made us curious about the 38 old recordings that […]
From the Digital Collections: Happy 4th of July!
/in Blog /by IssqEricaGirls in Patriotic Garb on 4th of July Full Record “As more families moved to the area and began building a community together, celebrations became part of the social fabric. Pictured here circa 1915 are celebrants of the Fourth of July.” – p42, #62 Arcadia book caption See All July 4th Related Records
From the Digital Collections: Happy Father’s Day
/in Blog /by IssqEricaFather’s Day Postcard ca 1911 Full Record “To dear Father This little card I send you To wish you cheer May health and wealth attend you Both far and near.” Postcard addressed to Mr. Benjamin Price, Taylor, Wash. from J.J. Trigg. Postmarked Issaquah, Wash., May 20, 1911.
Looking for Local History: Bill Evans Tries to Enlist
/in Blog /by IssqEricaMay is local history month! All month long, we’ll be sharing bits and pieces of Issaquah’s collection, as well as tutorials to help you find local history on your own. Enjoy! Bill Evans was born in Issaquah in 1923 and lived here for most of his life. Both of his parents were from coal-mining families. After […]
Looking for Local History: Fun with GIS
/in Blog /by IssqEricaMay is local history month! All month long, we’ll be sharing bits and pieces of Issaquah’s collection, as well as tutorials to help you find local history on your own. Enjoy! Many of the research requests we receive revolve around questions about where things used to be located, or what the area looked like before. […]
Looking for Local History: Washington State Digital Archives
/in Blog /by IssqEricaThe Washington State Digital Archives are my favorite free online resource. You can access a broad range of records there, and many of them include an image of the record in question. And did I mention that they are free? A word of warning: the search is literal, and names are not transcribed with 100% […]
Looking for Local History: Council Meeting Minutes, Ordinances & Resolutions
/in Blog /by IssqEricaTown and City Council meetings for Issaquah can provide a lot of interesting information. Looking at the issues the council members were grappling with can tell you a lot about the state of the city at that time. (To get a better sense of all the issues at play when Stella Alexander was recalled as […]
Looking for Local History: Property Information
/in Blog /by IssqEricaMay is local history month! All month long, we’ll be sharing bits and pieces of Issaquah’s collection, as well as tutorials to help you find local history on your own. Enjoy! One of the most common research questions we receive is, “How can I find out more history about my house?” The best place to start […]
Looking for Local History: Using our Digital Collections: Searching By Date
/in Blog /by IssqEricaSearching for specific dates is a useful tool when researching. We recommend that you utilize Advanced Search when looking for certain dates and time periods. Although, Keyword Search and Click & Search have their place, and we will cover how to use them in searching for dates as well. Click Here to View […]
Looking for Local History: A Voice From The Past
/in Blog /by IssqEricaIf you asked me what my favorite artifact in our collection is, I would have a difficult time selecting just one thing. I could probably narrow the field to 100 favorite artifacts. Included in that hundred is most certainly the Jake Jones, Jr. oral history. Thanks to generous funding from 4Culture, we have been able […]
Looking for Local History: Using Our Digital Collections: Finding People
/in Blog /by IssqEricaThere are a few ways to go about finding people in our Digital Collections. You can use Keyword Search, Advanced Search, or Click & Search. There are reasons for using each one, and I will go through them here. Click Here to View Our Digital Collections Keyword Search Using the Keyword Search is […]
Looking for Local History: Ruth Kees’ Magic Carpet
/in Blog /by IssqEricaMay is local history month! All month long, we’ll be sharing bits and pieces of Issaquah’s collection, as well as tutorials to help you find local history on your own. Enjoy! Ruth Kees was well known in the Issaquah community for her environmental education and advocacy work. We conducted an oral history with […]
Looking for Local History: The Issaquah Press & Issaquah Independent
/in Blog /by IssqEricaMay is local history month! All month long, we’ll be sharing bits and pieces of Issaquah’s collection, as well as tutorials to help you find local history on your own. Enjoy! One of the easiest (and most fun) ways to follow the history of Issaquah (or any other town, really) is to read it’s newspaper. The […]
The Mystery of the Haunted Mansion
/4 Comments/in Blog /by IssqEricaThere’s something about an abandoned house that captures the imagination. No one’s childhood is complete without a nearby haunted house to inspire scary stories, and offer the challenge of exploration. We received an email asking about an abandoned house that once existed on the shores of Lake Sammamish, in what is now the South […]
Dahlheim’s Meats
/in Blog /by IssqEricaIHM member Bill Janzing recently emailed these pictures of Dahlheim’s Meat Market, located on Front Street. Dahlheim’s was the successor of Finney’s Meat Market, and was in operation from 1940 until 1943. Today, this space is the Jones Agency Allstate office. Thanks for sharing with us, Bill! Bill Janzing and stepfather Gus Dahlheim, circa 1940
A Thrift Shop Treasure
/in Blog /by IssqEricaBy Carolyn Davis I have been a collections volunteer at the Issaquah History Museums (IHM) since the fall of 2009. This summer I started volunteering at the Eastside community Aid Thrift Shop in Kirkland. the director of the shop, Jody Orbits, showed me a textile that had been donated and asked me if I thought […]
Photo Analysis: Can you identify anyone?
/in Blog /by IssqEricaWe recently had some photos digitized and realized we don’t really know a whole lot about them. We are looking to gain as much information as possible about the two photographs – specifically, the who and when. Click on the pictures to see them larger. The first picture in question is just listed in our […]
Labor Day, Issaquah Style
/in Blog /by IssqEricaBefore Salmon Days, Issaquah had a Labor Day Celebration. Like Salmon Days, it took place on Memorial Field. It lasted three days, and featured a carnival and a parade. The Labor Day Queen and her court had a spotlight role to play in the parade. Queen candidates were sponsored by fraternal organizations in town, and […]
Mystery Artifact from Tiger Mountain
/1 Comment/in Blog /by IssqEricaA hiker sent us the images below, along with the following note: My girlfriend and I were hiking along 15 Mile Creek on Tiger Mountain near Issaquah on Tuesday afternoon, when I stumbled upon what looked like a large metal coil of some type. It looked like it was pretty old, especially since one end […]
Providence Point: From Chicken Farms to Retirement Community
/in Blog /by IssqEricaby Joan Newman The story of Providence Point, the spacious retirement community off S. E. 43rd Way above Lake Sammamish, begins over 50 years ago when it was “unimproved stump land,” according to Brad Best, a Providence Point resident who founded Brad Best Realty in Redmond in 1955. Best provided some of the site’s history […]
It’s Official — Local History Month is Here!
/4 Comments/in Blog /by IssqEricaMay is Local History Month in Issaquah! Celebrate with a local-history-themed coffee drink from Common Grounds Coffee (in front of the Front Street Market) and a free pass to the Issaquah History Museums. The Issaquah Alpine: a creamy white chocolate mocha with a mint kicker Issaquah’s semi-pro football team was named for the Alpine Dairy plant, whose […]
T-Shirt Designs, again
/8 Comments/in Blog /by IssqEricaOne of the negatives mentioned in association with the Alpines shirt design was that the graphics might be muddy because of the size of the image and the people in it. Take a look at this before and after, and let me know if the image with 8 players in it works better than the […]
Drive-By History
/in Blog /by IssqEricaDr. Hiram Rand Corson at his desk, circa 1900. (IHM 72.21.14.176) I’ve been at this job for nearly 12 years now, and there are few places I go in Issaquah that I’m not aware of the past events that occurred there, the people that lived there. Now that phenomena has spread to my life at […]
Local History Month
/10 Comments/in Blog /by IssqEricaThis May we will celebrate Local History Month. It’s the first time we’ve observed Local History Month, so we are starting out slow. We’ve teamed up with Common Ground Coffee (at the Front Street Market), who will offer a series of Issaquah-inspired coffee drinks during May. Customers will also receive a free museum family pass […]
1928 Preston Shingle
/in Blog /by IssqEricaAl Ward, a resident of Rapid City, South Dakota discovered this shingle during a 2001 remodel of his house on Mount Rushmore Road. The shingle stamped with the Preston Mill Company’s stencil had traveled from Preston to Rapid City in 1928 when the house was built. The shingle grade was Extra Clears, the best of 4 […]
Archives Preservation Roadshow
/in Blog /by IssqEricaMost of our staff’s professional efforts are, appropriately, concentrated on the work of the Issaquah History Museums. But it is also true that we benefit from contact with other people in our field, and we can also help or be helped by people who do not happen to come to Issaquah. A year or two […]
Recipe of the Week: Imperial Sunshine Cake
/in Blog /by IssqEricaA generous grant from 4Culture is currently funding the digitization and cataloging of several archival collections, include the recipes of Mary Wold, Issaquah resident. Mary Wold had an exciting life, working as a teacher and as a nurse most notably for the Red Cross in WWI in Siberia. Later, she and her sister Sena lived […]
Earliest Photo of Pickering Barn
/in Blog /by IssqEricaThis entry first appeared as an article in the Past Times newsletter in Spring of 2003. The Reard/Freed house is still standing, but continues to be under threat. The most exciting moments in any local history career are those when the pieces of history fall together and have a real impact on people in the […]
Remembering Ted Stonebridge
/in Blog /by IssqEricaI can’t remember precisely how I met Ted Stonebridge, although I know it was in 2003. I think he called me to tell me about his memories of the Alpine football team. He ended up donating some photographs of the team, which he managed starting in 1933, until at least 1941. He also decided that […]
The Irish in Issaquah
/2 Comments/in Blog /by IssqEricaAh, St. Patrick’s Day. The day when most everyone is at least a little bit Irish. Apparently, our genealogy database to agree with this sentiment, as some glitch has caused it to rename the birthplaces of several thousand former residents as Ireland, whether they were actually born there or not. I’m going to blame it […]
Recipe of the Week: Mother’s Doughnuts
/in Blog /by IssqEricaA generous grant from 4Culture is currently funding the digitization and cataloging of several archival collections, include the recipes of Mary Wold, Issaquah resident. Mary Wold had an exciting life, working as a teacher and as a nurse most notably for the Red Cross in WWI in Siberia. Later, she and her sister Sena lived […]
Recipe of the Week: Mince Meat
/in Blog /by IssqEricaA generous grant from 4Culture is currently funding the digitization and cataloging of several archival collections, include the recipes of Mary Wold, Issaquah resident. Mary Wold had an exciting life, working as a teacher and as a nurse most notably for the Red Cross in WWI in Siberia. Later, she and her sister Sena lived […]
An Opportunity to “Do History”
/in Blog /by IssqEricaWant to make an historical joyful noise? Then come out to the Sacred Harp Convention and join in singing the music that encouraged some of our ancestors! 20th Annual Pacific Northwest (Washington) Sacred Harp ConventionSaturday February 19 andSunday February 20, 20119:00am–3:30pmMercer Island VFW Hall1836 72nd Ave. SE, Mercer Island, WAAll-day singing on both days! Registration […]
Recipe of the Week: Aunt Lucy’s Brown Bread
/in Blog /by IssqEricaA generous grant from 4Culture is currently funding the digitization and cataloging of several archival collections, include the recipes of Mary Wold, Issaquah resident. Mary Wold had an exciting life, working as a teacher and as a nurse most notably for the Red Cross in WWI in Siberia. Later, she and her sister Sena lived […]
Recipe of the Week: Most of the Garden
/in Blog /by IssqEricaA generous grant from 4Culture is currently funding the digitization and cataloging of several archival collections, include the recipes of Mary Wold, Issaquah resident. Mary Wold had an exciting life, working as a teacher and as a nurse most notably for the Red Cross in WWI in Siberia. Later, she and her sister Sena lived […]
Holiday Open House a Great Success!
/in Blog /by IssqEricaFor those of you who attended the Holiday Open House on December 4th at the train depot, kudos on you – fun was being had by all. For those of you who missed this delightful event, please join us next year for unforgettable joyfulness! We provided a jolly Santa who happily had his picture taken […]
The Importance of Being Meticulous
/in Blog /by IssqEricaIn this blog post are scans from Ruth Johns Anderson’s personal photo album. They are currently being cataloged into our database and perfectly illustrate how taking the time to label your photographs now can make a difference in years to come. The most frustrating thing for me is when am faced with a photograph with […]
So Ya Wanna Do Some Research?
/in Blog /by IssqEricaIn this day of internet access to a huge variety of information, it is tempting to think that we can find out everything we ever want to know online. And it is true that, between government record sites, library information sites, electronic newspaper archives and for-profit research sites such as Ancestry.com, we can learn more […]
Photo Analysis: What Roads are These?
/3 Comments/in Blog /by IssqEricaWe recently got a call from someone who purchased Images of America: Issaquah, WA, a pictorial history of Issaquah that we published several years ago. He was fascinated with this picture, and called to see if we could help him figure out what roads are pictured (one runs straight from left to right, and the […]
Women’s Voices, Women’s Votes
/in Blog /by IssqEricaMany thanks to photographer Bruce Tom and 4Culture for capturing the October 6 performance of Women’s Voices, Women’s Votes! You can see photos from the performance here and here. More than 70 people attended the performance, which is part of our Celebration of the Centenial of Suffrage.
Up Front Opening
/in Blog /by IssqEricaThe Lewis Hardware store was in business for 100 years and was a place where you could always find that unusual size of screw or bolt that was a challenge to locate anywhere else. Unfortunately competing with big business took its toll and Steve White reluctantly closed Lewis’ doors in 2007. Happily an enthusiastic group […]
Touching History
/in Blog /by IssqEricaI credit my father with sowing the seeds of my career choice. He was a history teacher, and traveling across America with him in the ’60s was like traveling with my own personal tour guide. It was an era when most children from rural Maine, where we lived, went on very few school field trips, […]
Hot Riveting
/in Blog /by IssqEricaThis post at the Northwest Railway Museum’s blog shows some of the recent progress on caboose repairs. A video also shows how hot riveting was used to repair the side of the car.
Shell Shock in WWI
/in Blog /by IssqEricaA generous grant from 4Culture is currently funding the digitization and cataloging of several archival collections, including the letters of Minnie Wilson and Jake Schomber, Issaquah residents and sweetheart. The couple corresponded during World War I, when Jake was serving in the Army. This post is part of a series of posts about their lives […]
William Pickering’s Farm
/in Blog /by IssqEricaRobert Pickering tells the story of how his great-grandfather, Washington Territorial Governor William Pickering, established the Pickering Farm. This story is one of dozens that make up the Oral History Video Project. The two-DVD set is now on sale on our web site
Issaquah’s Skyport
/in Blog /by IssqEricaAnother in a series of clips from Issaquah’s Oral History Video Project. Issaquah History Museums Director Erica Maniez relates the history of Issaquah’s Skyport between 1945 and 1961. The Skyport was a part of Issaquah until the early 1980s. The full-length video can be purchased at our website.
Inge Johnson: One Man Show
/2 Comments/in Blog /by IssqEricaToday the City of Issaquah has a Public Works staff of at least 20 people. In the 1960s, the Public Works Department was a man named Inge Johnson. Inge’s name came up in a number of our oral histories, one of Issaquah’s cast of characters. You can buy the full-length video online or at one […]
Jake Schomber’s Nieces
/in Blog /by IssqEricaA generous grant from 4Culture is currently funding the digitization and cataloging of several archival collections, including the letters of Minnie Wilson and Jake Schomber, Issaquah residents and sweetheart. The couple corresponded during World War I, when Jake was serving in the Army. This post is part of a series of posts about their lives […]
No Time to Monkey
/1 Comment/in Blog /by IssqEricaRob Pickering, Donna Pedegana Arndt, and Dick Campbell reminisce about the childhood chores they were responsible for, growing up in Issaquah during the 1930s-1950s. This is yet another clip from the two-DVD set produced as part of Issaquah’s Oral History Video Project. You can purchase the video here.
Rod Visits Hollywood
/in Blog /by IssqEricaA generous grant from 4Culture is currently funding the digitization and cataloging of several archival collections, include the letters of Rodney and Vernon Anderson, Issaquah residents. Rod and Vern both served in the Army in the 1940s, and they wrote home to their mother regularly. This post is part of a series of posts about […]
The Birth of the Seattle Biomedical Research Institute
/in Blog /by IssqEricaOne of Oral History Video Project stories that most surprised us was the birth of the Seattle Biomedical Research Institute — which occured in Issaquah. In this video clip, Robert Gray relates the beginnings of Seattle Biomedical as a project of the Pine Lake Presbyterian Church.
City Slickers Visit the Farm
/in Blog /by IssqEricaThe second in a series of clips from the Oral History Video Project video. The two-DVD set will soon be available for purchase at either of the museum gift shops, or through our web site at www.issaquahhistory.org.
The Night the Waterhole Tavern Burned Down
/1 Comment/in Blog /by IssqEricaHere’s a sneak peak from our Oral History Video. The two-DVD set will soon be available for purchase at either of the museum gift shops, or through our web site at www.issaquahhistory.org.
Rod Meets “Boody” Gilbertson
/in Blog /by IssqEricaA generous grant from 4Culture is currently funding the digitization and cataloging of several archival collections, include the letters of Rodney and Vernon Anderson, Issaquah residents. Rod and Vern both served in the Army in the 1940s, and they wrote home to their mother regularly. This post is part of a series of posts about […]
Today in History: Monohon Lost to Fire
/in Blog /by IssqEricaEighty-five years ago today, the mill-town of Monohon burned down, leaving only a handful of homes. Monohon was located on the eastern shore of Lake Sammamish, a few miles north of Issaquah. Some of the homes that survived the fire are still in existence, incorporated into the Waverly Heights neighborhood. You can read more about […]
Rod Receives AFPMP 6122
/1 Comment/in Blog /by IssqEricaA generous grant from 4Culture is currently funding the digitization and cataloging of several archival collections, include the letters of Rodney and Vernon Anderson, Issaquah residents. Rod and Vern both served in the Army in the 1940s, and they wrote home to their mother regularly. This post is part of a series of posts about […]
This NOT Just In: Great Seattle Fire
/in Blog /by IssqEricaThis past Sunday marked the 121st anniversary of the Great Seattle Fire, which destroyed a large portion of Seattle’s downtown area on June 6, 1889. The Seattle Fire obviously had a profound influence on Seattle, a city still in its infancy in 1889. The mark of the fire spread throughout the region, too. Rebuilding the city […]
The Anderson Brothers’ Service to their Country
/in Blog /by IssqEricaA generous grant from 4Culture is currently funding the digitization and cataloging of several archival collections, include the letters of Rodney and Vernon Anderson, Issaquah residents. Rod and Vern both served in the Army in the 1940s, and they wrote home to their mother regularly. This post is part of a series of posts about […]
Honoring Issaquah’s Veterans
/in Blog /by IssqEricaIf you haven’t seen it yet, you should take a look at the Issaquah Press’s special Memorial Day section, “Lest We Forget”. This special section profiles the residents of Issaquah who died serving their country. These same people are memorialized on the granite marker outside the Senior Center. The section also features photos and brief […]
Hooray for Volunteers!
/in Blog /by IssqEricaLast Thursday, May 13, we celebrated our 10th annual Volunteer Awards Night. This event is dedicated to showing volunteers our appreciation of what they do for the Issaquah History Museums. This year we honored 70 volunteers who donated their time to the organization during 2009. More than 2,937 hours donated in 2009. The Independent Sector, an organization […]
The Clash Between Labor and Capitalism
/in Blog /by IssqEricaToday the CEO of Massey Energy, Don Blankenship, will appear before a Senate panel in order to answer questions about the Upper Big Branch mine disaster, which occurred on April 5, 2010. Twenty-nine miners perished in the explosion, whose immediate cause is still unknown. High methane levels may have been a contributing factor. The following […]
Mary Wold’s Issaquah
/in Blog /by IssqEricaMary Wold and her sister, Sena, are two of my favorite figures in the history of Issaquah. Their parents were Lars Wold, an immigrant from Norway, and Henrietta Walter, who moved to the Pacific Northwest from Denmark with her parents and siblings at the age of 24. At one time, Wold owned a large chunk […]
Early Day Railroad Construction
/5 Comments/in Blog /by IssqEricaIf you take a close look at the railroad tracks in front of the Issaquah Depot, you can see bolts that hold together sections of rail. These are known as joint connections. These days, many of the rail joint connections used on older rail systems are no longer necessary. Modern rail laying methods involve welding […]
German Internment During WWI
/3 Comments/in Blog /by IssqEricaBy Julia Belgrave My last post regarding anti-German propaganda and the use of the term Hun during WWI created quite a discussion. You can read the comments and my response in that post. I want to continue along the same vein of German hatred during WWI, and how it directly affected someone involved in a large […]
Photo ID Friday
/in Blog /by IssqEricaWe often receive photo donations in large batches, often from descendants who aren’t sure about the origin of the pictures they donate. The images in the slideshow below were donated by a member of the Horrocks family, and we know that there are a number of images of members of the Gregory and McCloskey families […]
Mail Call
/in Blog /by IssqEricaWe recently received this email from a fellow whose visit to our web site sparked this memory of the Triple X: I was recently looking at the history of the Triple X restaurant in Issaquah, WA. My name is Roger J. Noel and I worked on the project for my father Jay Noel as well […]
History Isn’t Always Nice
/9 Comments/in Blog /by IssqEricaA generous grant from 4Culture is currently funding the digitization and cataloging of several archival collections, include the letters of Minnie Wilson and Jake Schomber, Issaquah residents and sweethearts. The couple corresponded during World War I, when Jake was serving in the Army. This post is part of a series of posts about their lives […]
Happy Census Reference Day!
/in Blog /by IssqEricaMost people recognize April 1 as April Fool’s Day, but for the diehard research geek (who also happens to hate practical jokes) this year’s April 1 is much more happily recognized as the reference date for the 2010 census. Census records are critically important when it comes to historical research, because they ideally provide a […]
Mary Colton Lucas, Squak Valley Teacher
/in Blog /by IssqEricaThe spring newsletter, on its way to your email or mail box as I type, features a truncated version of the following oral history interview with Mary Colton Lucas (1898-1982). The full interview appears below. If you’d like to join a discussion about Lucas’s experience in early Issaquah, visit our Facebook page. (IHM 94.41.1)William […]
Northern Pacific Railway Documents Come For A Visit
/1 Comment/in Blog /by IssqEricaI’ve committed the worst sin of the blogger: failure to post. It’s not because there aren’t plenty of things to write about. Between the transcription of oral histories from 20-35 years ago (more on these very soon), cataloging the letters of Minnie and Jake, and managing the fascinating treasures that just wander in the door, […]
Minnie and Jake: Uncensored
/1 Comment/in Blog /by IssqEricaA generous grant from 4Culture is currently funding the digitization and cataloging of several archival collections, include the letters of Minnie Wilson and Jake Schomber, Issaquah residents and sweethearts. The couple corresponded during World War I, when Jake was serving in the Army. This post is part of a series of posts about their lives […]
The Case of the Unknown Lake
/in Blog /by IssqEricaThis week we received a request to help us identify the photograph above; the inquirer was planning to use the image for a magazine article and thought that it was probably Pine Lake, but wanted confirmation to be sure. I sent the image out to our members mailing list and we received a variety of […]
A Scene From the Love Story of Minnie and Jake
/in Blog /by IssqEricaA generous grant from 4Culture is currently funding the digitization and cataloging of several archival collections, include the letters of Minnie Wilson and Jake Schomber, Issaquah residents and sweethearts. The couple corresponded during World War I, when Jake was serving in the Army. This post is part of a series of posts about their lives […]
Sliding, Gliding, Dribbling & Casting
/in Blog /by IssqEricaLast weekend several volunteers and I met at the Issaquah Community Center to install an off-site exhibit. The exhibit was designed by volunteer Geoff Nunn, and centers around the theme of recreation. Both summer and winter sports are included. Among the artifacts are a 1920s era women’s swim suit, a 1930s era sled, and an […]
Caboose!
/in Blog /by IssqEricaEvery Depot museum needs a caboose, according to volunteer Eric Martin. I tend to agree with him, as do the kids who come in for tours. We go to the caboose last because, I tell them, it’s the end of the train and the end of our tour. It’s even fun to say. Try it. […]
Want to Sing a little Living History?
/in Blog /by IssqEricaShapenote music dates from American colonial times and is characterized by fervent a capella singing in four-part dispersed harmony. You may also have heard it referred to as “Sacred Harp” music, after the most widely used shapenote songbook. In recent years, it has had its biggest public airing in the soundtrack for the movie “Cold […]
Still A Little Wild
/in Blog /by IssqEricaPre-Lake Washington bridge, and especially pre-railroad, Issaquah was considered to be located in the middle of the wilderness. Apparently it’s still a bit wild around the edges here — Julie Hunter, our collections manager, spotted a coyote from the window of the Gilman Town Hall’s upper office yesterday! For more information about Issaquah’s origins as […]
Local News: Pioneering women pilots of WWII get a belated honor
/in Blog /by IssqEricaThis morning’s Seattle Times features a front-page article about “Pioneering Women Pilots of WWII” who are, at last, being honored with Congressional Gold Medals. Eleven women who served as part of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) will receive the honor, and another 16 will receive the award posthumously. During World War II, more than […]
Township 24 North, Range 6 East
/in Blog /by IssqEricaWhile looking for a township/range map for the Issaquah area, I stumbled across this fabulous web site, Historic Mapworks.The site features old maps from all over the country, including some of the old insurance maps that show the owner of many larger properties. The site has maps available for Issaquah from 1907 and 1912. One […]
Today in History: January 13, 1893
/in Blog /by IssqEricaOn January 18, 1893, Preston opened its first post office. John F. Hudson was the postmaster, and mail was distributed from his home. Thirty-nine years ago today, the January 13, 1971 Issaquah Press reported that Issaquah Creek had overrun its banks for the second time in a month, and that ground had been broken for […]
Record Year for Museum Attendance
/in Blog /by IssqEricaWe’re starting to crunch the 2009 numbers to see what kind of year it was – and apparently it was a very good one! Last year we welcomed 8,163 visitors to the Issaquah History Museums, breaking the 2004 record of 6744 visitors. Our annual average is right around 6,000. If you visited the museum during […]
The Story of a Quilt: Mona Jane Beers’ Baby Quilt
/in Blog /by IssqEricaToday marked the first meeting of the Issaquah Quilters Guild at the Issaquah Depot. I’m pleased that the Guild has chosen the freight room as their new meeting space. I dropped by this morning to welcome them, to share some information about Issaquah’s history, and to show off one of the quilts in our collection. Aside […]
Today in History: January 7, 1953
/in Blog /by IssqEricaFifty-three years ago today (January 7. 1953), a Douglas C-54 Flying Tiger cargo plane flew into Squak Mountain and exploded. All seven of the passengers were killed. Phil Dougherty’s account on HistoryLink.org draws on original news coverage of the incident, as well as interviews with people who remember the event. Issaquah’s history has been marked […]
Henry L. Beebe, Three-Day Marshal
/1 Comment/in Blog /by IssqEricaWe are in the process of updating our web site, and as I go through the many, many files that make up the site, I’ve been reading some of the pages for the first time in years. It struck me that many of the biographies of police and marshals bear updating, now that we have […]
Today In History: December 10, 1909
/in Blog /by IssqEricaThe December 10, 1909 Issaquah Independent reported that the school board had placed a drinking fountain on the school grounds for the benefit of the pupils. Progress!
Researching Monohon
/in Blog /by IssqEricaMonohon was a small town on the banks of Lake Sammamish. The town was centered around a lumber mill, which burned down in 1925. Today, the Waverly Heights development is located there. Over the years we have received visits from a number of people who live in Waverly Heights and want to know more about their […]
Welcome!
/in Blog /by IssqEricaAlthough we deal with the past on a daily basis, we also try to keep current. Staff and volunteers at the Issaquah History Museums will use this blog to share bits and pieces of what we do with readers. If you have a question about Issaquah’s history, or an item to share, let us know!