Governor Inslee directs that Washington State and United States flags at all state agency facilities be lowered to half-staff Wednesday, April 15, in honor of a Day of Remembrance for President Abraham Lincoln. President Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865, and died on April 15, 150 years ago.

Flags should remain at half-staff until the end of the day on April 15 or first thing Thursday morning, April 16.

Other government entities, citizens and businesses are encouraged to join this recognition. Please call (360) 239-1317 if you have any questions about this flag lowering.

Ja, sure, you betcha!

On Saturday April 25 from 11:00am to 3:00pm in the University Center at PLU, the Scandinavians are taking over with booths, costumes, music and delightful cuisine.

Sponsored by the Scandinavian Cultural Center of Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington, this event is sure to delight.

Welcome to the 39th annual Norwegian Heritage Festival! The festivities start at 11am and runs until 3pm. Come get a taste of Norwegian culture and foods.

There will be musical entertainment, vendors, information booths, craft demonstrations, and a Norwegian cafe!

Old time homemade Norwegian favorites such as rømmegrøt, lefse, and pølse i lompe will be served! Admission is FREE!

Today I had the privilege of joining the Nisqually Tribe of Indians out on JBLM in the artillery impact zone.  This is a special treat the base provides to the Tribe so they can visit parts of their reservation that were condemned and are unreachable due to the dangerous activities in the area.

More of the story will come later.

Here is a photo of Nisqually Lake where the Ross Family homestead once stood. Charles Ross was the son of Isabella and Charles Ross who opened Fort Victoria for the Hudson’s Bay Company. Charles worked for the HBC and had one of the Puget Sound Agricultural Company farms by the lake. Charles’ sisters were married to Henry Murray (son Nelson opened the Roy General Store) and Charles Wren (whose daughter Isabella was the mother of Hubert and Maude Wren of Roy).

Sunday, July 19 is the annual meeting and potluck picnic for the Spanaway Historical Society. Held at the Prairie House Museum, the annual party is a fun family event that includes a chance to see all the displays at the museum.

Burgers, hot dogs and coffee are supplied by the historical society. Attendees bring favorite dishes and usually there is also some entertainment, often it is the Tacoma Banjo Club although their invitation did not state who it is this year.

Come out and join the fun, learn a little history of the area that was once a hunting and gathering area for the Puyallup and Nisqually Tribes and then Hudson Bay Company farmland until 1869. The lake that was at one time a water source for the City of Tacoma and the park that sprang from the abandonment of that water supply to the city.

Have you ever been driving around Washington state and seen something that appeared to be incredibly historic and didn’t know how to find out more? Well, some of your wondering has a resource.

The Department of Archaeology and Historical Preservation’s Wisaard online database provides access to the state’s inventory of historic properties including properties listed on the Heritage Barn Register, Washington Heritage Register (State Register), and the National Register of Historic Places. Use this link to begin searching.

Have fun history buffs!

The Spanaway Historical Society’s Christmas Open House, will be Sunday, Dec 11, from 1-3pm. The house is all decorated, even the dollhouse! Come out for some old fashioned Christmas cheer and maybe pick up a wreath for your and support your local museum.

The Spanaway Historical Society’s Prairie House Museum is located at 812 E. 176th Street in Spanaway.

On Wednesday, April 5th, come spend the afternoon with us at the Prairie House Museum. This will be our 27th Kids’ Day. Enjoy life at the turn of the century. Tour our 1890’s farm house and outbuildings.

Make butter, pop popcorn, see farm animals. We have lots of displays including a large Dollhouse all decorated for your enjoyment. Check out our Homestead Room, blacksmith shop, milk house and cabin. We’ll be open from 1-3pm for kids of all ages. Best of all its free, we do happily accept donations.

Hope to see you there! We’re located at 812 E 176th St., Spanaway, WA 98387. Our phone number is 253-536-6655.

LEARN about the rich history of Parkland and the ongoing urbanization of our communities.
Find out how to effectively ADVOCATE for the needs of our neighborhoods.
ENGAGE with other committed volunteers and leadership in and around Parkland.

When: Wednesday. April 12, at 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM

Mayfair/138thE/Brookdale Safe Streets Community Meeting Agenda:

*Safe Streets Campaign Updates – Grace Eichner

*Mayfair Dream Project Updates – Kristina North

*Nature Parks Development in Parkland
– Jessica Stone, PC Parks and Recreation Department

*PARKLAND Past, Present, and Future
– Marianne Scott Lincoln, Scandanavian CC, Pierce Prairie POST
– Cindy Becket, Watershed Steward, Pierce Comm Coalition

*Community Roundtable

WHERE: Parkland-Spanaway PC Sheriff Precinct (behind Frank’s Donuts and Subway at 141st & Pacific Avenue)

Sunday, July 16 is the Annual Meeting and Picnic for the Spanaway Historical Society at the Prairie House Museum,  812 E. 176th Street in Spanaway, Washington.

The picnic begins a little before noon on Sunday. Hamburgers, hotdogs and lemonade are supplied and the participants bring potluck dishes, salads and desserts. Many of the attendees are descended from early settlers of the area and can tell as many stories as the exhibits in the museum itself.

For more information on the Prairie House Museum, check this site.

Proposal No. R2017-121: A Resolution of the Pierce County Council Approving the 2018 Pierce County Historic Preservation Grant Fund Disbursement as Recommended by the Pierce County Landmarks and Historic Preservation Commission.

The commission removed the Spanaway Community Association proposal for historic road signs. Spanaway, as a community altered after the Growth Management Act and losing its original community character proposed to have some of its history preserved just as other communities in Pierce County have been allowed through county funds. This hearing on November 14 at 3:00 p.m. is the last chance to convince the county council to approve the additional grant request. The funds ARE available according to the original committee, yet the chopped it off anyway.

Call or email your councilperson immediately if you feel it should be restored and funded.

Exhibit 1 A to Resolution No. R2017-121

 Council  District Building Applications – Ranked In Order Funded Amount
2 Northpoint Cooperative Preschool–Plumbing Replacement $15,000
7 PenMet Parks Arletta School-Roof & Trim Replacement $15,000
2 Points NE Historical Society–Generator Bldg Restoration $11,700
6 Steilacoom Historical Society–Orr House/Wagon Shop Windows $12,000
6 Pacific Lutheran University-Harstad Hall Masonry Restoration $15,000
4 Kilcup/Rebecca House 224 N Yakima Ave-Window Repair $15,000
4 Knights of Pythias 926-½ Broadway- LED Light Replacement $ 2,000
7 Fox Island Chapel Preservation Society-Floor Replacement $ 9,013
TOTAL $94,713

Council District Non-Building Applications – Ranked In Order Funded Amount
4 Tacoma Historical Society- Collection Care/On-Line Catalog $4,990
7 Gig Harbor Peninsula Historical Society-Shenandoah Restoration $5,000
County Wide History Ink- Writing Our History: Pierce County History On-Line $5,000
County Wide Shanaman Sports Museum–Pierce Co. Sports History Narrative $5,000
4 Pierce County Superior Court- Courthouse History Project $5,000
7 Key Peninsula Historical Society- Collection Care Storage $3,000
7 Slavonian American Benevolent Society: Preserving Our Heritage $5,000
TOTAL $32,990

TOTAL RECOMMENDED APPLICATION FUNDING $127,703

Council District Projects Not Recommended for Funding-Ranked in Order if Funding Available
4 Historic Tacoma-Narrative Plaques & Pedestals (non-bldg) $4,791
2 McMillin School/Grange #848-Entry Hall Restoration (bldg) $4,061
4 Buffalo Soldiers Museum: Honoring Past/Embracing Future (non-bldg) $5,000
 3 Spanaway Community Assn– Historic Road Names (non-bldg) $4,895
6 Lakewood Historical Society–Historic Marker/Research (non-bldg) $3,000
TOTAL $21,747

 Council District Projects Removed From Consideration by Applicant/LHPC-Requested Amount
3 Forterra-Wildlife Preserve Barn – Roof Repairs – Applicant Removal $10,675
4 Tacoma Mausoleum & Mortuary – Roof Stabilization – LHPC Removal $15,000
TOTAL $25,675

By Marianne Lincoln

There has been another development proposed on the Brookdale Golf Course. I have yet to learn if the developer is aware of, or even cares if, there are wagon ruts from the northernmost route of the Oregon Trail there. Certainly, there is an official Oregon Trail marker on Brookdale Road in front of the Golf Course. Several years ago, when a development proposal was stopped, I was offered a golf cart and a chance to tour the premises, whereupon I took many photos.

The current proposal is in a postponement phase of indeterminate length. Neighbors discovered the presence of the development plans accidentally, not by notification. This is indeed a gripping reason that notification is urgently important for developments. The current County Council has a proposal in committee to change Title 18 Development Regulations that includes the stoppage of notification processes. If you never write to your council person, that alone is an extreme example of a time you need to speak up.

The Parkland Group has invited the developer to a public meeting on January 11, 2017 at 6:30 p.m. at Elmhurst Elementary School, 420 133rd St E, Tacoma, WA 98445. This will be an opportunity for them to explain the project and for the community to ask questions and you to request modifications that maintain our historic site.

The Longmire Party of 1853 was the first group to cross Naches Pass, the road was not even completed. The group had to wait at the top of the pass at the end of October 1853, slaughter 3 oxen, tan hides and create rope to let the wagons down the mountainside above Greenwater. The site of that wagon lowing is marked by Boy Scout made signs up on the #70 Road 2 miles above Greenwater on SR410. That group included the James Longmire family, the Benjamin Wright family, which settled on the land that became Marymount, and the Mahons, who owned the Donation Land Claim that is now the Brookdale Golf Course. The Christopher Mahon family welcomed new settlers and cared for them until they could establish their own homesteads. The Mahon family cemetery is located on the golf course. These facts are noted in most every Pierce County History book.

1-2-2018

Hello Marianne,

I am writing in response to your email concerning a housing development at the Brookdale Golf Course.

While the location is a marked site on the old Oregon Trail in Washington, it is not part of the Oregon National Historic Trail (NHT) as currently designated by Congress. The NHT at present does not extend into Washington. Therefore this office, which administers the NHT for the National Park Service, cannot weigh in on the matter. You could note in your comments, though, that the Naches Trail is a study route under consideration for possible designation to the Oregon NHT. 

Your best bet for getting some attention for your historic preservation concerns is to contact the Washington State Historic Preservation Office about this Oregon Trail property. First, ask if the development project has a federal nexus of any kind that makes it a federal undertaking, subject to the National Historic Preservation Act. Second, ask if there is a state law that requires impacts of development on historic properties to be considered in the permitting or planning processes. If the answer is yes to either of these questions, tell them about the wagon ruts and ask if the property has been  professionally evaluated for eligibility to the National Register of Historic Places. Ask if there is a public review process in which you can become involved.

A second avenue is to contact the developers directly, ask if they are aware of the presence of the ruts, and ask if they might be willing to protect and interpret the ruts as green space within their development. Often, developers are willing to do that because they want to be good civic neighbors, green space can enhance the value of their property, and they are genuinely interested in protecting historic places. An organization called the Oregon-California Trails Association might be willing to work with you on this and could assist the developers with interpretation of the site.

Good luck!

Lee Kreutzer
Cultural Resources Specialist/Archeologist
National Park Service, Branch Office, National Trails Intermountain Region
324 S. State Street, Suite 200
Salt Lake City, UT  84111

 From: David Welch
Sent: Monday, January 08, 2018 10:20 AM
Subject: RE: Naches Trail protection

As part of the designation process, the NPS Santa Fe has completed their feasibility study. It is in HQ DC review at the present time. When the review is completed it will be submitted to Congress. Could be later this year.

I have not spoken with Rep. Heck, but plan to at some future time with the help of David Nicandri

Dave Welch
former National Protection Officer for the Oregon-California Trails Association (OCTA)

PARKLAND, WA — On Thursday, January 11, 2018 at 6:30 p.m., there was a room at Elmhurst Elementary with over 100 people packed in, overflowing into the hallway and outside into the courtyard. The meeting was about the development of the Brookdale Golf Course into housing.

Paul Green, of Azure Green Consultants, LLC was the featured speaker. He brought his son and another associate to show the current plan for the site. Neighbors, local land use advisory committee members, local historians and politicians were present to see the story unfold. They signed in as parties interested in further information on the development.

Jesse Paez from Mayfair opened the meeting by introducing Marianne Lincoln of the Pierce Prairie Post, Pierce Communities Coalition, Spanaway Community Association and historian of the Descendants of Fort Nisqually Employees Association. Marianne brought photos of the original Hudson Bay Land Claim, points on the Naches Trail, the trail across the golf course and the cemetery on the golf course.

Mr. Green was then introduced. He noted he is aware of the history of the property. The Tolentire family told him as much as they know as former owners for several decades. He explained there are green spaces and open areas that assured everyone, allow for the historic parts to be available. But when questioned, did note they will be owned by the homeowners association, a private local entity, not a public access park.

Questions from the visitors began immediately. The questions focused heavily on the road impacts of 388 more houses on Brookdale Road in the already overcrowded road conditions of mid-county. The discuss grew rowdy at times, but thankfully never erupted. Sewer, water, flooding, school and other infrastructure concerns were expressed as well. It is a large development and still has not been fully vetted or approved by processes in the development regulations.

The next study on the development will be traffic. Because of this meeting and the sign up sheets, the public will hopefully have a chance to give input. It would be a travesty if they do not take the time to do so, There are serious impacts here. Willie Painter, Communications Director for Franklin Pierce Schools spoke to the school concerns. At 1.8 students per household, this development of 388 houses, represents another entire elementary school for the pipeline, 700 students.

The editor promised to keep up with the progress here in the Pierce Prairie Post and the Pierce Communities Coalition members present assured folks they, too will follow this. In addition, historians from the National Historic Trails have weighed in by email and meetings with County Council members.

Lee Kreutzer, the Cultural Resources Specialist/Archeologist for the National Park Service said, “While the location is a marked site on the old Oregon Trail in Washington, it is not part of the Oregon National Historic Trail (NHT) as currently designated by Congress. The NHT at present does not extend into Washington. Therefore this office, which administers the NHT for the National Park Service, cannot weigh in on the matter. You could note in your comments, though, that the Naches Trail is a study route under consideration for possible designation to the Oregon NHT.”

In an email from Dave Welch, a former National Protection Officer  for the Oregon-California Trails Association, regarding the Naches Trail, he said, “As part of the designation process [for the Naches Trail], the NPS Santa Fe has completed their feasibility study. It is in HQ DC review at the present time. When the review is completed it will be submitted to Congress. Could be later this year. I have not spoken with Rep. Heck, but plan to at some future time with the help of David Nicandri.”

Stay tuned, there is much fascinating Washington State history right here in Parkland. There are many more chapters for this story to come in the near future.

On March 14, 2018, Pierce Prairie Post Editor, Marianne Lincoln will be presenting to the University Place Historical Society on South Pierce County History at Windmill Village 3715 Bridgeport Way w., University Place, wa. 98466 building D2. Starting with the Graham Community Plan in 2004, Marianne went “all in” to learning as much as possible about the local area south of 112th Street.

Pierce County’s Crossroads

In the early 19^th Century, Lewis County, Oregon Territory encompassed all of what is now Western Washington. Starting with the settlement of Fort Nisqually and followed by an influx of Americans seeking Donation Land Claims, the South Puget Sound area became a battle for ownership of the land once only inhabited by American Indians. Marianne Lincoln has been working with descendants of those early settlers and local indigenous families to learn more of their stories and the real early history of Pierce County Washington.

Lincoln became historian for the group call Descendants of Fort Nisqually Employees Association and along with collecting family stories and see artifacts, has gone on may photo adventures around the area. This presentation will be about the nexus of those three groups, the American Settlers, the British settlers and the local Indian people between 1832 and 1871.

Pierce County, Washington came into existence after Oregon became a state in 1853. Prior to that time, this area was considered to be part of Lewis County, Oregon Territory. That detail makes some historical research tricky.

Another complicating factor in Pierce County history is the ownership claim of the Hudson Bay Company (HBC). When Washington Territory began in 1853, the boundary with Canada (1846) and the claim of the HBC needed to play out. The decision was in the courts until 1867 and a major portion of Pierce County was technically unavailable for settlement by Americans until the agreement was paid in 1869. Old Tacoma and the Ruston/Point Defiance area were the only portions of Pierce County west of the Puyallup Valley that were open to settlers. (Note the red line boundary of the HBC claim)This included land south to the Muck and Graham Hills. Donation land claims (1850) desired by some former HBC employees and other settlers were not surveyed until 1871. This was even after the Homestead Act (1862).

Dotted all over early Anglo-Pierce County were farming stations that raised cattle, sheep, horses, pigs and grain crops (barley, oats, wheat) for the Puget Sound Agricultural Company (PSAC). Spanueh was one of those stations. Spanueh, a local-Indian word meaning “place to dig roots” was the name that preceded the name Spanaway. It was also phonetically spelled “Spinally” in case you want to try that pronunciation. The stories of a Chief Yawanaps or being a “span” away (10 miles) from Steilacoom are not the actual origins of the name. Research into HBC letters and documents in recent years (2004 to present) has begun to reveal more detail of this local history, formerly skewed by local settlers distaste for the British and Indian of the area.

In Parkland, just west of the Shibig farm where today you see “Fruit-on-the-Loop,” was another HBC farm called Sastuc. Sastuc was named for the band of Indian people associated with the Steilacoom area. The Steilacoom Tribe, although not Federally recognized, was part of the Medicine Creek Treaty. The Tribe has a museum of their history in Steilacoom.

Another notable piece of information on the HBC map is the image of wetlands throughout the county.

Since the inception of Pierce County, Washington, certain industries influenced the start up of various cities. Steilacoom and Tacoma were based on the water and therefore became trade-based cities. Tacoma also became a significant milling location for the timber trade in direct competition with Kapowsin as the railroad spurs gave that location a boost because it was in the midst of the great timber resources. The City of Tacoma formed in its present location due to its selection as the railroad terminus on the west coast.

Wilkeson, Carbonado and Buckley benefitted from the discovery of coal in their vicinities. Puyallup, Sumner and Orting grew due to the good soil for farming. They also suffered setbacks from flooding of the Puyallup, White and Carbon Rivers, later controlled with dikes in the Puyallup area.

Railroad spurs assisted several outer county location to grow. You can see the 1907 railroad spur building caused several 1909 incorporations. Word War 2 caused a few more and later, the state adoption of the Growth Management Act brought three more.

Here are the Pierce County city incorporation dates:

Steilacoom 1854, Tacoma 1875, Orting 1889, Buckley 1889, Puyallup 1890, Sumner 1900,
Ruston 1906, Milton 1907, Roy 1908, Fircrest 1908, Eatonville 1909, South Prairie 1909, Pacific 1909, Wilkeson 1909, Gig Harbor 1946, Carbonado 1948, Bonney Lake 1949, Dupont 1951, Fife 1957, University Place 1996, Edgewood 1996, Lakewood 1996

Places not incorporated:
Parkland, Spanaway, Midland, Summit, Summit View, South Hill, Elbe, Ashford, Alderton, McMillan, Frederickson, Waller, McKenna, Lacamas, Ohop, Ohop Bob, Elk Plain/Loveland

Places that have mostly vanished:
Fairfax, Glennis, Tanwax, Hillhurst, Kapowsin, Whittier, Greenbrook, Leber, Fisk, Crossing (aka Kings Crossing), Clay City, Electron

If you study the history of Pierce County Washington, you have to recognize the competition between American Settlers and British Settlers in the area.

The British settlers were aided by the presence of Fort Nisqually, their general store and purveyor of supplies and utensils to get started in this wilderness. Americans were reprimanded by peer pressure if they sought goods from the Fort. The town of Steilacoom was the main source of American supplies and the seat of government for U.S. interests.
During that time, Doctor William Fraser Tolmie, as the Factor in charge of Fort Nisqually as the cheif communicator for the Hudson Bay Company (HBC) and British interests locally. He wrote a considerable number of letters to settlers, officials and other British comrades. Many of those have been sitting in archives and not accessable to the average reader.
Historian, artist and author Steven Anderson, a University Place native, who formerly directed the Fort Nisqually site at Point Defiance Park for 10 years, has reached into those archives and started compiling those letters. Anderson currently resides in North Carolina.
Letters of Doctor William Fraser Tolmie from 1853 to 1855 will be in a book coming out next year. It is estimated to be about 400 pages, much larger than you average read. The information in these letters sheds a great deal of light into the power of the British and the Hudson Bay Company in the Pacific Northwest.
July 28, 2018, Steven Anderson joined with Jerry Ransey, Author of Stealing Puget Sound. Together they did a presentation at Dupont City Hall about this early history, the letters and the upcoming book.
This link is a video of the hour long presentation. It is fascinating to hear what they know about the interactions of the two sides before the Pig War and the final resolution of the Canadian Boundary.

A few days ago I visited Heritage Bank on the corner of Military Road and Pacific Avenue. As President of the Spanaway Community Association, the new manager began talking about adding photos to the wall, depicting the history of Spanaway. I told her I would bring some in short order.

In the past couple of days, I have been looking through my old photos at all the scenes of Spanaway Park, the trolley from Tacoma, the history of the Bushalier Donation Land Claim, the purchase of the lake property by the city of Tacoma for a municipal water supply and the construction of Marymount. Spanaway is truly a unique and amazing community. Once a major playground for residents of Tacoma and Puyallup, Spanaway has grown out of control in population without strong vision for its unique future.

Just a few years ago, local author Jean Sensel released the book Spanaway through the series Images of America. If you haven’t read it, it is available through most resellers. It is great to know the roots of your community. Uniquely, Spanaway is all about roots as that is what the native word ‘Spanueh’ was about, digging roots.

For those of you who a relatively new here, welcome. We hope that you will find this a great place to put down your roots.

Do you know the history of Spanaway and it surrounding area? Here is a good opportunity to make use of a day in the middle of Spring Break to explore, play and learn with your children or grandchildren at the Prairie House Museum in Spanaway.

April 3, 2019 from 1 to 3 p.m., the Prairie House at 812 E 176th St, Spanaway will be open for kids of all ages. Come out an join the fun with old fashioned games, animals and costumes.

The Pierce County Landmarks and Historic Preservation Commission is now accepting applications for the 2020 Preservation Matching Grant Program. These grants assist in funding preservation efforts in Pierce County.

The program’s goal is to distribute small, yet meaningful, matching grants to help promote historic preservation throughout the county. Grant requests can be made for two types of proposals:

•      Historic preservation (maximum request of $20,000) for stabilization, restoration or rehabilitation of properties listed on national, state and local historic registers.

•      History-related projects (maximum request of $5,000) include photograph or document preservation, historic markers, history research and public events and programs.

Nonprofit organizations, public agencies and owners of properties listed on local historic registers are eligible to apply. Recipients must provide matching funds.

Applications will be accepted until 3 p.m. May 10, 2019. Project activities must be completed by Nov. 10, 2020.

The grant guidelines and application form are available at piercecountywa.gov/historicpreservation.

Applications are evaluated by the Pierce County Landmarks and Historic Preservation Commission, which administers the grant program. The commission forwards project and funding recommendations to the Pierce County Council for