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Skagit River Journal of History & Folklore Free Home Page Stories & Photos The most in-depth, comprehensive site about the Skagit Covers from British Columbia to Puget Sound. Counties covered: Skagit, Whatcom, Island, San Juan, Snohomish & BC. An evolving history dedicated to committing random acts of historical kindness

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

Volume 9, Issue 51, Oct.-Dec. 2009 Subscribers Journal Online Sample Issue Launched on Jan. 1, 2001, now with 450+ stories

Click for tables of content for each issue
Issue 51	Issue 50	Issue 49	Issue 48	Issue 47	Issue 46	Archives to Issue 1

We plan for the Year 2010 to be a year of dozens and dozens of new postings of vignettes, short profiles and capsule summaries about pioneers and their descendants. We will also feature oral histories of past and present old-timers. Meanwhile, with Issue 51, we start this process early with transcripts of 99 short profiles of old-timers alive in 1989 and volunteering with the Skagit RSVP service.     For those of you who have been concerned about the news that the editor was hospitalized after discovery of cancer, follow this link to: "editor hospitalized." After radiation and very promising recuperation, Noel is doing very well and getting back to work this fall, completing the CD collection of Journal and is even back on his bicycle a mile or two per day.         See our new Puget Sound Mail, an irregular, sometimes bi-weekly journal within the Journal See table of contents below and click on underlined sample stories Launched on Jan. 1, 2001, now with 675+ stories

Menu of Historical Delicacies, Issue 51, October-December 2009 (Under construction)

Ella Nicholls in part 3 Gar Green's family, part 6 (click on those thumbnails for the stories)

We start a year-long process of adding dozens more profiles of pioneers and their descendants and old-timers among us. In this issue, 99 brief profiles of volunteers to the Skagit RSVP corps Part 1 (18) Part 2 (18) Part 3 (18) Part 4 (14) Part 5 (15) Part 6 (16) Updated history of early Northwest schools Earliest Skagit and Whatcom Schools, updated Eloise Ingman Stendal recalls Meadow School Merry Christmas to all. Read about pioneer Christmas celebrations on the Skagit River. History of the Eagles Aerie, Sedro-Woolley. Mystery solved; it began in 1902, not 1923. Prepared for the Aerie, reproduced here in an extensive .pdf form, with history of the state and national Eagles, the fraternal lodge that began in Seattle in 1898. Samuel Shea, Rockport area homesteader & bar and pool owner We correct the record: Lorenzo Lyman, upriver town founder, was a lawyer, not a doctor. More Issue 51 stories: Handy new portals 1. Odds and Ends Portal, includes stories that are brief, introductory or are in draft form. 2. Memoirs Portal for finding autobiographies and vignettes.

Menu of Historical Delicacies, Issue 50, June-September 2009

1880 Snow Nellie Coupe Howard Miller's steelhead

Clippings from the 1980 Seattle Intelligencer newspaper that report on the Ruby Creek Gold Rush Part One, January-May Part Two, May-December Schools history, Whatcom and Skagit First schools in Whatcom County and the area that became Skagit County in 1883 — updated with new data Biography of Nellie Coupe, an educator who made an impact on both Island and Whatcom counties. Profile of the Seabury family and Lloyd Seabury, 1970s Skagit author Skiyou pioneer Lloyd Seabury recalls the rampaging 1909 flood Lloyd Seabury recalls his neighbors, the Van Fleets, and the 1900 Skiyou neighborhood Ron Strickland's fine 1984 book, River Pigs and Cayuses, is long out of print. Here are four stories from it. Look for it in used-book stores. Mark Gilkey, the Skagit River gambler as a youth. Ralph Parker of Lyman explains the moonshine business Howard Miller guides you through the steelhead of the Skagit River Glee Davis and his family at Cedar Bar The Truth newsletter about evil liquor, ca. 1900 in Woolley.

Menu of Historical Delicacies, Issue 49, April-May 2009

The Coon Chicken Inn near Bothell Chief Sealth

Stan Stapp reminds us of the Coon Chicken Inn and Cotton Club between Seattle and Bothell Early Sedro and Woolley Albert G. Mosier recalls platting the three towns Harry L. Devin recalls how the three railroads formed the town lines 1903 story of the 1898 merger that formed Sedro-Woolley Junius Brutus Alexander, wealthy Sedro pioneer who pushed for the 1898 merger Northwestern Skagit County 1932 Obituary of Louisa Ann Conner, namesake of LaConner Obituary and profile of prominent Padilla pioneer Edgar A. Sisson Profiles and civil war memories of Northwest County and Padilla-area pioneers Ed Wells, A.G. Tillinghast and R.H. Ball Indians, Chief Sealth and Dr. Henry A. Smith Chief Sealth/Seattle's famous 1854 speech, in Dr. Henry A. Smith's words Dr. Henry A. Smith, Seattle pioneer, famous for recording the Chief's speech. By David M. Buerge Native Seattle, by Coll Thrush, about Seattle's native population, including Dr. Smith and Chief Sealth.

Menu of Historical Delicacies, Issue 48, February 2009 Harrison Clothier Woolley Saloon Fred Hegg Harrison Clothier and Edward G. English, founders of Mount Vernon Part One, the early years Part Two, logging, going separate ways Ed English kidnapped in 1908 and his obituary The first saloons in Sedro-Woolley, Skagit County and up the Skagit River F.A. Hegg and sons, Woolley's most famous grocers Part One, Fred Hegg from Minnesota to Woolley Part Two, Fred and sons become leading grocers Earl "Fuzz" Hegg excels and his Fuzzy Wuzzy Grocery Gust Gilbertson opens Sedro-Woolley J.C. Penney store, 1915 How J.C. Penney came from Missouri to Number One retailer

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Menu of Historical Delicacies, Double Issue 46 & 47, January 2009 Issue 46 Illustrated History of Skagit and Snohomish Counties, 1906 This issue is devoted to our most ambitious project so far, the transcription of chapters from the 1906 book that is the most important resource book for Skagit County historians, authors, genealogists and students. We have transcribed the first two chapters of the Skagit County section, nearly 75 pages in all. But most important, we have annotated each chapter with extensive footnotes that will illuminate pioneers, towns and events and provide links for background reading. This will be a double issue, with one chapter per issue. Introduction to the Illustrated History, with facts about the book that you may not have learned before, and background on its creators, along with a caveat for readers. Chapter One of Skagit County settlement. Part One of this chapter introduces you to the first settlers, especially on Fidalgo Island, and the first women to brave the wilderness. Chapter One of Skagit County settlement. Part Two of this chapter introduces you to more settlers, especially those on the south fork of the Skagit River and the area of the log jams where Mount Vernon would rise. Issue 47 Chapter Two of Skagit County, 1874-83. Part One of this chapter shares details of settlement, logging and early agriculture, and reviews the process of removing the log jams that shut off the upper stretches of the river from exploration. Chapter Two of Skagit County, 1874-83. Part Two of this chapter shares details of the first upriver settlement, sternwheeler steamboats and early mining discoveries, including the exciting, if brief, 1880 gold rush to Ruby Creek, settlement, logging and early agriculture, and reviews the process of removing the log jams that shut off the upper stretches of the river from exploration.

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Thinking about gifts for reunions, birthdays or other occasions? Due to continued popular demand, in the interest of furthering our "open source" policy, we are assembling a collection of CDs that will include MS Word files of our pioneer profiles and town profiles from years 1-5, so that you can print them individually at your convenience. They will be organized by region: Sedro-Woolley & surrounding area; Upper Skagit River from Utopia to Cascades plus logging, hunting and fishing; Western Skagit County and other counties. See our site with details of what is offered and the prices and ordering information..

Getting lost trying to navigate or find stories on our site? Read how to sort through our 680-plus stories.
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Our new weekly column, Puget Sound Mail (but don't call it a blog) debuted on Aug. 9, 2009. Check it out.

See this Journal Timeline website of local, state, national, international events for years of the pioneer period. Did you enjoy this story? Remember, as with all our features, this story is a draft and will evolve as we discover more information and photos. This process continues until we eventually compile a book about Northwest history. Can you help? Remember; we welcome correction & criticism. Please report any broken links or files that do not open and we will send you the correct link. With more than 700 features, we depend on your report. Thank you. Read about how you can order CDs that include our photo features from the first five years of our Subscribers Edition. Perfect for gifts. You can click the donation button to contribute to the rising costs of this site. You can also subscribe to our optional Subscribers-Paid Journal magazine online, which enters its tenth year with exclusive stories, in-depth research and photos that are shared with our subscribers first. You can go here to read the preview edition to see examples of our in-depth research or read how and why to subscribe. You can read the history websites about our prime sponsors Would you like information about how to join them in advertising? Our newest sponsor: Cygnus Gallery, 109 Commercial St., half-block uphill from Main Street, LaConner. Open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11 am to 5 p.m., featuring new monthly shows with many artists, many local. Across the street from Maple Hall, 1886 Bank Building and Marcus Anderson's 1969 historic cabin. Their website will be up in early 2010. Oliver-Hammer Clothes Shop at 817 Metcalf Street in downtown Sedro-Woolley, 88 years. Oliver-Hammer Clothes Shop at 817 Metcalf Street in downtown Sedro-Woolley, 88 years. Peace and quiet at the Alpine RV Park, just north of Marblemount on Hwy 20, day, week or month, perfect for hunting or fishing Park your RV or pitch a tent by the Skagit River, just a short drive from Winthrop or Sedro-Woolley Joy's Sedro-Woolley Bakery-Cafe at 823 Metcalf Street in downtown Sedro-Woolley. Check out Sedro-Woolley First section for links to all stories and reasons to shop here first or make this your destination on your visit or vacation. Are you looking to buy or sell a historic property, business or residence? We may be able to assist. Email us for details.

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