Luther J. Wyckoff: Growing Lavender on Chambers Prairie

Number 14 April 2021

Artist Edward Lange and Tumwater, Washington

Heroes Among Us

Mystery Photos $5.00

THURSTON COUNTY HISTORICAL JOURNAL

The Thurston County Historical Journal is dedicated to recording and celebrating the history of Thurston County. The Journal is published by the Olympia Tumwater Foundation as a joint enterprise with the following entities: City of Lacey, City of Olympia, Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, Daughters of the American Revolution, Daughters of the Pioneers of Washington/Olympia Chapter, Lacey Historical Society, Old Brewhouse Foundation, Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, South Sound Maritime Heritage Association, South Thurston County Historical Society, Thurston County, Tumwater Historical Association, Yelm Prairie Historical Society, and individual donors.

Publisher Editor Olympia Tumwater Foundation Karen L. Johnson John Freedman, Executive Director 360-890-2299 Lee Wojnar, President, Board of Trustees [email protected] 110 Deschutes Parkway SW P.O. Box 4098 Editorial Committee Tumwater, Washington 98501 Drew W. Crooks Jennifer Crooks 360-943-2550 James S. Hannum Erin Quinn Valcho www.olytumfoundation.org

Obtaining a Copy of the Journal

The Journal does not offer a subscription service. To get your own copy, join one of the heritage groups listed at the top of this page. These groups donate to the publication of the Journal, and thus receive copies to pass on to their members. Issues are also available for purchase at the Bigelow House Museum, Crosby House Museum, and Lacey Museum, and occasionally at Orca Books in downtown Olympia and Hedden’s Pharmacy in Tenino.

One year after print publication, digital copies are available at www.ci.lacey.wa.us/TCHJ.

Submission Guidelines

The Journal welcomes factual articles dealing with any aspect of Thurston County history. Please contact the editor before submitting an article to determine its suitability for publication. Articles on previously unexplored topics, new interpretations of well-known topics, and personal recollections are preferred. Articles may range in length from 100 words to 10,000 words, and should include source notes and suggested illustrations. Submitted articles will be reviewed by the editorial committee and, if chosen for publication, will be fact-checked and may be edited for length and content. The Journal regrets that authors cannot be monetarily compensated, but they will gain the gratitude of readers and the historical community for their contributions to and appreciation of local history.

Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Olympia Tumwater Foundation.

ISSN 2474-8048

Number 14 Table of Contents April 2021

2 Luther J. Wyckoff: Growing Lavender on Chambers Prairie Mary Paynton Schaff

21 Artist Edward Lange and Tumwater, Washington Drew W. Crooks

37 Heroes Among Us Karen L. Johnson

46 Mystery Photos

Back Cover Who/What/Where Is It?

On the cover: Lavandula angustifolia ‘Wyckoff.’ Photograph by Joy Creek Nurse- ry, Scappoose, Oregon. Used by permission. See related article on page 2.

LUTHER J. WYCKOFF: GROWING LAVENDER ON CHAMBERS PRAIRIE

Mary Paynton Schaff

INTRODUCTION

It is perhaps a little-known occupa- tional hazard that librarians are often drawn into the questions they field to an alarming degree. Provide any of us with an intriguing historical fact or personage, and we are quickly down the research rabbit hole trying to find out what else may be discovered. After fifteen years at the Washington State Library, this has been my experience too many times to count—but perhaps there is no better example than the search set off by Erin Quinn Valcho of the Lacey Museum in April 2015.

Erin wondered what the State Library had on the lavender farm that used to exist near the Horizon Pointe development in Lacey. She didn’t have exact dates at the time, but it was clear this was a very early example of commercial lavender growing in our state. I sent Erin the materials I was able to L. J. Wyckoff in an image captured by locate in our collections at that time, a street photographer at 4th and Pine and she wrote an article that appeared in Seattle; undated. Photograph courte- in the Spring 2015 issue of Museum sy of Emmy Fairfield. Musings.1

And yet even after Erin’s initial ques- did his farm come to be forgotten? tion was answered and her article Nearly six years after Erin’s inquiry, it written, the topic stuck with me. Who was clear that only a more in-depth was L. J. Wyckoff? How did he get in- examination of the Chambers Prairie volved in lavender growing, and how lavender farm, and the intriguing man 2

behind it, would exorcise “the lavender fully intelligent” and “a well-educated farm question” from this reference li- agronomist.”7 brarian’s obsessive need to research it further. A letter to the editor Wyckoff wrote to The Seattle Times in March 1932 indi- L. J. WYCKOFF—EDUCATION AND WORK cates there may be reason to doubt he had a formal education after high Luther James Wyckoff, identified as L. school. In it, Wyckoff decried excessive J. Wyckoff in all his professional writ- spending on public schooling, urging ing, was born December 8, 1881 in cuts to both elementary and higher Galesburg, Illinois,2 the eighth and education: last child born to James D. and Mary Wyckoff.3 Luther’s father was a Con- “While I doubt if many would be will- gregational minister who received his ing to go as far as I would in reducing seminary training at Union Seminary our elementary schools to their skele- in New York, and was awarded a Doc- ton of the three ‘R’s,’ I believe every tor of Divinity from Knox College in thinking person will agree that a great Galesburg. James spent much of his deal of adipose [fatty] tissue has ap- ministry in Stark County, Illinois, and peared of recent years that could well at the time of his death in 1909 had be done away with . . . If we could one son serving as an Episcopal rec- close a majority of these institutions of tor4 and another, Charles Truman higher learning . . . and restrict such Wyckoff, with a Ph.D. in History, serv- education to those whose mental qual- ing as Dean of the Lower Academy at ifications would indicate that such ed- Bradley Polytechnic (now Bradley Uni- ucation would be of benefit and stop versity) in Peoria, Illinois5—as well as stuffing a lot of useless information two daughters working as missionar- into heads that have not the capacity ies in China. to retain even a small fraction of it, we should be able to effect very consider- It is unclear whether Luther Wyckoff able savings along this line, without pursued or obtained a secondary edu- loss to the nation as a whole.”8 cation like his brothers. The Wheaton College Register for both 1897-1898 Wyckoff appears in Seattle in 1906, and 1898-1899 shows him enrolled in boarding with his sister Susan and the science department at Wheaton her husband Charles Congleton, an College preparatory school,6 but un- attorney.9 It seems likely his brother- fortunately no subsequent enrollment in-law used his connections to assist information could be verified. His pro- Wyckoff in finding a job in real estate, fessional writing shows he possessed a as both are listed as working at the curious and inventive mind, but aca- same address in the New York Build- demic credentials were never cited. ing in downtown Seattle. However, it Wyckoff’s neighbor, Shirley Englehart does not seem Wyckoff remained in- Cronk, remembers him as “wonder- debted to his brother-in-law for very 3

long. Subsequent censuses show ed the start of his experiments with Wyckoff spent the majority of his pro- the plant to a dinner table discussion fessional career in Seattle as a sales- in the summer of 1926. man, selling everything from leather belts to oysters to insurance.10 “Talking of the possibilities of small Wyckoff moved quickly on the family scale commercial flower growing, front as well: by January 1907, brought to mind the Lavender plants Wyckoff had married June Lee which grew so well in our gardens and McKay,11 called Dearie by everyone in the use of dried blossoms, long a the family.12 Their sons Luther James standard practice. In suggesting this Wyckoff, Jr. and John McKay Wyckoff feature as an interesting side-line, I were both born in Seattle by 1909. made a casual remark as to thinking that there was an oil produced from AN IDEA GERMINATES this flower as well.

Writing years later about his interest “Having aroused my own curiosity and in growing lavender, Wyckoff attribut- a subconscious pioneering instinct by

The L. J. Wyckoff family, 1916. Left to right, John M. Wyckoff, June “Dearie” Wyckoff, Luther J. “Jim” Wyckoff, Jr., and Luther J. Wyckoff Sr. Photograph courtesy of Emmy Fairfield. 4

this remark, a visit to the library soon opened my eyes to the wide range of essential oils and gave me a mass of information as to the Lavender plant and its uses.”13

Wyckoff’s backyard lavender on Queen Anne Hill thrived in the Chimacum Puget Sound region’s rocky and well-drained soil, and he observed that “the luxuriant growth and abundant blooms made by this plant in the Seat- tle region suggested the proba- bility that it would produce con- Seattle / siderable oil per acre . . .”14 Bothell Spurred by his experience, library research, and natural curiosity, Wyckoff began by attempting to find planting stock with which to test his ideas.

Wyckoff’s research indicated that “true lavender,” or La- Lacey vandula angustifolia (English lavender), would produce the The Puget Sound region, showing Wyckoff’s highest quality lavender oil. He three bases of lavender operations. therefore set about gathering samples of English lavender from the large ornamental lav- production seems to have begun in enders growing around the Seattle ar- the fall of 1927 with Wyckoff, when he ea, as well as from local nurseries.15 recalled:

It was about this time Wyckoff’s part- “One of their representatives called nership with the United States De- while in this district on other matters. partment of Agriculture (USDA) offi- After noting the seemingly favorable cially began. The USDA had signed an conditions, he made a proposition that agreement with the Associated Manu- I should act as collaborator with them facturers of Toilet Articles in January under a project financed by a manu- 1924 which funded the investigation facturer’s association for the develop- and development of raw perfume prod- ment of possible domestic sources of ucts.16 Investigation into lavender oil supply of this and other similar oils.”17 5

According to Rod Cook of Olympia, apparent failure of the distillation ef- President of Ag-View Consulting, fort was a blow, and seems to have “collaborators” with the USDA were been the primary cause for abandon- private citizen farmers who provided ing the Bothell location the following the driving interest in new types of ag- year.22 ricultural crop opportunities, and who could be relied upon by USDA scien- By March 1932, Wyckoff was back, tists to provide the field work, docu- moving his plants to an enormous mentation, and experimentation with 160-acre site at Oak Bay, one mile those new agricultural products for east of Chimacum in Jefferson Coun- eventual scientific interpretation and ty, in the hopes of generating more commercial development.18 In the arti- commercial interest in his project.23 cle he co-authored with USDA scien- During the intervening time, Wyckoff tist A.F. Sievers, Wyckoff made it had sought to procure as many sam- clear he counted on money from the ples of true lavender as possible, even USDA to provide “seed, planting stock, going so far as to purchase seeds and and distilling equipment.”19 slips from France (all but about a doz- en of the several hundred slips died en The first major planting of young lav- route).24 Wyckoff determined that the ender cuttings, or slips, propagated location on the Olympic Peninsula from Wyckoff’s samples began in the would have favorable climate and soils spring of 1928 on two acres of cleared conducive to the growth of his plants. ground in Bothell. The first efforts to However, the hoped-for commercial distill the plants into oil took place in interest did not arise and Wyckoff 1928 and 1929 but were largely un- found himself in dire financial straits successful, according to Wyckoff’s re- almost immediately: ports. In 1930, the USDA provided the funding to set up a still at Bryant Mill “Just when it seemed everything was and Lumber Company in Seattle20 going smoothly, the proposed financ- where, finally, a substantial crop of oil ing blew up, partly because of the was produced. Unfortunately, after Roosevelt depression and even more scientific analysis, it was determined because of the peculiar methods of the that the oil was of a poorer quality due government about that time. This left to the fact that the plants processed the operator way out on a weak limb, were not true lavender after all, but badly over-extended in the property varieties of hybrids (Lavandula x inter- tied up and like the Irishman and the media).21 Wyckoff and Sievers wildcat, neither able to hang on or let acknowledged that, “the botanical dif- go. Unable to clear more ground or ferences are so slight and the varia- care for the obligations assumed, the tions in type of the true lavender so planting was moved to a second- considerable that it is almost impossi- choice location on some prairie ground ble to definitively classify a plant as where a small tract was rented and true lavender by inspection.” But the arrangements made for a room with 6

The boundaries of the Plant Research Foundation’s property at one time spanned the entire triangle between Yelm Highway, Ruddell Road, and the Burlington North- ern railroad tracks, as depicted on this 1968 USGS Topographic Map. Due to financial hardships, this expansion was fairly short-lived. The striped rectangle approxi- mates the sixteen acres described by the Seattle Times in 1947 which made up the core of the lavender farm. The circled three small squares, on the east side of the current intersection of Ruddell Road and 66th Ave SE. mark the location of Wyckoff’s home and outbuildings, as Shirley Cronk remembers them “at the end of the lane.” U.S. Geological Survey, “East Olympia quadrangle, Washington – Thurston Co: 7.5 minute series (topographic),” 1969. Field checked 1959; photo- revised 1968. Courtesy of the Washington State Library, FED MAP-7 EAST OLYM- PIA 1969. the owner of the farm. This ground it seemed to be fairly satisfactory and had been farmed in grain for years had to serve as the only thing availa- and was badly worn out but as Laven- ble.”25 der seems to prefer a rather poor soil, 7

The Plant Research Foundation’s triangle of former property as shown by Google Earth in 2005, prior to the building of the Horizon Pointe neighborhood and Cham- bers Prairie Elementary School. Traces of old farm roads can be seen extending from the former location of the homestead at the intersection of Ruddell and 66th Ave. Image courtesy of Google Earth (accessed March 5, 2021).

FARMING ON CHAMBERS PRAIRIE gross returns from any of his sites), he DURING THE DEPRESSION seemed determined to make his pas- sion project work. For the next nine The rented “second-choice location” years, Wyckoff commuted to his laven- was a ten-acre plot on Chambers Prai- der farm from Seattle, “with the opera- rie, located just south of the intersec- tor driving down from Seattle Monday tion of Ruddell Road and Yelm High- morning and trying to get a week’s way, now the site of Chambers Prairie work done by Thursday noon before Elementary School. Wyckoff moved returning to attempt a gainful occupa- half of his Chimacum plants there in tion the rest of the week.”27 December 1932, and the rest in No- vember 1933.26 While the set-up clear- There was much to be done. Wyckoff ly was not ideal (he observed that if busied himself propagating his plants, they had been able to retain the Oak determining the best spacing and Bay site it would have seen the largest growing conditions on his acreage, 8

and experimenting with varieties of ers of Toilet Articles.32 Wyckoff report- plantings and fertilizers. Some speci- ed that the funding from the USDA mens of lavender germinated or grew was completely depleted in 1936, thus better in certain types of soil drainage. beginning a long struggle to keep the Slight differences in cuttings or plant- lavender farm afloat financially.33 ing methods meant that some trans- Writing about his experimentation in planted without difficulty, while others lavender farming for The American Per- grew sluggishly after being moved. fumer and Essential Oil Review in Oc- Lavender plants required weeding and tober 1935, he observed that commer- harvesting in order to collect the oil. cial success in the production of lav- To those ends, Archie Englehart, ender oil would require both many Shirley Englehart Cronk’s father, was acres dedicated to planting and suffi- employed during the Depression to cient funding in order to allow the pull weeds at the lavender farm for 50 farmer to work full-time at the endeav- cents a day.28 And due to the unique or, rather than treat it as a hobby or nature of the harvesting of lavender, sideline.34 Wyckoff built custom lavender harvesting implements by hand out of old THE HOBBY FARM WITH automobile and farm machine parts.29 INTERNATIONAL PRESTIGE

The distillation of lavender oil must L. J. Wyckoff finally obtained some take place fairly quickly after harvest- stability for his lavender farm with the ing. In 1933, facilities for distillation close of the Depression, financial were secured at the property of F. L. hardships notwithstanding. Lavender Baker at Hewitt Lake, just three miles grew well on Chambers Prairie and from the farm.30 A thousand pounds of continued investments in upgrades at lavender blossoms produced at the the farm made gradual improvements lavender farm were distilled into 6.4 in the production of high quality lav- pounds of oil in 1934. Perhaps hoping ender oil. to get even more of the process under his direct control, Wyckoff purchased In December 1935, Wyckoff, his wife a confiscated moonshiner’s still from a June, and their son Luther J. “Jim” United States Marshals Service auc- Wyckoff, Jr., incorporated the non- tion on July 17, 1934. Unfortunately, profit Plant Research Foundation “for the still was missing the condenser, a the purposes of continued scientific critical component. Wyckoff sued U. S. research.”35 Relying on the skills he Marshal A. J. Chitty and was awarded developed during his years in sales, $250 on September 19, 1935 for the Wyckoff Senior managed to solicit a faulty equipment.31 $250 donation for the foundation from “a principal executive of a large per- December 1934 also saw the termina- fume concern,” (the equivalent of tion of the agreement between the $4,621 in today’s money) as well as a USDA and the Associated Manufactur- $3,000 investment (today’s dollars: 9

$55,460) from another firm that expected “no return other than receipt of the small amounts of oil produced, which they used for testing and sam- pling the trade.”36

These donations to the foundation, as well as Wyckoff’s cashing in of personal assets, permitted the foundation to purchase the Chambers Prairie property and erect “a house of sorts,” as well as distilling facilities.37 Wyckoff listed himself as a farmer in the 1940 census;38 his part-time hobby farm was finally his full-time occupation. Luther and June moved to Chambers Prairie in 1941 and took up full-time residence in their home on what is now Ruddell Road.39

With Wyckoff stripped of a weekly commute from Seattle, he was now able to devote all his energies to the farm. The period from the 1940s through the early 1950s represented the pinnacle of the farm’s lavender oil production, and the entire family seems to have pitched in. Wyckoff’s granddaughter Emmy Fairfield recalls weeding the lavender plants with a hoe as troop trains full of waving sol- diers passed the farm.40

The hard work paid dividends, includ- In 1935, Wyckoff, his wife June, and ing some much needed publicity for son Jim incorporated the non-profit Wyckoff’s project. In 1947, the farm Plant Research Foundation which pur- was featured in the Seattle Times Sun- chased the property on Chambers Prai- day Pacific Parade Magazine. It de- rie. Secretary of State and Territory, scribed Wyckoff as “the only known Corporations and Trademarks, Non- commercial producer in the United Profit Corporations, 1885-1983, Wash- States of a crop called lavender” and ington State Archives, Olympia, Wash- waxed poetic about the place: ington. 10

“From early July through mid-August, L. J. Wyckoff’s farm a few miles southeast of Olym- pia is the sweetest- smelling and most beau- tiful place in the country. Motorists going by sniff and sniff. Then they look out over waving acres of a lake-like field of vary- ing shades of gorgeous color ranging from almost white to dark blue and all shades of laven- The Wyckoffs’ “house of sorts” (at least compared to der. Finally, they wonder the other houses where they lived on Queen Anne Hill what it’s all about. And in Seattle) on Chambers Prairie, circa 1940. The railroad passengers who Wyckoffs’ granddaughter Emmy remembers the large see this amazing specta- window on the main floor looked out across the prairie cle certainly must con- to Mt. Rainier. Thurston County Government, Asses- clude they’ve seen a mi- sor, Real Property Assessment Photographs, 1936- rage—there is no lake 1971, Washington State Archives, Olympia, Washing- with so many shades of ton. color.”41 page 1, the paper reported that Seager The profile described the farm as hav- had not only returned the previous ing twelve acres dedicated to commer- summer to assist “in test runs of the cial planting and four acres reserved lavender oil and generally checking for cultivation and experimentation, the operations,” he had arranged for and featured a photo of Wyckoff work- 5,000 of Wyckoff’s lavender cuttings to ing with his plants alongside John H. be shipped from the Olympia Airport Seager, chief chemist at the prestig- to London for planting “in English soil” ious beauty products company Yard- by Yardley and Co.42 ley and Co. of London, England. Seager was quoted as saying that Another front-page article written in Wyckoff’s plants were “better than av- 1951 called Wyckoff’s operation “the erage” and that he intended to take only lavender farm in the United several samples back to England with States,” and went into detail on his him to study and develop. distilling process. A photo showed farm workers C. E. Curtis and Wallace The relationship with Seager contin- A. Black putting 400 pounds of har- ued, according to an undated article vested lavender into a large steaming printed in The Daily Olympian. On vat. At the conclusion of distillation, 11

Wyckoff stated he could produce 2½ years and was regarded as the fore- pounds of lavender oil from the 400 most authority on the commercial cul- pounds of lavender cuttings.43 tivation of L. angustifolia in North America.”45 Wyckoff’s accomplishments also appeared in various agricultural publica- “EMBERS TURN TO ASHES” tions throughout the 1950s, including the Thurston County Soil Survey is- Even as Luther Wyckoff received pub- sued in 1958, in which it seems clear licity for his unique farm, he already his observations about soil conditions appeared to be predicting an end to conducive to the growing of lavender his lavender-growing career. Wyckoff were cited without credit.44 The au- was 69 years old in 1951 when he thors of the authoritative book on lav- wrote an article for Herb Grower Maga- ender, The Genus Lavandula, ob- zine about his experience growing lav- served, “By 1950 Wyckoff had been ender: producing lavender oil for nearly 25

L. J. Wyckoff’s granddaughters Virginia (left) and Emmy (right) at the lavender farm, late 1940s. The view is looking north towards what is now Yelm Highway, with Ruddell Road running along the left of the photo. Emmy recalls her grandfather running out to the highway to try and prevent folks driving by from stealing the lavender plants growing along the road. Shirley Cronk remembers Luther standing at the end of his lane on Yelm Highway, waiting for the mailman with packages of his lavender oil. Photograph courtesy of Emmy Fairfield. 12

“The limitations of advancing years attle Times in 1950 indicates that has deterred the operator from fan- Wyckoff might have resented this reli- ning what seemed to be a glowing ance. After condemning agricultural promise into a successful flame but price supports that only benefited instead has had to be content to “factory-type farmers who least need watch the dying embers turn to ashes. them,” as well as the efforts of labor For all that, it has been fun in many unions in general, Wyckoff decried ways, doing something different, government assistance programs: learning things no one could tell you, making contacts with lots of interest- “We have gone a long way on the road ing fine people and with the always to socialism already. No better exam- supporting hope that the work done ple is needed than the social security might result some day in real practical idea, spawned in Europe and grafted benefit . . . While this has been far on to our economy by the vote-getters, from a success story, there is the hope despite it being so contrary to our old- that the experience gained might be of er ideals of self-sufficiency, thrift and value to some other forward-looking individual pride. It has already proved individual who could go ahead with a how sadly it has reduced the morale of real Lavender development.”46 the people as a whole and weakened the fibre of most people. . . . It does From the beginning, Wyckoff had pur- not make for a contented citizenry sued the idea that commercial laven- with one group of hard-working fami- der growing could be profitable. Due lies existing on very small incomes to the Depression and other financial and others doing nothing and receiv- setbacks, Wyckoff was never able to ing more.”47 retain the large amount of property he believed necessary to create a profita- A 1958 agriculture report indicated ble commercial enterprise. Lavender that Wyckoff’s lavender farm was still growing was time intensive and expen- “reported to be the nation’s largest lav- sive, especially during the early years ender farm,”48 but the writing was on of plant establishment, and in his the wall. In September 1960, Plant Re- writings, Wyckoff issued warnings that search Foundation officers Luther and it was not expected to be profitable for June Wyckoff deeded the farm proper- the small farmer. Rather than conclu- ty to the Northern Pacific Railroad in sively proving that lavender farming exchange for $10 and Luther being could be profitable, Luther Wyckoff able to reside on the property for the instead settled for the establishment remainder of his life.49 The foundation of his nonprofit Plant Research Foun- itself was officially dissolved June 26, dation and depended on donations 1962 by its officers L. J. Wyckoff, given by likeminded individuals and June Wyckoff, C. E. Curtis, and John more profitable corporations. M. Wyckoff.50

Another letter to the editor of The Se- 13

Two young men harvest lavender at the Lacey farm, August 1955. Photograph courtesy of Emmy Fairfield.

Luther J. Wyckoff died in Olympia on station on the site. The building still January 1, 1969 at age 87.51 stands today but is now the Lacey South Precinct Police Station. Curi- LAVENDER LEGACIES ously, a short note at the bottom of the property records indicates that The Wyckoff “house of sorts” was ap- Fire District #3 burned the Wyckoff praised in April 1968, according to the home at the request of the railroad property records held at the Washing- sometime that same year.54 This story ton State Archives.52 However, after was also confirmed by Luther and Luther’s death in 1969 it quickly be- June’s granddaughter Emmy Fairfield, came clear the railroad had changes who was told the home was burned as in mind. Thurston County Fire District part of a training exercise55—the only #3 purchased a portion of the old lav- portion of Wyckoff’s legacy literally ender farm north of the homestead on “turned to ashes.” Ruddell Road from Burlington North- ern Railroad in 1971,53 and built a fire Why did the railroad feel it necessary 14

to destroy the home? It seems a rather One might wonder how things may drastic step for a building that was have been different if Wyckoff had only 30 years old at the time. The been able to develop his ideas at an property records show a somewhat earlier age. The discovery that he was surprising 40% depreciation of the working with the wrong type of laven- property in 1968.56 It is possible that der in Bothell delayed his seeing the the condition of the property alone true potential of his product by several merited its disposal. It is also possible years. The expiration of USDA funding that the home’s proximity to the rail- limited his scope, as did the hardships road tracks had made it something of of the “Roosevelt Depression.” Wyckoff a nuisance. Emmy Fairfield recalls even made attempts in the later 1940s that when freight trains would pass to expand his Chambers Prairie prop- the home, train-hopping migrant erty but was thwarted by his inability workers, possibly alerted by hobo to obtain a loan for the new farm- signs or graffiti, would often knock on land due to the wholly unique (at that the door looking for a meal. Dearie time) nature of his work.59 would always oblige them, often with a sandwich and a piece of homemade But Luther Wyckoff’s legacy is far from pie made from the berries grown there one vaguely remembered farm. It is all at the farm.57 It is conceivable that but confirmed that the L. angustifolia train hoppers attempted to squat in field varieties “Wyckoff Blue” and the home or outbuildings after the “Wyckoff White” were developed by Wyckoffs’ departure, thus warranting him, and those varieties live on in the destruction of all the buildings on nurseries and gardens across the the site. country.60 The Yardley of London website states that true lavender cultivars Aside from the fire station property, sought out and developed by John H. Burlington Northern retained the lav- Seager are still in use by Yardley in ender farm acreage, holding on to the their lavender fragrances today.61 land until the decision was made to build Centennial Station across Yelm In addition, Wyckoff’s prescience Highway in the late 1980s. The former about the suitability of climate of the site of the Plant Research Foundation Pacific Northwest, the Olympic Penin- remained undeveloped until the Hori- sula in particular, for growing laven- zon Pointe neighborhood was built be- der has stood the test of time. Sequim ginning in 2005. When land was hosts an annual lavender festival eve- cleared for the Chambers Prairie Ele- ry summer celebrating the success of mentary School in 2008, neighbors the lavender industry in the northern lamented the loss of the property’s Olympic Peninsula. Sixteen different trees and dirt bike tracks. No mention lavender farms display on the Google was made of the lavender that once map in the area just west of Wyckoff’s grew there.58 second location in Chimacum.62 Now far from being home to “the only 15

known grower of lavender,” Washing- 2 “Luther J. Wyckoff,” obituary, Daily ton State hosts at least 85 lavender- Olympian, January 2, 1969, page 7. related businesses according to the Secretary of State’s Corporations da- 3 1900 United States Census, Milton, tabase.63 DuPage, Illinois, population schedule, page 3, dwelling 65, family 69, Luther ACKNOWLEDGMENTS J. Wyckoff; digital image, Ances- try.com, http://www.ancestry.com The author wishes to thank: Erin (accessed March 23, 2021). Quinn Valcho, Curator of the Lacey Museum; Karen Johnson, Curator at 4 Find a Grave, database with images, the Schmidt House; Lanny Weaver, http://www.findagrave.com, memorial President of the Lacey Historical Soci- 107564253, James D. Wyckoff (1832- ety; Jewell Dunn and Tracy Rebstock 1909) (accessed January 19, 2021). at the Washington State Archives; Rod Cook of Ag-View Consulting; David 5 Bradley University, Bradley Polytech- Luftig and Mark O’English at Wash- nic Institute: The First Decade, 1897- ington State University Libraries; Ei- 1907 (Boston: Harvard University, leen Price at the Washington State 1908), Google Books, http://books. Historical Society; Wyckoff neighbor google.com/books?id=A5oaAAAA Shirley Englehart Cronk; and Cathy YAAJ (accessed January 12, 2021). Banta, Interlibrary Loan specialist ex- traordinaire, at the Washington State 6 Annual Register of Wheaton College, Library for their encouragement, as- 1897-98 (Wheaton, Illinois: Wheaton sistance, and patience in helping me College Press, 1898), page 71; Buswell tell this story. I would also like to say L ib r ar y , https://files.library. a special thanks to Emmy Fairfield, wheaton.edu/sc/lr/a-sc/archivespub granddaughter of Luther and June lications/catalogs/1897 - 1898 Wyckoff, who generously shared her catalog.pdf (accessed February 2, family’s stories and photos with me. I 2021). Thirty-Ninth Annual Register of hope this story of your grandfather’s Wheaton College, 1898-99 (Wheaton, lavender farm will be one that can be Illinois: Wheaton College Press, 1898), shared in your family for many years page 71; Archives of Wheaton College, to come. https://files.library.wheaton.edu/sc/ ______lr/a-sc/archives/publications/cata logs/1898-1899catalog.pdf (accessed NOTES March 24, 2021).

1 Erin Quinn Valcho, “Lacey’s Own 7 Shirley Englehart Cronk, letter to Lavender, the Wyckoff,” Museum Mus- the Lacey Historical Society, Decem- ings, Spring 2015, page 1. ber 21, 2020.

Luther and June Wyckoff in their later years, with their dog Roddy. Their granddaughter Emmy recalls her grandparents owning a string of collies, all named Rod- dy. Photograph courtesy of Emmy Fairfield.

8 L. J. Wyckoff, “School Taxes,” Seattle (accessed March 24, 2021), Charles E. Daily Times, March 21, 1932, page 6. Congleton and Luther J. Wyckoff.

9 R. L. Polk, Seattle, Washington City 10 1910 United States Census, Seattle Directory 1906; AncestryLibrary, Ward 7, King, Washington, population https://www.ancestrylibrary.com schedule, page 5A, dwelling 89, family 100, Luther J. Wyckoff; digital image, 17

AncestryLibrary , https://www. 16 Wyckoff and Sievers, “Lavender ancestrylibrary.com (accessed March Growing,” September 1935, first page. 24, 2021). Also, 1920 United States Census, Seattle, King, Washington, 17 Wyckoff, “Producing Lavender Oil,” population schedule, page 13B, dwell- page 68. ing 300, family 331, L. J. Wycokoff [sic]; AncestryLibrary, https://www. 18 Rod Cook, email correspondence ancestrylibrary.com (accessed March with the author, February 4, 2021. 24, 2021). 1930 United States Census, Seattle, King, Washington, population 19 Wyckoff and Sievers, “Lavender schedule, page 4B, Luther J. Wyckoff; Growing,” September 1935, first page. AncestryLibrary, https://www. ancestrylibrary.com/ (accessed March 20 Wyckoff and Sievers, “Lavender 24, 2021). Growing,” September 1935, first page.

11 King County Marriage Records, 21 Wyckoff, “Producing Lavender Oil,” 1855-Present, marriage record for Lu- page 71. Wyckoff and Sievers, ther J. Wyckoff and June Lee McKay; “Lavender Growing,” September 1935, Washington State Archives, Digital Ar- second page. chives, https://www.digitalarchives. wa.gov/Record/View/1A8FC63A71A 22 Wyckoff and Sievers, “Lavender 80D55A3A613791F190D35 (accessed Growing,” September 1935. January 19, 2021). 23 Wyckoff and Sievers, “Lavender 12 Emmy Fairfield, letter to the author, Growing in America,” The American March 10, 2021. Perfumer and Essential Oil Review, Oc- tober 1935, reprint, first page. 13 L. J. Wyckoff, “Producing Lavender Oil in the Puget Sound District,” Herb 24 Wyckoff and Sievers, “Lavender Grower Magazine, 1951, vol. 5, no. 3, Growing,” September 1935, third page 67. page.

14 L. J. Wyckoff and A. F. Sievers, 25 Wyckoff, “Producing Lavender Oil,” “Lavender Growing in America,” The page 72. American Perfumer and Essential Oil Review, September 1935, reprint, un- 26 Wyckoff and Sievers, “Lavender paginated, second page. Growing,” October 1935, first page.

15 Wyckoff, “Producing Lavender Oil,” 27 Wyckoff, “Producing Lavender Oil,” page 68; Wyckoff and Sievers, page 72. “Lavender Growing,” September 1935, second page. 28 Cronk to Lacey Historical Society, December 21, 2020. 18

29 Cronk to Lacey Historical Society, library.com (accessed March 24, December 21, 2020. Wyckoff, 2021). “Producing Lavender Oil,” page 79. Wyckoff and Sievers, “Lavender Grow- 39 “Wyckoff,” obituary. ing,” October 1935, third page. 40 Fairfield to author, March 10, 2021. 30 Wyckoff and Sievers, “Lavender Growing,” October 1935, second page. 41 Richard C. Bell, “A Sweet-Scented Farm: Lavender Oil is Olympia Man’s 31 “Marshal Chitty Sued Over Still,” Crop,” Seattle Times, Sunday, Novem- Seattle Post-Intelligencer, November 3, ber 16, 1947, page 2. 1934, page 3. “Chitty Must Pay $250 for Still,” Seattle Times, September 30, 42 “Olympia Lavender Plant Grower 1935, page 12. Sends Cuttings to English Farm,” The Daily Olympian, undated clipping; 32 Wyckoff and Sievers, “Lavender Washington State Library Clipping Growing,” September 1935, first page. File—Agriculture.

33 Wyckoff, “Producing Lavender Oil,” 43 “Lavender Experiment Flourishes,” page 77. The Daily Olympian, July 29, 1951, page 1. 34 Wyckoff and Sievers, “Lavender Growing,” October 1935, fifth page. 44 United States Department of Agri- culture, Soil Survey: Thurston County 35 Plant Research Foundation Articles Washington, September 1958. of Incorporation dated December 28, 1935, and Certificate of Dissolution, 45 Tim Upton and Susyn Andrews, The June 26, 1962; Secretary of State and Genus Lavandula (Portland, Oregon: Territory, Corporations and Trade- Timber Press, 2004), page 40. marks, Non-Profit Corporations, 1885- 1983, Washington State Archives. 46 Wyckoff, “Producing Lavender Oil,” page 81. 36 Wyckoff, “Producing Lavender Oil,” page 78. 47 L. J. Wyckoff, “Road to Socialism,” Seattle Daily Times, February 26, 37 Wyckoff, “Producing Lavender Oil,” 1950, page 6. page 78. 48 Washington State Department of Ag- 38 1940 United States Census, Seattle, riculture, Thurston County Agriculture, King, Washington, population sched- Washington, 1958, page 32. ule, page 2A, household 33, Luther and Jane Wyckoff; digital image, An- 49 Statutory Warrant Deed between the cestryLibrary, https://www.ancestry Plant Research Foundation and the 19

Northern Pacific Railroad, September 61 “A Flourishing Floral Story,” Yard- 9, 1960; Thurston County Govern- ley, London, website article, https:// ment, Auditor, Deed Books, Volume www.yardleylondon.co.uk/a-flourish 345, page 528; Washington State Ar- ing-floral-story (accessed January 29, chives. 2021).

50 Plant Research Foundation Certifi- 62 “Lavender farm,” GoogleMaps, cate of Dissolution. https://www.google.com/maps/ (accessed March 24, 2021). 51 “Wyckoff,” obituary. 63 Office of the Secretary of State, Cor- 52 Thurston County Government, As- porations Division, “Advanced Busi- sessor, Real Property Tax Assessment ness Search,” https://ccfs.sos.wa. Field Books, 1970-1997, volume 50F, gov/#/AdvancedSearch (accessed Washington State Archives. March 24, 2021). ______53 Thurston County Fire District # 3 Commissioners, Resolutions, 1949- Mary Paynton Schaff was born and 2010, Thurston County Fire District # raised in Seattle, the daughter of two 3 Fire Protection District 3, native Seattleites. She is twice over a “Resolution No. 88,” April 8, 1971; graduate of the University of Washing- Washington Digital Archives, https:// ton with a degree in Creative Writing in www.digitalarchives.wa.gov/Record/ 1998 and a Masters in Library and In- View/FE1E1D40228118C311288613 formation Science in 2003. For the last C6C6E6CC (accessed March 5, 2021.) fifteen years, Mary has assisted re- searchers at the Washington State Li- 54 Statutory Warrant Deed. brary with information about the Pacific Northwest’s history, government, and 55 Fairfield to author, March 10, 2021. genealogy; she currently serves as Northwest Librarian. Much to her own 56 Statutory Warrant Deed. surprise, she resides in Tacoma with her husband, daughter and two dogs. 57 Fairfield to author, March 10, 2021. ______

58 Diane Huber, “12-Acre Lot Cleared of Trees for Future School,” The Olym- pian, September 11, 2008, page B1.

59 Wyckoff, “Producing Lavender Oil,” pages 78-79.

60 Upton and Andrews, The Genus La- vandula. 20

ARTIST EDWARD LANGE AND TUMWATER, WASHINGTON

Drew W. Crooks

INTRODUCTION

Art is an important part of a town’s history. It can record the community’s changing landscape. This is certainly true of the artist Edward Lange and Tumwater, Washington. Lange’s artwork of the late 19th/early 20th centuries depicted a prosperous Tumwater with river-based industries. There were also significant ties between the artist and the community.1

Edward Lange was born in Darmstadt, Germany in 1846. Later he moved to Long Island, New York. In 1871 he married Sarah Cornelia Denton and became an artist who drew Long Is- land farms, businesses, and communities. Then in 1889 Edward and his Artist Edward Lange, seen here circa family came west to Olympia sensing 1905, was active in the Pacific Northwest economic opportunity on a booming during the late 19th/early 20th centuries. frontier. He had significant ties to Tumwater. Photo- graph courtesy of a private collection. Establishing a home base in Olympia, Edward Lange traveled extensively, creating promotional art in South Pu- ed versions) survives to the present, get Sound and throughout the Pacific but those pieces that remain are his- Northwest until his death in 1912. His torical treasures.2 work, boosting businesses and communities, often appeared in publica- Tumwater, at the turn of the 19th/20th tions of the time. Sadly, only a portion centuries, was a small town located of Lange’s work (original art and print- where the Deschutes River entered the

southernmost point of Budd Inlet. Its EDWARD LANGE AND THE CAPITAL/ population numbered 410 in 1890 and OLYMPIA BREWING COMPANY 490 in 1910. The community’s economy depended on Deschutes River in- The Capital Brewing Company/ dustries. This included the Capital Olympia Brewing Company was Brewing Company, established in founded by Leopold Schmidt and 1896, which became the Olympia owned by him until he died in 1914. Brewing Company in 1902.3 Schmidt appears to have had a good working relationship with artist Ed- ward Lange. Both Schmidt and Lange were German-American immigrants who had been born in 1846.4 While Schmidt came from Dorn Assenheim, Lange originated from Darmstadt. These communities are located in the State of Hesse (west-central Germany).

Fortunately, many business records of the Olympia Brewing Company have been preserved in the Schmidt House Archives of the Olympia Tumwater Foundation. These records include some fragmentary information on Lange’s ties to Leopold Schmidt and the brewery. Combined with contem- porary newspaper accounts, some of the story can be told.

A cancelled check found in the Schmidt House Archives, dated Janu- ary 3, 1898, was made out to “Edw. Lange” for $25. This check, from the Capital National Bank of Olympia, was signed by Leopold F. Schmidt. Edward Featured in this circa 1905 photograph Lange cashed it on January 4, 1898.5 is Leopold Schmidt, founder and early Most likely the check was payment for owner of the Capital Brewing Compa- artwork (now missing) by Lange. ny/Olympia Brewing Company. He seems to have had a good working re- Then a little more than a year later, on lationship with fellow German- January 15, 1899, the Morning Olym- American Edward Lange. Photograph pian newspaper reported on a Lange courtesy of the Brewmaster’s House painting: “The handsome painting of Collection, City of Tumwater. Tumwater falls and the plant of the 22

A cancelled check from Leopold Schmidt, dated January 3, 1898, was made out to Edward Lange. It probably represents payment for artwork created by Edward Lange for the Capital Brewing Company. Image courtesy of the Schmidt House Ar- chives, Olympia Tumwater Foundation, Tumwater, Washington.

Capital Brewing company, on view in The Capitol Brewing Company com- O’Connor’s window, is the work of Ed- missioned this 1899 lithograph. A let- ward Lange.”6 Michael O’Connor ter, dated August 15, 1899, at the owned a book and stationery store in Schmidt House Archives sheds light Olympia from circa 1884 to 1914. on the production of the print by the Milwaukee Lithographing and Engrav- The painting at O’Connor’s store can- ing Company. It was written by Peter not now be located, but it very likely Schmidt Sr. to his parents (Leopold provided the image for a color litho- and Johanna Schmidt), brothers and graph of which at least one copy has sister while on a brewery business trip survived. This copy is in the collection to Milwaukee. In the letter Peter of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manu- brings up the issue that the lithograph script Library, Yale University, New was being tinted yellow by the Wiscon- Haven, Connecticut. It has the title of sin company: “TUMWATER, Near OLYMPIA, Wash. Presented by the Capital Brewing Co. I saw Mil. Litho. [Milwaukee Litho- 1899.” In a corner is printed the name graphing and Engraving Company] of the lithograph’s publisher, “THE and signed your letter, but add- MILWAUKEE [M emblem] LITHO. & ed ‘with understanding that ENGR. CO. MILWAUKEE, WIS”.7 Though unsigned, the image shows all those were the colors you or- the stylistic elements of Edward dered.’ Lange’s work. 23

In 1899 the Milwaukee Lithographing and Engraving Company of Wisconsin produced this print for the Capital Brewing Company. It was based on an Edward Lange drawing. Image courtesy of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.

They will settle the matter satis- but approved of them as you were factorily and are willing to do it. in such a hurry for them and They will write to you. These peo- they were so long in getting them ple are not at all beasts in my out. In regard to the Lith. of the mind. It was not possible to make Brewery, the size always means the litho. in the colors you want- the paper not the picture but they ed, but as I told them that make a lower price on them to ‘rotten yellow background’ and settle the affair. They will let you poor waterfall spoiled it. I was know if the stone is large not all pleased with the cards, enough, maybe if you want to

they could put in the new bottle Unfortunately, this large painting has house according to a sketch you long since disappeared. The Hotel Olympia was a community landmark might send and therefore by located on Main Street (now Capitol making the paper about an inch Way) between 7th and 8th Avenues. longer sideways get a better ef- Built in 1890, the building burned in fect.8 a massive 1904 fire.11

The surviving copy of the original On September 30, 1901, an entry in 1899 lithograph is still tinted yellow. the Olympia Brewing Company Cash However, a later reprint (perhaps done Journal indicates that the brewery in the 1970s) lacks the yellow back- purchased a number of Lange paint- ground.9 In either case, the Lange im- ings and placed them in its Furniture age depicts in detail how the Capital & Fixtures section. The entry reads as Brewing Company looked on the cusp follows: of the 20th century. It seems to have an air of serene prosperity. Monday, Sept. 30, 1901 $166.85 In 1901 there are several references to Furniture & Fixtures Lange’s artwork associated with Leo- pold Schmidt and the Capital Brewing Advertising a/c Company. The Washington Standard 3 oil paintings by Lange newspaper of Olympia on February 2 @ 40.00 each 15, 1901 described “A Magnificent Pic- 1 @ 50.00 130.00 ture” on public display: Framing

1 at B [illegible] 17.35 “Mr. Lang [Lange], the well-known Olympia artist, has just completed an ” one 14.30 oil-painting representing the Capital Map Washington 5.50 Brewery and its surroundings, at Tumwater. The picture is mounted in We transfer these to Fur and Fix a gilt frame about eight feet long and [Furniture and Fixtures] as part are five feet wide, and at present it is there and we want to have them hanging in the lobby of Hotel Olympia. all together and because they The painting is not only a living epistle 12 of Mr. Lang[e]’s skill but its details are are fixtures. so perfect that the beholder may well fancy that he is standing within a Furthermore, a statement of assets for stone’s throw of one of the finest brew- the Capital Brewing Company, dated ing and mineral water plants on the October 1, 1901, lists six oil paintings Pacific Coast as now operated by our by “Mr. Ed Lange” at $40.00 each and townsman, Leopold F. Schmidt.”10 one oil painting by “Mr. Ed Lange” at 13 $50.00. None of these paintings can 25

be located now. The discovery of even panoramic views. Usually, the Tum- one would be a remarkable historical water section in such artwork is fairly find. small and lacks details.14

Edward Lange’s relationship with the One drawing in this category, howev- Olympia Brewing Company and Leo- er, has an unusually interesting and pold Schmidt very likely preceded detailed view of the town and 1898 and continued past 1901, but Deschutes River. The illustration, this is undocumented. In any case, signed by Lange, appeared in Russell Lange did do a considerable amount of & Russell’s circa 1893 Olympia on the Tumwater artwork which survives but Sound booklet. Titled “OLYMPIA, THE cannot now be directly connected ei- CAPITAL OF THE STATE OF WASH- ther to the brewery or Schmidt. INGTON,” the sepia-colored picture shows a bird’s eye view (a panoramic SURVIVING TUMWATER ARTWORK view as a bird would see from a great OF EDWARD LANGE height) of South Puget Sound. Tum- water, in the lower left corner of the Lange’s surviving Tumwater work can image, is depicted in detail as an or- be divided into several categories. The derly community of businesses and first category consists of pictures that homes focused on the river.15 include the town on the Deschutes River as part of larger South Sound A second category of Lange’s Tum-

The Tumwater section of Edward Lange’s “OLYMPIA, THE CAPITAL OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON” reveals an imaginative view of the community on the Deschutes River. It was published in Russell & Russell’s circa 1893 Olympia on the Sound booklet. (The vertical line toward the right side of the image is a string used for binding the booklet.) Image courtesy of the Washington State Library. 26

Edward Lange’s Olympia Light & Power vignette from his 1893 “Olympia, Capital of the State of Washington” print features an electrical plant on the Middle Falls of the Deschutes River in Tumwater. Image courtesy of the Washington State Library. water surviving artwork includes vi- Olympia Light & Power Company elec- gnettes which feature Tumwater tric plant found at that location.16 scenes. These vignettes are small sep- arate Lange drawings that were some- Another Lange vignette of a Tumwater times associated with larger Lange scene is on the green-colored cover of pictures. The “Olympia, W.” image, the May 1891 “Tribune Souvenir of circa 1891, sometimes appears with Olympia, Washington.” This special vignettes surrounding the central pan- newspaper section published by the oramic scene of Olympia viewed from Olympia Tribune promotes the busi- the town’s Westside. For example, a nesses and people of the area. The black-and-white version published in cover art, signed by Lange, has nu- Hazard Stevens’ 1891 Olympia booklet merous vignettes surrounding a cen- has five vignettes, including one of the tral circular panoramic view of South Middle Falls area of the Deschutes Puget Sound looking north. The Tum- River in Tumwater. It depicts the water vignette shows industries clus- 27

tered around the Deschutes River’s A fourth case of a Lange vignette of a Middle Falls.17 Tumwater scene can be found on the 1903 black-and-white print titled A third example of a Tumwater vi- “OLYMPIA, THE CAPITAL ON PUGET gnette by Lange is on the circa 1893 SOUND, WASHINGTON . . .” The sepia-colored “Olympia, Capital of the print, signed by Lange, has numerous State of Washington” print, which con- vignettes circling the central panoram- sists of a large central panoramic view ic view of Olympia as seen from the of Olympia from the Westside sur- Westside. One vignette shows the low- rounded by vignettes. The Tumwater er “Tumwater Falls,” but also includes vignette is especially well done, depict- the Middle Falls area.19 ing the Olympia Light & Power Com- pany electrical plant at the Middle The third (and last) category of Lange’s Falls. There is even a young man try- surviving Tumwater artwork is made ing his luck fishing in the river.18 up of pictures that completely focus

Edward Lange’s image, captioned “Plant of the Olympia Brewing Co., Located at the Extreme head of Budd’s Inlet,” appeared in a circa 1905 Olympia Chamber of Commerce publication. The artist depicted in the foreground people in motion, indi- cating a bustling prosperity. Image courtesy of the Washington State Library. 28

on the community beside the A third Lange picture of Tumwater is Deschutes River. Only three items not signed by the artist. It again has have been found so far for this group, the viewer above a bluff peering down but hopefully more will be discovered on Budd Inlet, the brewery, and com- in the future. One, the 1899 litho- munity. This time the foreground area graph of the Capitol Brewing Compa- features a streetcar, horse and buggy, ny, has been discussed above. pedestrians, and an automobile. The brewhouse complex is now depicted as Another Tumwater picture by Lange built. The Schmidt House is on the hill appeared in the circa 1905 Olympia behind the brewery. Also on the hill, Chamber of Commerce publication, surprisingly, is a Swiss chalet. The Olympia: The Capital City Of The State chalet, which was the Olympia Brew- Of Washington And The Seat Of Gov- ing Company pavilion at the 1905 ernment Of Thurston County. Lange’s Lewis and Clark Exposition in Port- black-and-white illustration in the land, actually did not come to Tum- booklet was captioned “Plant of the water after the fair, but was set up in Olympia Brewing Co., Located at the Olympia’s Priest Point Park. In the Extreme Head of Budd’s Inlet”.20 1960s the building was torn down.21 Though not signed by the artist, it dis- plays the classic Lange style. This late-1905 image appeared in several forms. An original black-and- In this 1904 to early-mid-1905 image, white photograph of the picture sur- the viewer is floating above a bluff vives in a private collection. In the looking down on the Budd Inlet estu- lower left corner of the photograph’s ary and Tumwater (including the background card is printed “Loryea Olympia Brewing Company, other in- Spokane, Wash.”22 Milton I. Loryea dustries, Tumwater Falls, and homes). was a Spokane photographer active The foreground area is busy with a between 1893 and 1912. So it seems streetcar, horse and buggy, man on clear that this Lange picture was horse, and pedestrians. available outside the South Puget Sound region. Interestingly, the brick brewhouse of the Olympia Brewery is pictured on Furthermore, this drawing of Tum- the originally planned site to the water proved a popular illustration for south. However, workers attempting to postcards. Various Olympia business- lay the foundation found the area un- men (Winstanley & Blankenship, A. L. suitable so they moved the site to the Kreider, and N. C. Davis) published north where they could reach bedrock. circa 1907–1910 postcards with a Lange’s image thus shows planned cropped black-and-white version of construction that was changed by re- the image.23 These cards were actually ality. On the hill behind the brewery printed in Germany, a major center of plant is the Schmidt House, the home postcard production before World War of Leopold Schmidt and his family. I. In addition, Edward M. Mitchell of 29

This photo by Milton I. Loryea, a professional photographer in turn-of-the-century Spokane, recorded another drawing by Edward Lange of the Olympia Brewing Company and Tumwater, circa 1905. During his career Lange often visited Spo- kane, and used the city as a seasonal base for a number of years. Photograph courtesy of a private collection.

San Francisco, California, published Olympia’s residents, except Forest Fu- and printed around the same time an- neral Homes’ Cemetery, are outside other postcard version of the image, the capital city. Still it is another tie cropped even more to focus on the between the artist and Tumwater. Sa- Olympia Brewery. This version ap- rah Denton Lange died in Olympia on peared in color.24 September 12, 1897 and was buried in Calvary Cemetery, a Catholic ceme- FINAL TIES tery in Tumwater near Littlerock Road SW. Her burial site is marked by a Finally, Edward Lange and his wife gravestone.25 Sarah Denton Lange were both buried in Tumwater cemeteries. This is not Edward Lange died on July 20, 1912 surprising since nearby cemeteries for in Olympia, and was laid to rest in 30

This postcard (the original is in color), published by Edward M. Mitchell of San Fran- cisco circa 1907-1910, shows the Olympia Brewing Company and Tumwater as prospering in the early 20th century. It is a cropped version of a detailed drawing by the talented artist Edward Lange. Image courtesy of a private collection.

Tumwater’s Masonic Cemetery (on nificant ties to Tumwater at the turn present-day North Street SE). His of the 19th/20th centuries. Edward and grave has no marker.26 Perhaps the his wife Sarah are even buried in that practical artist did not want money community. The artist represented in spent on a gravestone, instead desir- his artwork a thriving town centered ing to pass on his estate without on industries associated with the “frivolous” expenses to his children Deschutes River. The Capital/Olympia (who from all accounts were close to Brewing Company is especially fea- him). tured, perhaps partly because of a good working relationship between CONCLUSION Leopold Schmidt and Lange, but certainly reflecting the economic im- In conclusion, surviving records, portance of the brewery. newspapers articles, and artwork indicate that artist Edward Lange had sig- Edward Lange’s pictures are now his- 31

Various black-and-white postcards were published around 1907-1910 with a cropped version of Edward Lange’s circa 1905 drawing of the Olympia Brewing Company and Tumwater. This example, published by Winstanley & Blankenship and postmarked July 26, 1907, has a building sketched in to the right and below the powerhouse (on the right side). Image courtesy of the Schmidt House Archives, Olympia Tumwater Foundation, Tumwater, Washington.

torical gems that inform us about life ACKNOWLEDGMENTS in the past. Hopefully, more Lange images will be discovered in the future. This article could not have been writ- Still other questions come to mind: are ten without the assistance of other artists today recording the changing people. I especially thank Karen John- face of current Tumwater (and other son, Curator of the Schmidt House, communities)? And is their work being Olympia Tumwater Foundation, who preserved for future generations to en- provided invaluable historical infor- joy and learn from? mation and access to Lange-related items in the Schmidt House collection. 32

My thanks also go to the helpful staff possession of the author, seems to in- of the Washington State Library, a dicate that the two men were relatives. rich source of knowledge about region- Genealogists researching the Schmidt al history and art. Finally, I thank my family, however, have found no evi- family for their steady support and en- dence of genealogical ties between the couragement of my historical endeav- two individuals. ors. ______5 Leopold F. Schmidt, cancelled check written to Edward Lange, January 3, NOTES 1898; Cancelled Checks, 1897-1905, Leopold F. Schmidt Papers, Box 3, 1 Though the artist lived in Olympia, a Schmidt House Archives, Olympia local newspaper once identified him as Tumwater Foundation, Tumwater, “Edward Lange of Tumwater.” Washington. “Painting Of Miramar. The New Or- chard Subdivision on Eld Inlet,” Morn- 6 “Brevities Of The Day,” Morning ing Olympian, March 4, 1894, page 4. Olympian, January 15, 1899, page 3.

2 More information about the life and 7 Edward Lange, “TUMWATER, Near art of Edward Lange can be found in OLYMPIA, Wash. Presented by the Drew W. Crooks, Edward Lange: An Capital Brewing Co. 1899,” tinted lith- Early Artist of Olympia and Washing- ograph; Folder 1171, Fred R. and ton State (Olympia, Washington: Kathryn M. Stenzel Collection of West- Tenalquot Press, 2012). ern American Art, Series IV, Box 62, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript 3 For additional information on the Library, Yale University, New Haven, Capital/Olympia Brewing Company, Connecticut. see Karen L. Johnson, “It’s The Water: The History of the Olympia Brewing 8 Letter from Peter Schmidt to Leopold Company,” in Sandra A. Crowell & Schmidt family, August 15, 1899; fold- Shirley A. Stirling, editors, Thurston er: Leopold F. Schmidt Correspond- County: Water, Woods & Prairies: Es- ence, 1899, in Leopold F. Schmidt Pa- says on the History of Washington’s pers/Correspondence, 1862-1910, Capital County (Olympia, Washington: Box 4, Schmidt House Archives, Olym- Thurston County, 2019), pages 177- pia Tumwater Foundation, Tumwater, 183. Washington.

4 Furthermore, one historian thought 9 The author possesses a copy of the Leopold Schmidt and Edward Lange reprint version that has been decou- might have been related. Delbert paged to a wooden board. McBride (curator at the Washington State Capitol Museum from 1966 to 10 “A Magnificent Picture,” Washington 1982) in circa 1979 notes, now in the Standard, February 15, 1901, page 3. 33

11 For more information about the Ho- Tumwater scene. It should be noted tel Olympia, see Jennifer Crooks, that in the case of “Olympia, W.,” the “Fame and a Fiery End: The Hotel vignettes do not appear in the original Olympia,” ThurstonTalk.com, Decem- photographs, but only in certain print- ber 17, 2017, https://www. thurstont- ed versions, such as Hazard Stevens, alk.com/2017/12/17/fame-fiery-end- Olympia (Boston, Massachusetts: Ste- hotel-olympia/ (accessed August 8, vens, 1891). A copy of the booklet is at 2020). the Washington State Library. These Tumwater vignettes are discussed in 12 [Capital Brewing Company/] Olym- this article’s second category of pia Brewing Company Cash Journal, Lange’s Tumwater artwork. 1900-1903, September 30, 1903, page 75; Schmidt House Archives, Olympia 15 Russell & Russell, Olympia on the Tumwater Foundation, Tumwater, Sound (Chicago, Illinois: Russell & Washington. Russell, circa 1893), unnumbered pages in center of booklet. A copy is in 13 Capital Brewing Company State- the Washington State Library. ment of Assets, Trial Balance, 1901; Olympia Brewing Company Financial 16 Stevens, Olympia, opposite page 4. Records, Box 6, Schmidt House Ar- chives, Olympia Tumwater Founda- 17 “Tribune Souvenir of Olympia, tion, Tumwater, Washington. Washington,” Olympia Tribune, May 1891, front cover. A copy of the special 14 For example, see the central pano- newspaper section is at the Washing- ramic scenes in three images signed ton State Library. by Edward Lange: the circa 1891 “Olympia, W.” (which appeared in dif- 18 “Olympia, Capital of the State of ferent formats, including several se- Washington” (Olympia, Washington: pia-toned original photographs of the State Printing and Publishing Compa- drawing at the Washington State His- ny, 1893), print. Among the advertise- torical Society, Tacoma); the circa ments (with no illustration) on this 1893 sepia-colored print “Olympia, print is a Tumwater-related one: Capital of the State of Washington” (of “GELBACK and SCOTT, DEALERS in which a copy is preserved at the CHOICE RESIDENCE PROPERTY at Washington State Library, Tumwater); the TUMWATER FALLS. WE ALSO and the 1903 black-and-white print HAVE FOR SALE VERY DESIRABLE “OLYMPIA, THE CAPITAL ON PUGET PROPERTY ALONG THE OLYMPIA & SOUND, WASHINGTON . . .” (of which TUMWATER ELECTRIC LINE. CALL a copy is kept at the Library of Con- ON OR ADDRESS at TUMWATER, gress, Washington, DC). Incidentally, Wash.” all three images are accompanied by vignettes, including a vignette of a 19 Edward Lange, “OLYMPIA, THE

CAPITAL ON PUGET SOUND, WASH- INGTON . . .” (Chicago, IL: Franklin Engraving & Electrotyping Company, 1903). The Tumwater vignette on this lithograph was called “a glimpse of Tumwater” in a 1903 newspaper article describing the Lange print. “City News In Brief,” Washington Standard, May 8, 1903, page 3.

20 Olympia Chamber of Commerce, Olympia: The Capital City Of The State Of Washington And The Seat Of Gov- ernment Of Thurston County (Olympia, Washington: Recorder Publishing Company, circa 1905), page 48. A copy of the booklet is in the collection of the Washington State Library. Lange’s Tumwater image in this booklet was also published in various newspapers from 1905 to 1912: Morn- ing Olympian, April 23, 1905, page 6; The Republic (Wenatchee, Washing- Sarah Denton Lange, Edward’s wife, ton), October 26, 1905, page 3; Olym- died on September 12, 1897 at the pia Daily Recorder, August 15, 1906, Lange home in Olympia, and was laid page 2; Olympia Daily Recorder, May to rest in the Calvary [Catholic] Ceme- 1, 1907, page 3; Olympia Daily Re- tery in Tumwater. Photograph courtesy corder, February 20, 1911, page 5; of Steve Willis. and Olympia Daily Recorder, Novem- ber 8, 1912. water, circa 1905, private collection. 21 For more information on the history of this Swiss chalet, see Drew Crooks, 23 An example of the Winstanley & “The Olympia Brewing Company’s Blankenship postcard with the Lange Swiss Chalet,” Olympia Tumwater image is in the postcard collection of Foundation Blog, h t t p s : / / the Schmidt House Archives, Olympia olytumfoundation.org/2015/12/the- Tumwater Foundation, Tumwater, olympia-brewing-companys-swiss- Washington. A “Mrs. A. M. S.” sent chalet/ (accessed August 18, 2020). the card to Adolph Schmidt. It was postmarked July 26, 1907. 22 Original photograph by Milton I. Lo- ryea of Lange’s untitled drawing of 24 “1125 – LOWER TUMWATER FALLS Olympia Brewing Company and Tum- 35

AT OLYMPIA BREWERY, OLYMPIA, Magnolia Lange and grandson of Ed- WASHINGTON.,” color postcard (San ward Lange, died in 1915 at the age of Francisco, California: Edward M. eight months. He was buried in the Mitchell, circa 1907-1910). Copies of same cemetery lot as Edward who this card are in the Washington State died in 1912 (Masonic Cemetery Rec- Historical Society (Tacoma, Washing- ords, undated). There are no markers ton) collection and private collections. for either grandson or grandfather. ______25 Visits by author to Calvary Ceme- tery, Tumwater, 2012 and 2020. The Drew W. Crooks graduated with a gravesite of Sarah Cornelia Lange in bachelor’s degree in history and an- Calvary Cemetery is noted in: Tum- thropology and a master’s degree in water Henderson House Museum Vol- museology (museum studies) from the unteers in association with Tumwater University of Washington. For over 30 Historic Preservation Commission, years he has worked with museums in City of Tumwater: Tumwater Cemeter- the South Puget Sound region, written ies Census Report, Compiled November articles and books on area heritage, 1995 (Tumwater, Washington: City of and presented history talks to school Tumwater, Henderson House Muse- classes and community groups. Drew um, 1995), page 13. finds the relationship of late 19th/early 20th century regional artists, such as 26 Visits by author to Masonic Ceme- Edward Lange, with their communities tery, Tumwater, 2012 and 2020. Wal- an especially interesting research sub- ter Vernon Lange, son of Fred and ject.

Edward Lange passed away on July 20, 1912 at Saint Peter Hospital in Olympia. He was buried in Tumwater’s Masonic Cemetery. There is no marker for his gravesite. Photograph courtesy of Jennifer Crooks. 36

HEROES AMONG US

Karen L. Johnson

“A civilian who knowingly risks his or her own life to an extraordinary degree while saving or attempting to save the life of another person.” Such is a hero, as defined by the Carnegie Hero Fund, established in 1904 by industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.

The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission maintains a website that explains the history of the program, and chronicles the heroism of every individual who has received a Carnegie medal since the project’s inception. A list of award recipients may be searched by name, city or state of residence, date of act, or type of act.

Seven Thurston County residents have received a Carnegie medal, and their Andrew Carnegie. Photograph by Mar- individual stories are told below, fol- ceau, New York City, 1913, LC-USZ62- lowing a brief background on the med- 86002, Library of Congress. al program itself.

THE HARWICK DISASTER burgh, Pennsylvania was off to the start of another workweek. Nearly the Coal mining has always been a dan- entire workforce of miners was already gerous occupation. Cave-ins, explo- laboring deep underground, when a sions, deadly gas, black lung disease— dynamite detonation ignited a pocket all these and more lay in wait for men of methane gas near the mine’s en- trying to earn an honest living for trance. The explosion created a great themselves and their families. cloud of dust which itself ignited, generating a chain reaction which On a cold Monday morning in 1904, “caused the complete explosion of the the Harwick Mine outside of Pitts- entire mine.”1

The community and mine owner Alle- party . . . Lyle made a valiant effort to gheny Coal Company launched imme- rescue entombed men. He left a widow diate and extensive rescue operations, and five children. What a tragedy that but the explosion was so widespread his life had to go with his deed! He and severe that only one miner sur- was a hero.”3 vived out of nearly 180 men involved. Added to the death toll were two self- In all, 177 miners died, in addition to less individuals who gave their lives Taylor and Lyle, classing Harwick while attempting to save others. among the ten deadliest mine disas- ters in U.S. history. “Selwyn M. Taylor, 42, of Pittsburgh, an eminent mining engineer, respond- THE BIRTH OF THE ed to Harwick within hours. After ar- CARNEGIE HERO FUND ranging for repair of a ventilation fan, he and a rescue party descended the Andrew Carnegie had very humble be- main shaft at 6 p.m. They found one ginnings in Scotland, but gradually man alive at the bottom of the shaft. worked his way up the proverbial lad- Adolph Gunia, 17, severely burned, der after he and his parents immigrat- was the disaster’s sole survivor. Be- ed to Pennsylvania in 1848. He even- lieving that others might be alive, Tay- tually made a fortune through hard lor advanced farther into the mine but work, good luck, and smart invest- was overcome by ‘afterdamp,’ an as- ments in railroads, telegraphy, and phyxiating gas, the byproduct of the steel. By the late 1800s, Carnegie had explosion. He died early the next day, amassed what would be several billion leaving a widow and stepson.”2 dollars in today’s money, and proceeded to give much of it away. He is well “Coalminer Daniel Lyle, 43, of Castle known for his funding of public librar- Shannon, PA, was staying near ies across the U.S.; many of these Leechburg, PA, when he answered an buildings still exist and are known ap- appeal for rescue workers, responding propriately as Carnegie libraries. to the mine the day after the explo- (Olympia has its own Carnegie library sion. From the Pittsburg Press of Jan- building at 620 Franklin Street SE.) uary 27, 1904: ‘(Lyle) worked yester- day afternoon and most of the night in Andrew Carnegie was profoundly af- the mine with the rescue party . . . he fected by the Harwick disaster and the went into the mine before daybreak men who died trying to rescue the vic- this morning and started to prepare tims. In response to the tragedy, Car- the bodies to be brought up on the negie felt compelled to establish a cage. While out in the mine farther fund for those who risked their lives to than the others of the party, in search save others, and thus the Carnegie for more (miners), Lyle was overcome Hero Fund Commission was born. with afterdamp . . . The accident cast Carnegie endowed the fund with $5 a decided gloom upon the rescuing million (over $144 million in today’s 38

The obverse and reverse of the Carnegie medal, a bronze disk three inches in diam- eter. The reverse is personalized with the recipient’s name and a brief description of the heroic act, date, and location. This particular medal was awarded posthumously to Joseph Alongi of Yelm. Photograph by author. dollars). He charged the 21-member life to an extraordinary degree while commission “with honoring whom he saving or attempting to save the life of called the ‘heroes of civilization,’ another person. . . . There must be whose lifesaving actions put them in conclusive evidence to support the stark contrast to the ‘heroes of barba- act’s occurrence, and the act must be rism, (who) maimed or killed’ their fel- called to the attention of the Commis- low man. That the mission of the Hero sion within two years. Those who are Fund as set forth by Carnegie is un- selected for recognition by the Com- changed over more than a century, mission are awarded the Carnegie despite massive upheaval in the social Medal, and they, or their survivors, and world order, is testament both to become eligible for financial considera- his foresight and to essentially un- tions, including one-time grants, changing human nature.”4 scholarship aid, death benefits, and continuing assistance. . . . About 20 “The Commission’s working definition percent of the Medals are awarded of a hero as well as its requirements posthumously.”5 for awarding remain largely those that were approved by the founder. The LOCAL HEROES candidate for an award must be a civilian who voluntarily risks his or her Since its inception, the Carnegie Fund 39

“has awarded more than 10,000 med- when the call for help came.8 The Car- als and about $40 million in accompa- negie Hero Fund website tells the rest nying grants” in the U.S. and Canada. of the story. Carnegie also endowed funds in Great Britain, France, Germany, Norway, “Volunteer firemen, including Alongi, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden, started to the aid of the stranded men, Denmark, Belgium, and Italy.6 and a helicopter was dispatched from [McChord] air base 28 miles away. Included in the impressive total of From the farmhouse a group of fire- Carnegie medals awarded in the U.S. men set out on foot to locate McDaniel are seven Thurston County residents. and Parker. Alongi, who had been de- All risked their lives to save another; layed while obtaining his 12-foot boat, some made the ultimate sacrifice dur- then arrived at the farm with Robert ing their act of courage. Their stories W. Ellis, a friend who had agreed to of heroism follow. help. Alongi, who was experienced at handling small craft but could not JOSEPH ALONGI AND ROBERT W. ELLIS swim, and Ellis launched the boat in the river and proceeded to a gravel bar On January 5, 1958, Joseph Alongi, 100 feet upstream from McDaniel and 44, a Yelm restaurant owner, and Parker. Robert Ellis, 38, a Yelm tavern owner, and both members of the Yelm Volun- “Meanwhile the water had risen two teer Fire Department, made a daring feet following the opening of the gates rescue attempt on the Nisqually River. of a power dam upstream from the rapids. McDaniel, standing on ledges That day, three Pierce County men de- of the boulder, then was in water cided to go fishing on the river. Robert nearly hip-deep as he held Parker on Parker, a resident of Fort Lewis, and the rock to prevent him from being Bob McDaniel and Ted Stransby, both carried away by the current of eight of Spanaway, launched a small fishing miles an hour. Unable to hear McDan- boat which soon capsized, and all iel's warning shouts above the roar of three men were “thrown into turbulent the water, Alongi and Ellis proceeded water seven feet deep, from where they into the rapids in the boat. climbed onto a boulder rising two feet above the surface 100 feet from the “Out of control, their craft passed bank. McDaniel held Parker, who McDaniel and Parker and rapidly was could not swim, on the boulder, while carried 250 feet downstream. It then [Stransby] with difficulty swam to the struck a submerged boulder and cap- bank, made his way to a farmhouse a sized. Alongi, Ellis, and the boat were mile away, and summoned help.”7 submerged and carried 200 feet farther through the rapids into an area Joseph Alongi was busy counting the where the water was more than 15 feet weekly collection from his church deep. Both men surfaced near the 40

Above: The exact location of the Nisqually River rescue was not identified in news stories. However, a modern photo of the Big Kahuna rapids on the Nisqually River offers a view of turbulent water and boulders probably similar to that of the 1958 rescue site. Photograph courtesy of Thomas O’Keefe, American Whitewater.

Below left: Joseph Alongi enjoyed fishing. Photograph courtesy of Joe Alongi.

Below right: Joe Alongi, son of Carnegie medal winner Joseph Alongi, poses with his father’s medal. Photograph by author.

boat but were unable to maintain a Manock and Voepel were in serious hold on it as it was revolved by the trouble in breaking surf eight to ten current. Alongi then sank and re- feet high.11 mained submerged as the other firemen and the helicopter arrived at the Carignan jumped into the surf and scene. Ellis, McDaniel, and Parker struck out after Voepel and Manock. were removed from the water by Another man, Mike Terry of Concord, means of a rope ladder lowered from California, joined Carignan. All four the helicopter. Searchers found were being swept out to sea by the Alongi's body the following day. Ellis strong current. Carignan, Manock, was treated for shock, McDaniel suf- and Terry drowned in their attempts fered from exposure, and Parker was to bring the girl in through the heavy hospitalized overnight. They recov- surf. ered.”9 “Miss Voepel . . . eventually was res- Alongi was survived by his wife and cued by Coast Guard YN3 Michael two young children. It is unknown Nelson, 20, of the Coos Bay Life Boat who proposed the incident to the Car- Station, who took her out beyond the negie Hero Fund (Alongi’s son thinks it breakers and kept her afloat for about might have been the fire department), 40 minutes until a lifeboat arrived.”12 but in 1959, medals were awarded to Voepel was taken to a local hospital Ellis and to Alongi’s widow.10 where she was reported in satisfactory condition. JAMES LEO CARIGNAN Carignan’s body was recovered almost James Carignan, 19, of Olympia had three weeks later. joined the Coast Guard, and in the summer of 1972, was stationed on the Carignan, Manock, and Terry all were cutter Modoc at the Coos Bay Coast awarded Carnegie medals posthu- Guard station on the Oregon coast. mously in 1974.13 Nelson also won a On Saturday, June 3, Carignan was medal for his part in the rescue. off-duty at Bastendorff Beach near Coos Bay. CHARLES B. MCCRACKEN AND RICKARD G. SPILLMAN Others were also enjoying the beach that day. Terrisa Voepel and Nancy On a damp day in October 1985, Manock, both twelve, were playing in Rainier resident Cheryl Huret was the surf when a wave knocked them driving a pick-up truck east on the over and the current sucked them Yelm Highway. Huret’s two daughters, away from the beach. Nancy’s mother, Tracey, 9, and Jamie, 2, were in the Betty Rae Manock, 49, immediately truck with her. On the rain-slicked swam to the girls’ rescue. Nancy man- pavement on an S-curve, Huret lost aged to regain the beach, but Betty control of the truck, which left the 42

Bastendorff Beach near Coos Bay, Oregon, where three people lost their lives in a rescue attempt in 1972. Photograph courtesy of U.S. Bureau of Land Management, via Wikimedia Commons. roadway and crashed into two large Huret was transported to St. Peter trees. Huret was knocked uncon- Hospital in serious condition, with a scious.14 broken jaw, broken wrist, and other injuries. Her daughters received only Tenino resident Charles B. McCrack- minor injuries. A State Patrol officer en, 30, and Olympia resident Rickard said “No doubt if they had been left in Spillman, 40, witnessed the accident the truck, they would have died.”15 and pulled over to help. As McCracken approached the pick-up, he saw After Huret recovered from her inju- flames under the engine. Nevertheless, ries, she contacted the Carnegie Hero the two men managed to extract the Fund to nominate her rescuers. The girls and carry them away from dan- commission agreed that Spillman and ger. McCracken and Spillman then re- McCracken deserved an award. A year turned to the burning truck and freed later, the men each received a Carne- the unconscious Huret who was gie medal and a $2,500 check for their wedged between the steering wheel valor. A newspaper interview with and the floor. Just after they pulled Spillman revealed that he thought he the woman from the cab, the truck “really didn’t do all that much,” but erupted in flames which reached 30 to was glad that he could help someone 40 feet into the air. in need.16

BRADY OLSON HEATHER ZABROWSKI

With the proliferation of school shoot- On July 30, 2018, 67-year-old Alan E. ings in recent years, it seems inevita- Rathbun was driving along Cooper ble that a Thurston County school Point Road when he suffered a diabet- would eventually be affected. ic emergency. His SUV “left a two-lane road and traveled down an embank- Near the beginning of a school day in ment into a ditch containing grass and April 2015, a 16-year-old boy brought dry brush.”19 Heather Zabrowski, 29, a loaded .357 revolver to the North of Olympia, was driving down the Thurston High School where he had same road when she saw the accident. been a student for only a month. He Fire had already broken out beneath fired a shot into a stairway ceiling, the SUV and was quickly spreading. and then walked into the school’s commons area, which was crowded Other people were standing on the with students and staff before classes edge of the road, just looking at the started. A government/civics teacher, accident, when Zabrowski jumped out Brady Olson, 43, “was in the com- of her car and asked “Is there some- mons when the shot was fired and im- body in there?” The onlookers said mediately ran the 50 feet to the stairs. there was, and Zabrowski “jumped The assailant proceeded into the com- down in the ditch and ripped open the mons, passing Olson, and fired anoth- car door . . . She got the seat belt free, er shot, also into the ceiling. Olson ap- but the driver was in shock and not proached the assailant, grasped his able to get out himself.” After unlatch- gun hand, and tackled him to the ing the seatbelt, Zabrowski pulled floor. Pinning the assailant, Olson got Rathbun out of the SUV onto the possession of the revolver and re- ground, but was unable to lift him any moved it from him. Other men who farther. She called up to the onlookers were responding secured the weapon for assistance. By this time, the flames and helped restrain the assailant until had spread to the rear and interior of police arrived shortly and arrested the vehicle. The property owner, a for- him. Olson sustained a minor injury mer firefighter, knocked the flames to a finger but recovered.”17 down, and Zabrowski finally got two men to help her carry the driver to An NBC News affiliate interviewed Ol- safety. Rathbun was not seriously son after the incident, and in what hurt, but needed treatment for diabet- seems to be a typically humble reac- ic shock. Zabrowski suffered minor tion from a hero, Olson said “It was scratches.20 Through her efforts that just one of those things. I saw kids day, she became the latest Thurston fleeing and it kind of fired me up to do County resident to receive a Carnegie something and I did it. It’s as simple medal. as that.”18

2 “The Heroes of Harwick,”

“History,” www.carnegiehero.org/ about/history/ (accessed October 26, 2020).

3 “The Heroes of Harwick.”

4 “Mission of the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission,” www.carnegie hero.org/ (accessed November 3, 2020).

5 “Mission of the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission.”

6 “Heroes of Civilization,” “History,” Brady Olson (at left) receives the Spirit of www.carnegiehero.org/about/ Lacey Award from Lacey Mayor Andy Ryder history/ (accessed October 27, in 2015. Photograph courtesy of the Lacey 2020). Museum. 7 “Joseph Alongi, Yelm, Washington,” CONCLUSION Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, mychfc.org/hero.aspx?hero=44320 Anyone has the capacity to be a hero, (accessed November 3, 2020). but few of us find or take the opportunity. We should all appreciate and 8 Author interview with Joe Alongi, applaud the actions of our Thurston February 2021. County heroes who exemplify the Bib- lical quotation that appears on the 9 “Joseph Alongi, Yelm, Washington.” Carnegie medal itself: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay 10 “Yelm Men Who Helped Save Two down his life for his friends.” Honored,” Seattle Daily Times, Janu- ary 30, 1959, page 11. For further information and descrip- tions of all award winners’ courageous 11 “Three drown helping girl,” Belling- actions, visit www.carnegiehero.org. ham Herald, June 5, 1972, page 10. ______“Man Dies In Try To Save,” Morning Olympian, June 5, 1972, page 6. NOTES “Medal given posthumously,” Orego- nian, June 12, 1973, page 12. “James 1 “The Harwick Disaster,” “History,” Leo Carignan, Olympia, Washington,” www.carnegiehero.org/about/history/ Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, my- (accessed October 26, 2020). 45

chfc.org/hero.aspx?hero=52701 (ac- 20 Keith Eldridge, “Woman saves driver cessed November 3, 2020). from fiery crash near Olympia,” KOMO News, www.komonewscom/news/ 12 “Medal given posthumously.” local/ (accessed November 3, 2020). “Heather Zabrowski, Olympia, Wash- 13 “Carnegie Award For Carignan’s He- ington.” roic Effort,” Morning Olympian, May 2, ______1974, page 2. Karen L. Johnson has worked in the 14 “Charles B. McCracken, Tenino, museum field since 2001. She has writ- Washington,” Carnegie Hero Fund ten many history articles and co- Commission, mychfc.org/hero.aspx? authored two books about a Washing- hero=60753 (accessed November 3, ton pioneer. She currently serves as the 2020). “Rickard G. Spillman, Olympia, curator at the Olympia Tumwater Foun- Washington,” Carnegie Hero Fund dation, and as the editor of the Commission, mychfc.org/hero.aspx? Thurston County Historical Journal. hero=60754 (accessed November 3, ______2020).

15 “Trooper credits motorists with saving 3 lives,” Morning Olympian, Octo- MYSTERY ber 27, 1985, pages 1 and 11. PHOTOS 16 “A modest hero,” Tacoma News Trib- une, December 24, 1986, page 9. Can you identify any of the women on the facing page? The photo was taken 17 “Brady Olson, Lacey, Washington,” on November 30, 1973 at the Tum- Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, my- water Valley Golf Course. Shown are chfc.org/hero.aspx?hero=87347 (ac- all the female employees of the Olym- cessed November 3, 2020). pia Brewing Company at that time. Please contact the Journal editor at 18 Phil Helsel, “Teacher Brady Olson [email protected] if you Who Tackled Shooter Comforted Gun- can fill in any of the blanks. Photo- man,” NBC News, www.nbcnews.com/ graph courtesy of Gail Dahm. news/us-news/ (accessed November 3, 2020). 1—Penny Webster 2—Lalonie ______3—Caroline Huber 19 “Heather Zabrowski, Olympia, 4—Beth Bryarly Washington,” Carnegie Hero Fund 5—Shirley Wibbles Commission, mychfc.org/hero.aspx? 6—Christie ______7—Jo Blessing hero=90033 (accessed November 3, 8—Pat ______2020). 9—Winona Martin (retired) 10—Muriel Fuller (retired) 46

11—Helen Kimball (retired) 28—Sue Berschauer 12—Anita Dunham 29—Dorothy Tuggle 13—Louise Layton (retired) 30—Dawn Thompson 14—Peg Townsend 31—Mary Anne Smith 15—Henrietta ______32—P. Rand 33—Sally Strand 16—Joan Allison 34—Bev Mertens 35—Millie Warren 17—Pat Christ 18—Gail ______36—“E. A.” Hansel 19—Dianne ______37—Naomi Merryman 20—Nelsine Erikson (white collar) 38—Corinne Grout 21—Sue Zinn 39—Mary Korosi 22—Betty Watson 40—Betty Koehler 23—Joan Huett 41—Juanita Carden 24—Georgia Bergh 42—Joan Bachman 25—Harriett Graham 43—Anna Peterson 26—Barbara Naylor 44—Edie Bryn 45—Millie Cundy 27—Alice Clancy 46—Deloris Hansen 47

Do you recognize this photo of a Goth- structure with a bell tower, possibly a ic revival home? school.

The photo is from the collection of the “This home was identified on sleeve as Washington State Historical Society the Nathaniel Crosby House in Olym- (catalog number 2018.0.80). The pia, WA, Thurston County. This is not, house is described as: “a T-shaped however, the Nathaniel Crosby House structure with trim at eaves. A second in Tumwater, WA and no other Na- floor balcony extends over a doorway thaniel Crosby home is known.” supported by four columns. Tall sashed windows are visible on both The house is also not the Daniel and floors. A group of three women and a Ann Elizabeth Bigelow House in Olym- man stand at the entry way. A picket pia. fence is in front of the home, and a sidewalk extends along it. A woman is If you have any clues about this standing on the sidewalk. house’s identity, or the identity of the building on the left, please email the “Behind the home we can see a bridge Journal editor at karen@olytum spanning a gully or river, and behind foundation.org. this, on a hillside, is a large two story ______48

WHO/WHAT/WHERE IS IT?

In its early history, this residence Meanwhile, Leopold F. Schmidt had (commonly known as “the Ferry man- moved from Montana to Washington, sion” in its day) was occupied by some and started building his new brewery in prominent families: Ferry, McGraw, and Tumwater. Finding no home in Olympia Schmidt. The house was built sometime roomy enough for his large family, prior to September 1891, and was occu- Schmidt housed his wife and children in pied until 1895 by Governor Elisha P. Portland for a time, while he commuted Ferry and his wife Sarah. Ferry served between that city and Tumwater. In as Washington State’s first governor, February 1897, the Schmidts moved in- from 1889 to 1893. to the Ferry mansion after Governor Rogers declined the rental. The Ferry died while on a trip to Seattle in Schmidts lived there until 1902. They October 1895. His wife then took up then moved to a house a few blocks permanent residence in Seattle, and north while their large home, today’s rented the house in Olympia to then- Schmidt House, was being built in Tum- Governor John McGraw. McGraw and water. his wife May had been living in the Ford residence at Columbia and 11th. The Ferry home was finally demolished McGraw must have been a little slow in in late 1949 to make way for construc- making the move to their new home on tion of the Maple Vista Apartments, Main—while he was on an out-of-town which still exist and are now known as trip, his wife took charge and had all the Capitol Terrace Apartments, located their household effects moved to the at 1517 Capitol Way S. Ferry house. McGraw returned the next morning on the train, went directly to Back cover: his office, then walked “home” for lunch, Ferry residence, photograph C1949. only to find the door locked and the 1224.2, Washington State Historical Soci- house deserted. The Yakima Herald of ety, www.WashingtonHistory.org November 28, 1895 reported, “Glancing (accessed February 19, 2021). around to see whether any of the neighbors had observed him, the governor got Governor Elisha P. Ferry, State Library out of there as fast as circumstances Photograph Collection, 1851-1990, Wash- would permit and made tracks for his ington State Archives, Digital Archives new home on upper Main street.” (accessed February 19, 2021).

In 1897, Mrs. Ferry offered to rent the Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, Olympia, home to Governor John Rogers. Howev- Thurston County, Washington, June er, he did not fancy living there, leaving 1896, Library of Congress, www.loc.gov the house available for another tenant. (accessed February 19, 2021).

WHO/WHAT/WHERE IS IT?

Who lived in this lovely Victorian house, once located near the intersection of Main Street (now Capitol Way) and Maple Park in Olympia? See inside back cover for more information.