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Noel V. Bourasaw, editor 810 Central Ave., Sedro-Woolley, Washington, 98284 Home of the Tarheel Stomp Mortimer Cook slept here & named the town Bug
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Skiyou Gothic

Cookson Beecher and Dean Harrington with proof that corn does indeed rise as high as an elephant's eye, as that wonderful tune from Oklahoma goes. They are famous for their dahlias, which they sell to the owners of smart homes and living rooms throughout the Skagit Valley. But they are most famous for just being so darned cute as they work daily to protect their vast garden safe from wabbits, weeds and moles. If only Grant Wood were around to paint this scene. Photograph courtesy of Greg Platt, the bicycle doctor of Sedro-Woolley, the fine associate of Oliver-Hammer Clothes Shop and the inventor of the world-famous Hashbrowner. Click on photo for an even larger format version

A temperance inn for Skagit river travelers       At the mouth of Skiyou slough, C.F. Hess has made a clearing and built a comfortable hotel. The still stretch of river, the forest stretching up the side of Little mountain, and the higher ranges in the distance, make a beautiful view. It is just the place for a week's fishing or a summer's rest from overwork. There are no liquors sold and nothing to annoy the most delicate nerves. Those going up the river will do well to stop here. Crossing the slough at his ferry will save two good miles.

American Gothic by Grant Wood

      Now, regarding Hess. He had two daughters, one of them about 13 years old. He moved his family onto his ranch, near the mouth of Skiyou slough, above Charlie Wicker's place. The older girl, Flora, died and was buried on the farm in a homemade cedar coffin, as was the custom in the early days. A few years late he sold the farm and dug her body up to take it with them. When they got it to to the surface it was petrified, turned to solid stone.

Harrington and Beecher live in this farm house above, which was probably built before 1920. It was long known as the Claus house, for the family that lived there and raised their children there for several decades. The Sapp family lived right around the corner of the Hoehn road, the Skiyou school still stands a little further up, and Hoehn crosses Fender Creek (named for the maiden name of a maternal Claus ancestor). Your editor attended many 4-H meetings there in his youth and he picked strawberries in the field across the lane that belonged to the Metcalf family. To the left you can see Cookie and Dean's driveway, which leads to a magical stand of trees, a barn that is trying to fall down but has not yet succeeded, and Dean's inexhaustible collection of automobiles, including a convertible Pontiac that we long to ride in. Hess' hotel was located across the slough a couple of miles to the southeast, but his daughter's bones were found very close to the present house and barn.

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