The Story of a Native American House Post the Tumwater Hospital That

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Number 5 April 2018

Shifting Patterns of Prejudice: The Story of a Native American House Post

The Tumwater Hospital That Never Was

Thurston County Pioneer, Teacher and Community Activist: The Life of Ada Sprague Mowell

The Port Townsend Southern Railroad

Early Washington Records from Oregon $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, City of Tumwater, 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, 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 360-943-2550 Janine Gates James S. Hannum, M.D. Erin Quinn Valcho

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 5 Table of Contents April 2018

2 Shifting Patterns of Prejudice: The Story of a Native American House Post Drew Crooks

14 The Tumwater Hospital That Never Was Richard McCartan

21 Thurston County Pioneer, Teacher and Community Activist: The Life of Ada Sprague Mowell Jennifer Crooks

34 The Port Townsend Southern Railroad James S. Hannum, M.D.

51 Early Washington Records from Oregon Karen L. Johnson

Back Cover Who/What/Where Is It? Megan Ockerman

On the cover: From 1972 to 1992, a Native American house post boldly stood in front of a Nuu-chah-nulth (or Nootka) house screen on the second floor of the Washington State Capital Museum as part of a long-term display. Photo courtesy of Drew Crooks. See article on page 2.

SHIFTING PATTERNS OF PREJUDICE: THE STORY OF A NATIVE AMERICAN HOUSE POST

Drew Crooks

This article traces the unusual journey through space and time of a Na- tive American house post from its origins in a Native village to becoming part of a museum collection. The ob- ject’s history vividly shows the shifting patterns of prejudice in the Olympia community.

First it is necessary to briefly look at the traditional cultures of the North Pacific Coast from where this house post originated. The Northwest Coast Native societies had social classes, including chiefs, commoners, and slaves. Chiefs inherited economic and ceremonial rights. Anthropologist Phil- ip Drucker in his classic study titled The Northern and Central Nootkan Tribes stated it well:

“The real fountainhead of chiefly power is clear. Whatever authority a chief Northwest Native American societies had derived in final analysis from the traditionally included chiefs, common- various rights he had inherited. The ers and slaves. This photograph, taken head chiefs, the ‘real chiefs,’ were by Edward Curtis in 1910, shows a those who held the most, the lower Hesquiat woman of high rank. The chiefs, those who owned less, and Hesquiat form part of the Nuu-chah- commoners were simply people who nulth (or Nootka) Nations on the west possessed none at all. The Nootkans coast of Vancouver Island. Photo cour- carried the concept of ownership to an tesy of Wikimedia Commons. extreme. Not only rivers and fishing 2

places close at hand, but the waters of “At some time this god occupied a the sea for miles offshore, the land, proud location on a river bank in the houses, carvings on a house post, the far north. Owing to years of erosion of right to marry in a certain way or the the bank the god was undermined and right to omit part of an ordinary mar- fell into the river, which carried him riage ceremony, names, songs, danc- on to the sea, and there he took a es, medicines, and rituals, all were southerly course until he was picked privately owned property.”1 up in the Straits of Juan de Fuca by a sea captain and by him sent to a sa- Thus the “carvings on a house post” loon keeper in Olympia.”4 represented inherited chiefly privileges. These house posts physically sup- This was the story taught to visitors to ported the central ridge pole of a win- the Washington State Capital Museum ter longhouse. They were a type of to- in the 1960s and 1970s.5 It is dra- tem pole, but differed from house matic, but is it true? How could an frontal poles, memorial or commemo- interior house post leave its Winter rative poles, and welcome figures. In House and fall into a river? Possible, Native society what was important but not very likely. about house posts was not the actual poles themselves, but the inherited The last account of the house post’s rights to display them along with ac- origin seems more likely to be true. An companying stories. Certainly the article published in the Morning Olym- poles were not in any way considered pian on October 19, 1901, related the idols or gods in the sense of being following tale: “This old totem pole has worshipped as some uninformed non- a history familiar to old-timers. It was Natives believed. formerly an idol in the possession of the Macah [Makah] tribe of Neah bay This article will focus on one Native Indians. In the early seventies it was American house post that came to surreptitiously removed from Neah Olympia in the late 19th Century. bay and came into possession of There are three different accounts of Frank Guttenberg. . .”6 its origins. One story is that Olympi- ans acquired this post in 1863 on the Thus it is quite possible that the post Queen Charlotte Islands (now known came from the Makah Tribe. The as Haida Gwaii).2 However, the carv- carving is in the Makah/Nuu-chah- ing is clearly not Haida in style.3 nulth style.7 The Makah of Neah Bay are linguistically and culturally related Another more popular origin account to the Nuu-chah-nulth (or Nootka) was related by George E. Blankenship people of Vancouver Island’s West in his 1923 book Lights and Shades of Coast. A closer look at Makah house Pioneer Life on Puget Sound: posts of the mid-19th Century is necessary to better understand the

situation. Fortunately, the records of This house in Neah Bay belonged to early anthropologist James G. Swan Colchote, a descendent on his moth- shed a powerful light on 19th Century er’s side from Deeart [or Deeah], Makah culture including house posts. founder of the village. The hereditary Indeed, on March 20, 1861, Swan chief was appointed a sub-chief by drew a sketch of a Makah winter Governor Isaac Stevens and partici- house with carved house posts. Cur- pated in the January 1855 Treaty rently, this drawing is preserved in Council of Neah Bay. In fact his signed Yale University’s Beinecke Rare Book “X” was second on the list of Native & Manuscript Library.8 American signers.9 The old chief died,

In the 19th Century, James Swan preserved much information about the Makah Native people at Cape Flattery. His 1861 drawing of “Colchote’s Lodge, Neeah [Neah] Bay” records the interior of a Makah chief’s house, including carved house posts. Photo courtesy of Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University.

as recorded in James Swan’s diary, on January 20, 1863.10

The house posts in Colchote’s lodge that were recorded by Swan are most interesting. At the least, they are very similar to the house post that later came to Olympia. James Swan was fascinated by the carvings of Colchote and described them in his 1870 book titled The Indians of Cape Flattery:

“In one of the lodges at Neeah Bay are three carved figures, on whose heads rests the huge beam that supports the roof; of these one is intended to represent Deeahks, or Deeaht. Another figure, in the centre, is named Klessa- kady, and is symbolical of sunrise. His head is surmounted with a crescent- shaped cap, and between his feet is a head representing night. The beam above is marked with circular holes, to represent stars, and according to Kal- chote, the old chief, who placed it James Swan (1818-1900) wrote exten- there, it may be said to show the man- sively about Native American and ner in which the sun, when rising, American settler life in Washington thrusts the stars away with his head Territory and State. One of his noted and tramples the night under his feet. publications was The Indians of Cape A figure at the remote end of the lodge Flattery. Photo courtesy of Washington is named Billaksakut’hl, and repre- State Archives, State Library Photo- sents a fabled giant of antiquity, who graph Collection, 1851-1990. could spread his feet apart, leaving a space between his legs wide enough to pass the largest canoes through. not have a good translator when col- These are the only carvings of any lecting information about the posts note in the village. . .”11 and encountered skepticism from other Makah Indians concerning the These stories recorded by Swan give tales.12 But if the posts represented Native meaning to the sculptures. inherited privileges and showed family Unfortunately, Swan in his writings stories, would not Colchote be the au- casts doubt on the oral history. He did thority on their meaning? In any case,

For several years the Native house post was attached to the North Pacific Gardens Saloon in Seattle before coming to Olympia in the early 1870s. An 1872 stereoscopic photograph by George Moore shows the saloon and post. Photo courtesy of University of Washington Special Collections, Negative Number NA 1490.

Swan recorded that a Nitinaht Indian Some specific evidence does exist con- artist from Vancouver Island carved cerning the Native American house the Deeah post, a Makah slave named post that came to Olympia. A stereo- Dick sculpted the Klessakady post, scopic view by photographer George N. and the old chief himself shaped the Moore in the University of Washington Billaksakut’hl post.13 Special Collections certainly shows the house post in question.14 The post is

The post was brought to Olympia in the early 1870s. Two surviving stories explain the move. One tale recounted that the carving had to go because it scared a pregnant woman in Seattle. Another account related that Gutten- berg was tricked into sending the post to Olym- James Pray owned the Native American house post pia by the false promise of in the 1870s. He kept it in the alleyway next to his a government job. Neither saloon in downtown Olympia. This advertisement story can be proved. for Pray’s establishment appeared in the 1872 Pu- get Sound Directory and Guide to Washington Ter- For a number of years the ritory. Image courtesy of Washington State Library. Native American house post in Olympia was asso- helping to hold up the roof of the ciated with James Pray’s North Pacific Gardens Saloon on Yes- saloon, which stood on the east side of ler’s wharf in Seattle in Washington, Main Street between 3rd and 4th. Today 1872. In the background the masts of that would be Capitol Way between a sailing ship can be seen. State and 4th Avenues. Currently the site is a parking lot. The Indian carv- In 1872 Frank Guttenberg owned the ing in the 1870s was placed in the al- North Pacific Gardens Saloon. The leyway running alongside the saloon. same 1901 Morning Olympian article Many stories have been told about the which stated the house post was sto- house post at Pray’s saloon. They in- len from the Makah also recorded that clude accounts about the post scaring the carving “came into possession of a drunk so much that he swore to quit Frank Guttenberg, a Seattle saloon drinking, and disrupting a Christian man who was [a] considerable . . . baptism ceremony in Budd Inlet. An- character in early days on Yesler’s other tale was reported by George E. wharf and his resort was a ‘hang-out’ Blankenship in a July 1921 Morning for many Olympians in those times.”15 Olympian newspaper article: Incidentally, the house post in the stereoscopic view is wearing some sort of “Hurriedly entering the saloon early loin cloth. In its later history the post one winter evening, a man announced had no need to wear such an outfit. that a body had just floated under the Obviously, it had been recarved to Marshville (west side) bridge and was make it more presentable to 19th Cen- going out with the ebb tide. These tury American society. men answering to [the] kindly impulse

characteristic of the pioneer, put on Later the house post was stored at overcoats, and with lanterns faced a Percival’s wharf, a steamboat dock wet and windy night on the bay. In built along State and Water in 1891. their hurry they failed to notice the This wharf was torn down in 1977 and absence of Mr. Totem from the back Percival Landing has since been built door of the saloon. Later in the night, there. It is no coincidence that at the a procession headed by six men bear- turn of the 20th Century the Native ing upon their shoulders the recreant carving went to Percival’s dock. northern god entered Mr. Pray’s sa- Charles Grainger’s daughter, Eliza- loon preceded by an artist with a beth, married John C. Percival who mouth organ giving forth the dolorous was in charge of the dock for many tones of Chopin’s Funeral March.”16 years.

One fact is certain. The house post at In 1899 the house post temporarily this time was surrounded by strong came out of storage as part of a prejudice against Native Americans. strange rivalry between Olympia and There was little respect for the house Seattle. On October 18 of that year a post or appreciation of its cultural totem pole stolen from the Tlingit vil- heritage. lage of Tongass in Alaska was unveiled in Seattle’s Pioneer Square to public James Pray died in Olympia on De- acclaim. For some reason the Seattle cember 13, 1877. Two men from the pole and its accompanying celebration community, Charles Grainger and ruffled the feathers of some people in Robert Frost, served as administrators Olympia. of his estate. Evidently, the Native American house post passed into the This resulted in a flurry of editorials in hands of Grainger. This American set- Olympia newspapers claiming that the tler came to Olympia in the early Capital City’s house post was just as 1850s, fought in the Puget Sound In- good as the pole in Seattle. In fact, dian War, and served as the hangman Olympia zealots for a brief time dis- for Leschi, the famous Nisqually lead- played the post at Sylvester Park, with er. For seven years Grainger operated the carving fastened to the bandstand an Olympia-Monticello stage line with by a wire. Unfortunately, the editorials L. A. Davis, and ran a livery in Olym- were full of anti-Indian racism. pia. In any case, Grainger kept the house post at his stable or an at- For example, a crude racist poem was tached skating rink between 5th and published in the Morning Olympian 6th Streets on the east side of Main issue of November 22, 1899, which Street. Currently that would be be- included the verses: tween 5th Avenue and Legion Way on Capitol Way. The site is presently a “You’re not the only iceberg Batdorf and Bronson coffeehouse. In the floe.

Yes, Olympia, too, of the local Auto Dealers association, Has got a pole, repainted the carving. It was placed in A weird phantasmagoria Priest Point Park. A Morning Olympian Of Indian diabolism, article of August 1921 observed: “That Grotesquely carved historic and justly famous Olympia And e’en more crosseyed, . . .”17 totem pole, all repainted in every hue of the rainbow from the artist brush of

Milo Morris, is now at last at rest in This was not exactly a shining exam- an imposing place in Priest Point ple of multicultural understanding. park.”18 In 1923 the carving was The post soon returned to storage at moved “to one of the vantage points Percival’s wharf. Charles Grainger died just inside the Park to be where every on his farm a few miles south of Olym- park visitor can see it on entering.”19 pia on January 30, 1906. Among some young people of the time the pole was known as “The Monster In 1921 the house post was brought of the Park.”20 out from Percival’s dock. Milo Morris, owner of Morris Garage and president On June 2, 1942, the newly formed Washington State Capital Museum made a request to the City of Olympia “that the Indian idol at Priest Point park be turned over by the city for display and safekeeping at the museum.”21 The City Com- missioners passed the request on to the Commissioner of Public Works “with the power to act.”22 So the carving was transferred to the Museum (located at 211 - 21st Ave- nue in southwest Olympia).

For years the house post stood outside the old Lord Mansion which served as the main Museum building. An April 1961 photograph by Merle Junk from the Su- A Tlingit totem pole, seen in this circa 1911 san Parish Collection of the Wash- photo, was installed in Seattle’s Pioneer ington State Archives showed the Square in 1899. The event evoked jealous carving standing next to the Muse- responses from some Olympia residents. um.23 Later in the 1960s, the Photo courtesy of University of Washington house post was transported to the Special Collections, Neg. No. Warner 3018. lower floor of the Museum where it

McBride recognized that the piece was an important artifact which deserved a more prominent position at the Wash- ington State Capital Museum. As part of a massive exhibits reorganization, the carving was moved to the Muse- um’s second floor, and stood in front of a Nuu-chah-nulth (or Nootka) painted screen at the entry to a new Indian display area. The following twenty years were a golden era for the carving. It received respect, being recognized as a key artifact in the Muse- um’s collection. For a time, in the 1980s, its image was even the logo on the Museum’s newsletter “Musings.”25 Some staff members affectionately gave the post the nickname of “Woody.”26

Life is full of change. In 1992 the house post was taken down for a new l o n g - term Native American exhibit called “Traditions and Transi- For over twenty years, from 1921 to the tions: American Indians of Southern early 1940s, the Native American Puget Sound.” The post was put into house post stood at Priest Point Park in storage at The Evergreen State Col- Olympia. In 1937, Olympia High lege; the staff hoped that the carving School’s annual yearbook, the Olym- would be displayed in the College’s pus, featured a picture of the carving at Longhouse Education and Cultural 27 the park. Photo courtesy of Washington Center which opened in 1995. That State Library. was not to be. The post continued to be stored at Evergreen for a time. Then after the merger of the Washing- became a favorite display for visitors. ton State Capital Museum with the Examples of stories written by stu- Washington State Historical Society, it dents about the impressive carving are was taken to Tacoma where it remains preserved in the Washington State in storage. Capital Museum scrapbooks.24 The story of this Native American Then in April 1972 came a turning house post reveals the shifting pat- point for the house post. Curator Del terns of prejudice in Olympia from

raging anti-Indian racism in the late the Makah Tribe, from whom it was 19th and early 20th Centuries to a most likely stolen in the 19th Century, more sympathetic attitude of the last would right an old wrong and contrib- 40 years. Del McBride of the Washing- ute to the cultural life of the Makah ton State Capital Museum helped fa- people. The pole would finally be at cilitate that change in our community, home again. as demonstrated by moving the house ______post from the Museum’s basement to the prominent second floor. NOTES

Perhaps now is the time for the Native 1 Philip Drucker, The Northern and American house post to make one Central Nootkan Tribes. Washington, more move. Repatriation of the pole to DC: United States Printing Office,

The Native American house post was displayed for several decades outside Olym- pia’s Washington State Capital Museum building. This situation is depicted in an April 1961 photograph taken by Merle Junk. Photo courtesy of Washington State Archives, Susan Parish Collection.

1951, page 247.

2 “Speaking of Totem Poles.” Morning Olympian, Olympia, WA, November 22, 1899, page 3.

3 For Haida sculpture style, see Bill Holm, “Art,” in Wayne Suttles, edited, Handbook of North American Indians, Volume 7 Northwest Coast. Washing- ton, DC: Smithsonian Institution, 1990, pages 615-616.

4 George E. Blankenship, Lights And Shades Of Pioneer Life On Puget Sound. Olympia, WA: unknown publisher, 1923, page 53.

Delbert McBride, seen in this 1992 por- 5 Observations of the author in the trait, served as Curator of the Washing- 1960s and 1970s at the Washington ton State Capital Museum from 1966 to State Capital Museum and conversa- 1980. In 1972 he had the museum’s tions with Museum staff. Native American house post moved from the basement to a prominent posi- 6 “Getting Back At Seattle.” Morning tion on the second floor. Photo courtesy Olympian, Olympia, WA, October 19, of a private collection. 1901, page 3. 9 The Makah leader’s name was listed 7 For Nootkan (or Nuu-chah-nulth) as “Kal-chote”, “Treaty With The Mak- sculpture style, see Holm, “Art,” in ah, 1855,” in Charles J. Kappler, com- Suttles, pages 618-619. piled and edited, Indian Affairs: Laws And Treaties, Volume II Treaties. 8 James Swan’s drawing of “Colchote’s Washington, DC: Government Printing Lodge. Neeah Bay,” March 20, 1861, is Office, 1904, page 684. illustrated in George A. Miles, James Swan, Cha-Tic of the Northwest Coast: 10 Lucile McDonald, Swan Among the Drawings And Watercolors From The Indians: Life of James G. Swan, 1818- Franz & Kathryn Stenzel Collection Of 1900. Portland, OR: Binfords & Mort, Western American Art. New Haven, CT: Publishers, 1972, page 103. The Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University, 2003, page 11 James G. Swan, The Indians Of 81. Cape Flattery, At The Entrance To The Strait Of Fuca, Washington Territory. 12

Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institu- west Regional Branch, Washington tion, [1870], page 59. State Archives, Olympia, Washington, accession 92SW6. 12 Miles, pages 23-24. 22 Olympia Municipal Government, 13 Miles, page 24. City Clerk, Minutes, page 586.

14 “Carved totem outside saloon on 23 Washington State Capital Museum, Yesler’s wharf, Seattle, Washington, April 1961, photograph by Merle 1872,” stereoscopic photograph. Uni- Junk, Susan Parish Collection, Wash- versity of Washington Special Collec- ington State Archives, Olympia, Wash- tions Division, George Moore collec- ington. tion No. 281, Negative Number NA 1490. 24 Washington State Capital Museum scrapbooks, Washington State Histori- 15 “Getting Back At Seattle.” Page 3. cal Society Research Center, Tacoma, Washington. 16 “Totem Pole to Adorn Park Has Wierd [sic] Story.” Morning Olympian, 25 Washington State Capital Historical Olympia, WA, July 3, 1921, page 4. Association, Musings newsletter, June 1984 – January/February 1989. 17 “Speaking Of Totem Poles.” Page 3. 26 Personal observations of author, 18 “Totem Pole Now In Full Glory who served as Curator of Collections Erected In Olympia’s Park.” Morning at the Washington State Capital Muse- Olympian, Olympia, WA, August 5, um from 1984 to 1997. 1921, page 1. 27 Personal observations of author. 19 “Moving Ahead With Plan To Devel- ______op Park.” Morning Olympian, Olympia, WA, March 24, 1923, page 4. Drew Crooks earned a bachelor’s degree in history and anthropology and a 20 Roger Easton. Interview by author. master’s degree in museum studies Olympia, 2010. As a child, historian from the University of Washington. For Easton saw the house post at Priest over 30 years he has worked with vari- Point Park. ous museums in South Puget Sound, and has written a number of articles 21 Entry for June 2, 1942, Olympia and books on the region’s heritage. Municipal Government, City Clerk, ______Minutes, Volume 17 (May 10, 1938 – December 29, 1942), page 586. South-

THE TUMWATER HOSPITAL THAT NEVER WAS

Richard McCartan

A rusty stair rail, leading nowhere and choked by weeds, stands along Capitol Boulevard just south of E Street, on the bluff overlooking the Tumwater Valley. The rail and stairs are the only remaining traces of a Tum- water mother’s re- markable plan for her son to return to his hometown to practice medicine.1

The mother was born Elizabeth Con- rad in 1872 in Ger- many. She immi- grated to the United States and in 1897, she married Emil Mathwig, a Poland- born boot maker, in This handrail and associated concrete steps are the 2 King County, a sec- only remnants of a hospital that once was under con- ond marriage for struction in Tumwater. 2017 photo courtesy of Karen L. both. They went Johnson. back to Europe, and re-entered the United States in 1907 In 1911, the couple had a third child, through Ellis Island with two young James Elmer, in Puyallup. They di- children in tow: Ruth (age three) and vorced, and Emil died in Tacoma in Rolf (or Ralph, age two).3 1922.4 In 1923, at age 51, Elizabeth

purchased a dairy farm in the Tum- water Valley on property just east of Capitol Boulevard, which was Old Highway 99 back then.

At the time, Tumwater had only about 500 residents. In the first half of the 20th Century, the number of farms in Thurston County grew quickly, reach- ing 2,876 by 1940.5 Most families in rural areas had one or two cows to meet their own needs. Larger dairy farms, such as the Mathwig farm, served the needs of city dwellers.

James Elmer Mathwig graduated from Olympia High School in 1929.6 He graduated from the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacy in 1933.7 Subse- quently, he graduated from the Uni- versity of Oregon Medical School in 1937.8 He interned in Los Angeles, and practiced for a time in Colville, Washington, north of Spokane.9

By 1942, James was an Army captain stationed in Honolulu.10 In 1943, he received a meritorious conduct deco- ration for his service at the Battle of Elizabeth Conrad Posner Mathwig. Pho- Guadalcanal, the Allies’ first major of- to courtesy of the Emil Mathwig page at fensive against Japan and a turning rootsweb/ancestry.com. point in World War II. As a combat battalion surgeon, he was recognized for saving lives in a unit less than 200 project along Capitol Boulevard: con- yards behind the front line.11 The structing a large concrete building Olympian reported that James created that she hoped would eventually be- a “sensation around town” by sending come a hospital managed by a tattered Japanese flag to his married James. Ralph, who lived on the farm sister, Ruth McConkey.12 with his mother, did much of the work on the building. Elizabeth purchased Meanwhile, back in Tumwater, Eliza- some medical equipment for the hos- beth had embarked on an ambitious pital. 15

Top: An aerial view of the Deschutes River valley in Tumwater. The Olympia Brew- ery is seen in the central upper part of the image; Capitol Boulevard cuts through the scene from the lower left to upper right; the Mathwig hospital is visible to the left of center. 1952 photo courtesy of the Olympia Tumwater Foundation.

Bottom: In a detail from the previous photo, the Mathwig hospital is at center. 16

Elizabeth and Ralph testified about River, of Tumwater, and of the Capitol the project in a federal criminal case.13 Dome towering over Olympia,” wrote The case arose in 1943 when Ruth be- The Olympian. Elizabeth was philo- came concerned about the welfare of sophical about her change of plans. her brother James’s two children. “Things come from every corner, and They were in their mother Margaret’s you can never tell what will happen,” care in Portland while James was she told the newspaper. away at war. Ruth hired an Olympia private detective, Murrell F. Haid, to The apartment plan never got off the investigate the mother. Based on his ground. Nor did an idea of using the dealings with the Mathwigs and sever- building for a Tumwater City Hall.15 In al other persons, the government 1959, Elizabeth sold her property to charged Haid with impersonating a the Olympia Brewing Company for de- federal agent. velopment of a golf course. Having no use for the building, the company al- At trial, Elizabeth testified that she lowed the Tumwater Fire Department showed Haid the partially-built hospi- to burn down the building in a train- tal on their property. Elizabeth stated ing exercise in 1964,16 one year after that Haid told her that he “could get Elizabeth died at age 91. the government to finish the hospital” so that James could come back to As for James, he and Margaret di- manage it. But Elizabeth replied that vorced in 1944.17 In 1949, he joined he could never convince James to re- the clinical staff of the University of turn. Washington Medical School,18 and was director of anesthesiology at Seattle’s Ralph testified that the building had Harborview Hospital. In 1954, he no finished rooms, no windows, and served as president of the Washington only a partial roof. When Haid State Society of Anesthesiologists. claimed the government would be interested in owning the hospital, Ralph James also pioneered the use of dex- obtained a contractor’s estimate of tran in the treatment of shock pa- $40,000-$50,000 to finish the work. tients. He discovered that dextran raised blood pressure more quickly James never did return to Tumwater, than conventional blood transfu- and construction of the hospital build- sions.19 He died in 1988 at age 77,20 ing never resumed after the war. In a survived by his second wife and two 1951 interview in The Olympian, an 80 children, and leaving nearly his entire -year-old Elizabeth explained that her estate to Children’s Hospital in Seat- abandoned hospital would be used for tle. apartments.14 Providence St. Peter would remain “So there the building stands, com- Thurston County’s only hospital until manding a fine view of the DesChutes Capital Medical Center opened on 17

Olympia’s west side in 1985. Eliza- 61903/1:1:NQMW -JY9: 10 March beth is buried at Mills & Mills Memori- 2018, Emil Mathwig, 01 Mar 1922; al Park in Tumwater. Her tombstone citing Tacoma, Pierce, Washington, inscription reads “Our Beloved Moth- reference 211, Bureau of Vital Statis- er. Rest In Peace.” A single parent and tics, Olympia; FHL microfilm dairy farmer who aspired to build a 1,992,969 (accessed March 26, 2018). community hospital for Tumwater, she should be remembered for her re- 5 Phil Dougherty, “Thurston County— markable spirit. Thumbnail History.” Essay 7979. His- ______toryLink.org, http://www.historylink. org/File/7979 (accessed December 19, NOTES 2017).

1 Today, the old hospital property bor- 6 “High School to Graduate 158 Sen- ders an area being used for construc- iors Here June 6.” Morning Olympian, tion of the Tumwater Craft Brewing May 17, 1929, page 1. and Distilling Center, a project spear- headed by South Puget Sound Com- 7 “University of Washington gradu- munity College and the City of Tum- ates.” Seattle Daily Times, June 11, water. 1933, page 19.

2 “Marriage Records from King County 8 “Elmer Mathwig Will Get Medical De- 1860-1898,” Genealogy Trails. http:// gree.” Morning Olympian, May 21, genealogytrails.com/wash/king/ 1937, page 7. marriage/1860mara.html (accessed December 19, 2017). 9 “United States Census, 1940,” database with images, FamilySearch, 3 “New York Passenger Arrival Lists https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/ (Ellis Island), 1892-1924,” database 1:1:K9S2-WZJ, James Elmer Math- with images, FamilySearch. https:// wig, Colville, Colville Election Precinct www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1: 2, Stevens, Washington, United 1:JXK5-GZV: 30 January 2018, Emil States, citing enumeration district Mathwig, 1907 (accessed March 26, (ED) 33-20, sheet 1B, line 59, family 2018). 28, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication 4 “Washington Death Certificates, T627. Records of the Bureau of the 1907-1960,” database, FamilySearch, Census, 1790-2007, RG 29. Washing- https://familysearch.org/ark: / ton, D.C.: National Archives and Rec-

Opposite: These photos show the Mathwig building being burned as a training exercise by the Tumwater Fire Department, and the shell of the structure after the fire. Photos courtesy of the Olympia Tumwater Foundation. 19

ords Administration, 2012, roll 4364 Daily Times, February 5, 1956, page (accessed March 26, 2018). 10.

10 “Promoted.” Morning Olympian, June 20 “United States Social Security Death 14, 1942, page 12. Index,” database, FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/ 11 “Fighting Physician.” Morning Olym- 1:1:J5CR-FT5: 19 May 2014, James pian, September 16, 1943, page 1. E. Mathwig, 18 Oct 1988; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death 12 “Ex-Weapons.” Morning Olympian, Master File, database (Alexandria, Vir- July 19, 1943, page 1. ginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing) (accessed March 26, 13 No. 15668, United States of Ameri- 2018). ca, Plaintiff, vs. Murrell F. Haid, De- ______fendant, 1945. https://archive.org/ stream/govuscourtsca9briefs2423/ Richard McCartan was born and raised govuscourtsca9briefs2423_djvu.txt in Pullman, and graduated from the (accessed December 19, 2017). University of Washington and Gonzaga Law School. He moved to Olympia in 14 “And You Never Can Tell What Will 1978, and was an Assistant Attorney Happen.” Morning Olympian, March 4, General for 37 years, before retiring in 1951, page 1. 2017. ______15 City of Tumwater, City Council Minutes, March 31, 1964. https:// web.ci.tumwater.wa.us/weblink/Doc View.aspx?id=4292&dbid=0 (accessed December 19, 2017).

16 “Burned Up and Torn Down.” It’s the Water News. Tumwater, WA: Olympia Brewing Company, September 1964.

17 “Divorces Granted.” Morning Olympi- an, April 2, 1944, page 8.

18 “200 Doctors Named To Clinical Staff Of U. W. Medical School.” Seattle Daily Times, June 19, 1949, page 44.

19 Harold F. Osborne, “Two Seattle Doctors Report Use of Blood Substi- tute Effective in Shock Cases.” Seattle 20

THURSTON COUNTY PIONEER, TEACHER AND COMMUNITY ACTIVIST: THE LIFE OF ADA SPRAGUE MOWELL

Jennifer Crooks

(Editor’s Note: The author refers to people in this article by their first names as a way to reduce confusion and does not denote any particular status.)

Ada Sprague Mowell (1867-1953) is an important figure in the history of Thurston County. As pioneer, teacher, and community activist, her actions helped shape the development of the region during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Ada was born in Ada County, Idaho, the seventh child and youngest daughter of Alfred D. and Wilhelmina (Sager) Sprague, on November 22, 1867.1 Her father had been born in Illinois to a family that had originally migrated from New England and her mother was from Germany. After their marriage, the growing Sprague family migrated steadily westward, seeking new opportunity. Alfred and Wilhelmina had a total of twelve Ada Sprague Mowell as a young wom- children, whose birthplaces map the an (no date). Photo from the Olympia family’s westward migration over five Historical Society and Bigelow House states: three in Arkansas, two in Museum, Roger Easton Collection. Kansas, two in Colorado, one in Idaho (Ada), and two in Washington. The Hattie (Underwood), Ada (Mowell), children that survived infancy were: Alice (Rabbeson), Oliver, Kate, Meda, Belle (Dodd), Olive, Etta (Gelbach), Fred, and Roderick. Etta married

George Gelbach,2 who owned a about the place. We built houses of gristmill at Tumwater Falls from the round sticks of several stories for our 1870s to around 1890.3 dolls, which often were sticks themselves, or at best ‘rag dolls’. My The Spragues and seven of their first china doll was given me by a children (Belle married and stayed neighbor, Mrs. Harn, whose little girl behind in Idaho) moved to Thurston had died. It was a precious County in December 1869—a long possession, but never so dearly loved journey from Boise City to Olympia by as my rag babies.”6 wagon and foot. Ada was only two years old at the time. When they She also remembered much about arrived in Olympia, they lived for a what life was like in the early short time at what she referred to as Tumwater area. She particularly liked “the old Hayden Place.” This house, her neighbors the Dittmans. Mrs. torn down in 1946, was located on Dittman spoke only German and she what is now Capitol Way between loved to converse with Ada’s mother, Tenth and Union Avenues.4 who was German. 7 Ada also remembered: The family soon relocated to Tumwater, believing their prospects “Mr. Benj[amin] Gordon’s place on would be better in that area. They Bush Prairie was always a joy to me. I lived in the “old Barnes place” before know every nick of that orchard, and moving to Bush Prairie and settling Mr. Gordon always treated me to big into the “Kuhn Place” before their sticks of cinnamon bark. Jesse homestead near Black Lake was fit for Ferguson’s farm was another place I habitation. There was a lot of work to loved to go. At threshing time my do to get the homestead ready, mother always helped the Ferguson including clearing out the woods to girls cook for the threshers. Work was build a large log cabin. Although traded in these days and at log rolling things were not easy with building the time on our place the neighbors farm and the untimely death of two of helped my mother. One of the sorrows her teenage sisters Kate and Meda, of youth, that is still a regret, was a Ada remembered her childhood wonderful dinner I could not eat fondly.5 In 1914, when interviewed for because of sickness, when there was a the Early History of Thurston County, log rolling bee at our place.”8 Washington, Ada wrote that: Education had always been important “While pioneer life was full of to the Sprague family, despite the hardships for the elders it was full of limited school resources in the area. joy for the youngsters. Looking back When they lived on their homestead over our childhood, it seems like a the family typically moved into long day of playtime. We had Tumwater every winter for the school wonderful adventures in the woods term of about six months. One 22

exception is the winter Ada attended the family. Ada later stated that they the Central School in Olympia. Her lived on the land long enough to make father went out during the day to work the necessary improvements to gain at their dairy and the whole family ownership of their property under the returned in spring to work on the Homestead Act11 and then moved into farm. During their stay in Tumwater Tumwater.12 With her mother’s death they lived with local families such as in 1881 at the age of 48,13 Ada’s life the Brewers and Dudleys. Ada enjoyed changed again. Tumwater life, especially the annual community Christmas tree at the In 1883, at the age of fifteen, Ada Christmas Eve service at a union became a teacher at Plum Station, a church, which later became the small community along the railroad Methodist Church on Tumwater Hill.9 line in central Thurston County. She had attended some high school and Ada later remembered her school days received additional training at the with some mixed emotions: University of Washington, attending its normal (or teaching) program. For “The school house on the hill, near the next fifteen years, she taught in the site of the present building, was a schools all over Western Washington, small one-room affair and to this day I including Stuck in King County, remember my first appearance there. I Skagit City, Littlerock, Hoquiam, was in deadly fear of the teacher, who Tumwater, and Olympia. Many of her taught with the rod ever in his hand. students remembered Ada as Later school was held in the Tumwater balancing good discipline with a sense Literary Association Hall . . . . School of humor. For her “splendid service as was held in the lower floor and once a pioneer in the teaching profession,” when some of the older boys had she was made an honorary member in planned to eject the teacher, during December 1947 of the Iota chapter of the scuffle which followed my sister, Delta Alpha Gamma, a professional Etta, now Mrs. Gelbach of Spokane, honors society for women educators.14 put all we children out of the window and then clambered after us, whither Ada spent the last two years of her most of the school followed. School in career (1896-1898) as the principal of those days never lacked for Lincoln School (which then consisted excitement.”10 of first through eighth grades) in Olympia. It was a much smaller school When her father, worn down by the than its modern offspring, Lincoln hard work of founding a farm in the Elementary. Ada also taught a full wilderness woods, died in 1875, the load of classes, which she family was left in difficult straits. The remembered put a strain on fulfilling older children and widow took over her administrative duties. During this care of the farm and family. Oliver left time she boarded with the McMicken school and went to work to support family.15 While also serving as 23

principal, she was appointed by the times. In fact, it is not recommended Thurston County Superintendent of unless done in cold conditions before public schools to be on the Board of the sun hits the south face of the Examiners, a group that granted mountain because of loose rocks. The teaching licenses to teachers in the party hiked from Paradise valley to county.16 Camp Muir and stayed the night. They then climbed up the mountain.] Two Ada was an adventurous person and hard days were spent by the Mazamas in 1897, she climbed Mount Rainier as of the party in the ascent of the part of the first large Mazama Club mountain, the goal being reached sponsored climb. The Mazama Club is Tuesday evening last at about 4:40 a mountaineering group, founded in o’clock. They remained on the summit 1894, that continues to the present. only about 40 minutes, but that was Ada’s story, recorded in the August 3, 1897 issue of the Morning Olympian, perhaps best sums up their adventure. Climbing the mountain was much harder in 1897 than today:

“A tired, jaded, happy party of mountain climbers it was that reached Olympia at noon today from a two weeks outing on Mount Rainier. Of this party, only three made the ascent to the summit of the mountain, namely Miss Ada Sprague, Mr. B. L. Hill and Dr. J. W. Mowell. This trio returns full-fledged members of the Mazama Club, and having the paste boards to show for it. The trip was a hard one, but was made without accident, so far as Olympians were concerned. And while none are sorry they made the trip, no one of them is anxious for an immediate return.

“They left Olympia Wednesday morning, July 22, and a week was spent in going to and returning from Paradise valley. [The party took the This July 8, 1925, Morning Olympian route through the Gibraltar Ledges, photo shows Dr. John Wilson Mowell, a the route of the first climbers and the prominent physician in Olympia. Ada standard winter route in modern and John married in 1898. 24

quite long enough to nearly freeze to Arthur Ray Mowell (born in 1888) who death. On the descent, the journey to tragically died of polio at the age of Camp Muir was in company with Prof. one. After John and America’s divorce, McClure, who met death that night Shelley remained behind in Missouri some distance further down the with his mother while his father mountain [The party had split up into moved to Washington State. Later groups, and McClure had been acting Shelley moved to Olympia to work as as a scout. He fell and became the the Capital National Bank cashier and first recorded death of a mountain remained in the area the rest of his climber on Mount Rainier.] They life.20 started down to return to Camp Muir and brave the frigid temperatures for John moved to Tumwater in 1890, the night, which they did, where his aunt lived, to start his own fortunately.”17 practice. For a while, he divided his medical practice between Tumwater On June 15, 1898, 30-year-old Ada’s and Olympia. Setting up office in the life changed directions again upon her Reed Block, he spent the mornings in marriage to Dr. John Wilson Mowell, Olympia, afternoons in Tumwater, and 37. It was a typical quiet wedding of answered night calls from Tumwater.21 the period, held at the home of her The next year he discontinued his sister Etta. Etta, Ada’s future sister-in Tumwater office.22 Later, John was on -law Laura Avery, her former landlord staff at St. Peter Hospital. He was a Mrs. McMicken, and the officiating member of the Thurston-Mason minister were the only other people County Medical Society, state medical present.18 association, American College of Surgeons, and a representative Dr. Mowell had climbed Mount Rainier member of the Eagles. with Ada in 1897.19 Born March 15, 1861 in Shamokin, Pennsylvania, Mowell was also active in community John had grown up in Missouri. After affairs, serving as vice president of the graduating from high school at age Olympia National Bank from 1899 to seventeen, he taught four terms of 1906. He was elected to the Olympia public school. In 1882 he married City Council and was Olympia’s America Feaster in Lincoln County. Health Officer.23 From 1896 to 1897 The couple moved to St. Louis where he served as Thurston County he worked as a shipping clerk at the Physician.24 The doctor was also active Brownell and Wight Car Company and in the movement for Industrial later the Brown Woodworking Insurance and was the first Medical Company. He graduated from the Director of the Washington State Missouri Medical College (now part of Industrial Insurance board, serving Washington University) in St. Louis in from 1911 to 1917. He was Chairman 1888. The couple had two children: of the State Medical Aid Board from Shelley Earl Mowell (1884-1965), and 1917 to 1921. John maintained an 25

active medical practice until shortly land that the old Central School before his death on July 7, 1925.25 building was on at 200 Union Avenue in Olympia when the district put it up After a wedding trip, the Mowells for auction.27 The school building was rented a duplex at 808 Main Street moved across the street to 317 Union (now Capitol Way) in Olympia (next to and now serves as apartments. On the the then-existing Masonic Temple). original school lot, the Mowells built a Ada quickly became active in the large house, which still stands. Built social life of the town.26 As a married in the classic Foursquare style, it was upper-middle class woman with a considered one of the finest homes in relatively secure financial situation, Olympia. The house was quite large. she dedicated the rest of her life to the Downstairs was a library, living room, woman’s club movement of the time dining room and kitchen all off a period and social reform. central hall. Upstairs were four bedrooms and a bathroom. The house In 1907, the Mowells purchased the was “modern” in every sense of the

Ada and John Mowell’s house at 200 Union Avenue was built in 1908. After extensive renovation and remodeling, it now houses the Washington Council of Police and Sheriffs. 2014 photo courtesy of Jennifer Crooks. 26

term, with hot and cold running Daughters of the Pioneers of water, indoor plumbing, and electric Washington and was a charter lighting—none of which Ada had member of their Tumwater chapter.31 growing up as a child. The house cost She even served as the Tumwater about $5,000 to $6,000 to construct Chapter’s second President, from 1931 and was designed by architect Howard to 1932.32 She also held the position of E. Gray and built by contractor Harry State Corresponding Secretary of the Shepherd.28 Daughters of the Pioneers in 1937.33

After her marriage, Ada needed little Through her extensive club encouragement to be just as or more memberships, Ada became involved in active in community life as her many contemporary issues. A husband. She had a determined Progressive Republican, she supported character. Ada was described by social reforms such as women’s lifelong colleague Goldie Robertson suffrage.34 While her husband lobbied Funk as “full of a conquering for Industrial Insurance for workers, laughter—you know, the kind that Ada worked to ban child labor. For hurdles obstacles, reduces difficulties, example, at the June 1903 annual and makes everybody feel better. But Washington State Federation of more than this: she came of a blood Woman’s Clubs conference in Everett, stream charged with the desire and Mowell presented a paper titled “Child the will to know and to do; she was Labor.”35 eager to get from Life all it could be made to give.”29 The biggest impact Ada made was through the Woman’s Club of Ada had many different interests. She Olympia, where she held a enjoyed outdoor sports, cards, membership for 54 years. Becoming a dancing, and automobile driving, and member in 1898, she immediately was active in several social clubs. took an active role. She was quickly Furthermore, she was interested in appointed as Corresponding Secretary the geologic history of the Puget in 1898 and served in that capacity Sound region and with her husband until her first term as president. Ada John was an amateur astronomer. eventually served as Recording But her biggest involvement centered Secretary (1905-1906), Trustee (1907- on clubs. Over her long lifetime, Ada 1910), again as Corresponding was a member of the St. John’s Secretary (1918-1919), Custodian Episcopal Church, Ladies’ Relief (1927-1928), and Parliamentarian Society, Woman’s Club of Olympia, (1933-1934). Additionally, she served Civic Improvement Club, Eenati Club, as chair of many Departments, History Club, Thurston County including Arts and Crafts (1920-1924), Educational Club, Tacoma Country Travel (1924-1925), and International Club, and the Tuberculosis League.30 Relations (1932-1933). Ada also In addition, she helped organize the chaired their General Committee when 27

the club affiliated with the Washington was completed in 1908 and is close to State Federation of Women’s Clubs for Mowell’s house, just around the the first time and represented them as corner and down the street. Ada would first vice president. She also led state have easily walked the distance. committees on Education, Loan Fund, According to Dr. T. R. Ingham, when and as state “chairman of the State John was called out while she was at Chairmen.”36 Most significantly, she the Woman’s Club, he would leave a was president of the Olympia group note taped to the door that read: “Ada, for eight terms: 1901-1903, 1909- the key is under the mat.”38 Home 1911, and 1914-1918. burglaries were less common in those days, but that still was not the wisest Ada also chaired the committee that idea even then. Also, Ada did all her organized the construction of the work despite suffering several life- current Woman’s Club of Olympia threatening illnesses over the years.39 building, the Abbie H. H. Stuart House at 1002 Washington St. SE in Ada was also involved in the formation Olympia.37 The building, now on the of the original Olympia public library. National Register of Historic Places, She chaired the Club Library

This circa 1910 postcard depicts the Olympia Woman’s Club. The organization maintains use of the building, which is now on the National Register of Historic Places. Photo courtesy of a private collection. 28

Committee which started and secured holding silver teas in the early 1920s the Carnegie library for the city; the to help raise funds for a Minute library was dedicated in 1914. She Woman Association of Washington was among club volunteers who sponsored marker at the World War I served as librarians until the city battlefield of Chateau-Thierry in hired a professional librarian.40 France that honored Washington soldiers who had died there.44 The During World War I, Ada was marker was finally created and immediately involved with homefront dedicated in 1924.45 service organizations. Later, Ada served as the Chairman of the During World War II, the Minute Woman’s Work Committee of the Women were revitalized, but played a Thurston County Council of Defense, very small role in comparison to other making her both the sole woman on organizations and to their position in the Council and the head of the World War I. However, the Minute county’s “Minute Women” volunteers. Women of Thurston County did assist In this role she helped implement on the World War II homefront, government homefront programs regularly acting as hostesses at the during the war. This included Olympia USO Club.46 In 1941, they promoting voluntary rationing (which also started a “cookie jar” project for was nicknamed “food conservation”), soldiers, enlisting the aid of local selling Liberty bonds, and raising woman’s clubs and published sugar- money and memberships for the Red conserving recipes in The Daily Cross.41 During this time she took an Olympian newspaper.47 The group active role in public speaking about faded out in the early 1950s as its the campaigns. For example, Ada gave members aged and its restrictive an address at a banquet to open the membership rules and redundant Second Liberty Loan campaign at roles failed to attract new members.48 which Governor Ernest Lister also Ada later remembered the war as a spoke. She urged people to encourage turning point in community life. family and neighbors to support the Decades after the war Mowell reflected war effort through buying bonds and in a short autobiographical sketch joining the Red Cross.42 that “[i]nto the midst of our busy life came World War I and overnight After the war ended in 1918, Ada was everything changed. Olympia went all a leader in the Minute Women out for war work, Red Cross work, Association of Thurston County, part Minute Women, Council of Defense, of the Washington State Association of etc. When it was over life had changed Minute Women which ran for decades and never quite resumed its old promoting patriotic causes. She was tenor.”49 made honorary Thurston County councilor for life, and remained Ada died on January 6, 1953, but her involved in its activities,43 including legacy continues. Perhaps a good way 29

of thinking about her impact is to use 1846 -1895. Tumwater, WA: Hender- her Olympia home as a metaphor. The son House Museum, 1995, page 14. 1907 Mowell house on Union Avenue was considered one of the best homes 4 Blankenship, Early History, page in Olympia.50 Over time, the building 310. has gone through extensive renovations, but it survives and now 5 Blankenship, Early History, page serves as the headquarters for the 310. Washington Council of Police and Sheriffs. Like the house, Thurston 6 Blankenship, Early History, page County has changed very much since 310. Ada’s time yet her legacy survives through the continuing contributions 7 Blankenship, Early History, page of the groups she shaped and 311. supported such as the Woman’s Club of Olympia and the Daughters of the 8 Blankenship, Early History, page Pioneers. Ada’s philosophy can be best 311. summed up by her simple statement that “I couldn’t belong to any group 9 Blankenship, Early History, pages and not do my share.”51 She certainly 312-313. did her “share” in a way that greatly benefited Thurston County. 10 Blankenship, Early History, page ______313.

NOTES 11 Blankenship, Early History, pages 311-312. 1 Georgiana Mitchell Blankenship, Early History of Thurston County, 12 Ada Mowell, “Olympia in My Washington: Together With Biographies Lifetime,” page 2. Undated manuscript and Reminiscences of Those Identified at the Washington State Library. with Pioneer Days. Olympia, WA: 1914, page 310. This book spells Ada’s 13 Blankenship, Early History, page mother’s name as Whilmina. Other 312. sources spell her name as Wilhelmina, Willamina or Wilmina. Wilhelmina is 14 Delta Kappa Gamma; Mowell, Ada the correct German spelling. Sprague in Delta Kappa Gamma Salutes Alpha Sigma State’s 2 Blankenship, Early History, page Centennial Salute to Washington’s 309. Pioneer Teachers. December 1953. Seattle, WA?: Delta Kappa Gamma, 3 Jill Kangas and Lanny Weaver, 1953. Tumwater Historic District History and Development Water Driven Industry: 15 Mowell, “Olympia,” page 2. 30

Ada Mowell, seen in a November 23, 1916 Morning Olympian newspaper article, was active in woman’s clubs and civic affairs for half a century.

16 Gamma, Delta. 27 Mowell, “Olympia,” page 2.

17 “Kreider Party Returns.” Morning 28 “Dr. Mowell Erects Handsome New Olympian, August 3, 1897, page 1. Home.” Olympia Daily Recorder, May 11, 1907, page 3. 18 Mowell, “Olympia,” page 2. Laura Avery married Ada’s brother Roderick 29 Goldie Robertson Funk, “Celebrating Sprague in 1900. “Mrs. Laura Sprague the Birthday of Ada Sprague Mowell Succumbs in Seattle.” Daily Olympian, November 25, 1941,” page 1. August 21, 1934, page 3. Unpublished manuscript. Washington State Library. 19 “Kreider Party.” 30 “Mowell, Ada Sprague,” in John 20 T. R. Ingham, M.D., “John Wilson William Leonard ed., Woman's Who's Mowell 1861-1925,” in “Some of the Who of America: A Biographical Early Doctors of Olympia.” Olympia, Dictionary of Contemporary Women of WA: Thurston County Historic the United States and Canada, 1914- Commission, 1994. Shelley Mowell 1915. New York: American first served as a bookkeeper at the Commonwealth Company, 1914, bank. “Deaths-Funerals: Shelley E. pages 582-583. Mowell.” Daily Olympian, December 22, 1965, page 14. 31 “Deaths & Burials: Mrs. Ada Sprague Mowell.” Daily Olympian, 21 “Dr. J. W. Mowell.” Morning January 7, 1953, page 14. Olympian, March 15, 1893, page 3. 32 “In Woman’s Realm: Mrs. [F. H.] 22 No title. Morning Olympian, Gloyd is President.” Daily Olympian, November 19, 1893, page 4. March 20, 1932, page 3.

23 “Dr. John Mowell Dies at Home in 33 “Society: Pioneer Daughters Honor Olympia.” Morning Olympian, July 8, State Officers.” Daily Olympian, June 1925, pages 1 and 6. 25, 1937, page 3.

24 “Commissioners Minutes.” Morning 34 Leonard, Woman’s Who’s Who, page Olympian, May 21, 1896, page 4. 583.

25 “Dr. John Mowell Dies at Home in 35 “Will Elect Officers.” Morning Olympia.” Olympian, June 20, 1903, page 3.

26 Mowell, “Olympia,” page 2. They 36 Funk, “Celebrating,” page 3. initially paid $8.00 a month for the property, which rose to $20 before 37 Funk, “Celebrating,” page 3. they moved out in 1907. 32

38 Ingham, “John Mowell,” in Early 46 For example: “USO Hostess Doctors. Dr. T. R. Ingham’s father Dr. Calendar.” The Daily Olympian, George Ingham had been a friend of November 4, 1942, page 12; “USO Dr. Mowell. Such great friends, that T. Hostess Calendar.” The Daily R. called him, “next to my father . . . Olympian, September 1, 1943, page 8; the greatest doctor.” Dr. Mowell helped “USO Hostess Calendar.” The Daily deliver T. R. at birth. Olympian, April 2, 1945, page 3.

39 Funk, “Celebrating,” page 2. Funk 47 “Cookie Jar Arranged For New USO does not state what these illnesses Building.” The Sunday Olympian, were. February 15, 1942, page 1.

40 Funk, “Celebrating,” page 3. 48 Jennifer Crooks. “Patriotism & Paranoia.” Pages 22-26, 26. 41 Jennifer Crooks, “Patriotism and Paranoia: The Thurston County 49 Mowell, “Olympia,” pages 6-7. Minute Women of World War I.” COLUMBIA, 31 No. 3, Fall 2017: pages 50 “Dr. Mowell Erects Handsome New 22-26, 23. Home.” Page 3.

42 “Loan Drive Gets Enthusiastic 51 Funk, “Celebrating,” page 2. Sendoff.” Morning Olympian, October ______2, 1917, page 1. Jennifer Crooks grew up in Olympia. 43 “Organization of County Minute She recently graduated from Central Women Formed.” Morning Olympian, Washington University with a Master of March 11, 1920, page 1. Arts in history, and is especially interested in early 20th Century 44 “Social and Personal.” Olympia Daily American social history. Recorder, May 8, 1922, page 3. ______“Society.” Olympia Daily Recorder, October 7, 1922, page 3.

45 Shanna Stevenson, “Minute Women of Washington,” Washington State Historical Society, Women’s History Consortium, http://www. washingtonhistory.org/research/whc/ milestones/aftersuffrage/ minutewomen/ (accessed August 11, 2013).

THE PORT TOWNSEND SOUTHERN RAILROAD

James S. Hannum, M.D.

Many residents of Thurston County are aware that a narrow gauge railway (the Olympia & Chehalis Valley Railroad) ran between Olympia and Tenino in the 1880s. That line was widened to standard gauge in 1891, when it was merged into the Port Townsend Southern Railroad.1 Less well-known are the schemes developed by the Oregon Improvement Company (a holding company which controlled the Port Townsend South- ern) to build a rail link between Port Townsend and Olympia. Those en- deavors are the subject of this article.

The Olympia & Tenino Railroad began operating in 1878. It underwent reorganization in August 1881, with a change in name to the Olympia & Chehalis Valley Railroad. In 1884 and again in 1886, it was rumored

Figure 1: Map of Western Wash- ington Showing the Railroads of the Oregon Improvement Compa- ny. Copyrighted, 1890, by E. H. Morrison, General Land Agent Ore- gon Improvement Company. Uni- versity of Washington Libraries, Special Collections Division, Allen South, Accession No. 0249-001, Oregon Improvement Company Records, Box 81. 34

that the line would be lengthened into dicates that on July 1, 1889, a con- the coal fields south and east of tract was made with Elijah Smith of Tenino. However, such expansion did New York City (the President of the Or- not take place. egon Improvement Company) to build the line between Port Townsend and The Port Townsend Southern Railroad Olympia. During 1890 and 1891, was incorporated in 1887 by fanciful 27.304 miles of railway were con- Port Townsend business people who structed from Port Townsend south to wanted to make Port Townsend the Quilcene.3 However, that right-of-way terminal for a transcontinental rail- was never extended farther than road. But financing a huge, ongoing Quilcene. project like that was more than the Port Townsend community could sus- Also in 1890, work began in Olympia tain. By 1889, the railroad still had on a right-of-way toward the north, not laid any track, and the enterprise along the west side of Budd Inlet. The was sold to the Oregon Improvement June 20, 1890 Washington Standard Company. Late that year, the Olympia reported: “The San Francisco Bridge & Chehalis Valley Railroad also came Company has received the contract for under control of that same Oregon building the Port Townsend Southern holding company. track from the present terminus of the narrow-gauge to Butler’s Cove. A large Detailed location survey maps for portion of the road-bed will be on much of the Port Townsend Southern piles. Work will begin in a few days.” Railroad have not been located. How- The Washington Standard mentioned ever, a Mason County deed suggests on July 18, 1890: “Piles for the Port that mid-1889, the right-of-way was Townsend Southern Railroad track are intended to pass through Union City being driven along the water front of (now called Union) on Hood Canal, in Westside. They will be used for a mile Mason County.2 Figure 1, from a map or more when the route passes to the produced in 1890, provides a general land and will be built on the beach idea of the right-of-way proposed be- with cribbing and fill. The road bed tween Port Townsend and Olympia. will be fifteen feet wide.” The pathway shown appears to be a schematic generalization; clearly, it is Later that year, a delay was anticipat- grossly inaccurate (as will be demon- ed in completing the track between strated later) between Union City and Quilcene and Olympia. The October Olympia. The pre-existing Olympia & 10, 1890 Railroad Gazette reported: Chehalis Valley Railroad, leading from “Port Townsend Southern – About four Olympia to the south, is also visible in miles have been graded north from this figure. Olympia in the direction of Union City, Wash., at the end of Hood’s Canal. The valuation record of the Port Town- The company will connect by boat send Southern Railroad Company in- with Quilcene. . . . Between Union 35

Top: Figure 2: Whitham & Page’s Map of Olympia and Surroundings. Thurston Co., Washington, 1890. By Scammell & Conger. Digital version courtesy of Wash- ington State Library. Bottom: Figure 3. Map of Portownsend [sic] and Southern Railroad Company. Thurston County Auditor’s Plat # 2700225. Recorded April 22, 1890 on pages 52- 55 of Thurston County Plat Book #5, by Truman W. Brown, Engineer and Agent.

City and Tenino a few right of way cases have not yet been adjusted.”

Figure 2 is part of an 1890 map which reveals the company’s initial conception of where the railroad would be located, north of Olympia. As mentioned above, it was to run on pilings, or use cribbing along the shoreline, most of the way to Butler Cove. Figure 3 is part of the survey (near Butler Cove) for this right-of-way, which was submitted April 22, 1890. Readers who are familiar with the topography around Butler Cove will understand why this route was subsequently re- jected. The grade is too steep; over a relatively short distance, it rises from water level to a much higher elevation on the west side of Butler Cove (where the Olympia Country Club is situated currently). As early as August 16, 1890, the Port Townsend Southern Railroad began securing an upland right-of-way for its extension north of Olympia.4 Figure 4: Part of Plat of Clark’s Ad- This raises a question about why the dition to Olympia, recorded 1871. railroad wanted to go to Butler Cove in Courtesy of Washington State Ar- the first place. The answer is, to ex- chives, Southwest Washington Re- port coal. Although a long wharf had gional Archives. been constructed in downtown Olym- pia in 1888, dredging of the harbor had not been completed. Docking the south part of Thurston County ocean-going ships downtown re- was to have been one of the commodi- mained a challenge. In the early ties handled there. Figure 4 is the plat 1870s, when the Northern Pacific of their unfulfilled proposal. Railroad flirted with the idea of making Olympia its Puget Sound terminal, Renewed interest in exporting coal one group of local business people was demonstrated in 1889 when the suggested creating an extensive dock- Olympia & Chehalis Valley Railroad ing facility at Butler Cove. Coal from purchased a right-of-way immediately northeast of Centralia, in Lewis Coun- 37

ty. 5 An extension of the railroad over joined by miners at Newcastle and that property was never constructed. Black Diamond. A vicious labor dis- However, later, the Eastern Railway & pute resulted, and for many months, Lumber Company did build its own the Oregon Improvement Company line in that general area. was unable to fulfill contracts for coal from its own mines. It had to purchase The situation regarding exportation of almost $500,000 worth of coal in San coal was clarified in 1890 by an article Francisco and British Columbia to in the April 25 issue of Railroad Ga- meet those commitments. In addition, zette:6 “Olympia & Chehalis Valley. - It costs relating to the strike itself is stated that the Oregon Improvement amounted to $75-80,000, money Co. has purchased this road, and will which had been earmarked for con- extend it south six miles to Cherry struction. Hill, Wash., and to other points, and also change the gauge to standard. The company’s monetary crisis may The road extends from Olympia to have contributed to the fact that, early Tenino, 15 1/2 miles, and is of 3-ft. in 1891, the San Francisco Bridge gauge.” The significance of “Cherry Company was no longer working on Hill” will be clarified later in this arti- the extension north of Olympia. On cle. March 1, 1891, J. H. Smith & Compa- ny received a contract to complete the The October 31, 1890 Railroad Gazette three-mile extension to Butler Cove.7 reported a situation that presaged se- Work resumed. The April 24, 1891 rious problems in construction at the Washington Standard declared: “Bids Olympia end of the line toward Union for grading the Port Townsend South- City: “Port Townsend & Southern – ern between Olympia and Union City This line has been completed (except will be opened May 10th.” Shortly for track-laying) as far as Mud Bay, thereafter, a major change took place and the work at Olympia, Wash., will in the projected grade alignment be- be discontinued.” The laborers who tween Quilcene and Olympia. No long- had been toiling there were sent by er would the track pass through Un- boat to Quilcene, to continue the task ion City. William Harlan Kennedy, a of clearing and grading. highly respected railroad engineer who specialized in locating new grades, In the spring of 1891, when construc- had been hired to oversee adjustments tion at the Olympia end of the line to to the right-of-way. He worked with Union City should have resumed, the Colonel Simon W. Scott, who later be- railroad’s parent company (the Oregon came the General Land and Tax Agent Improvement Company) was experi- for the Oregon Improvement Compa- encing a cash flow problem. Coal min- ny. ers at its Franklin mine (located in eastern King County) had gone on An article in the May 15, 1891 Mason strike the previous fall, and were being County Journal pertained to right-of- 38

way relocation and appar- ently was taken from two separate sources. The first came from a news report out of Tacoma; the second seems to have originated at The Olympi- an: “The Port Townsend Southern – Tacoma – May 9. – There is a well- defined rumor here that the Port Townsend South- ern has been purchased by the Union Pacific. En- gineer Kennedy, who was assistant chief engineer of the Union Pacific, under Engineer Bogue, is now in Olympia looking over the work of the road with Colonel Scott, the right of way agent of the road. Mr. Kennedy has been employed by the latter company (the Port Townsend Southern Railroad) to re- F i g u r e 5 : Northern Pacific locate its line from Olym- Railroad Right-of-Way Plat Map, Thurston Coun- pia to Union City, and will ty Assessor’s Office. The subdivision of West begin operation on Mon- Olympia was recorded October 16, 1869. day. Thurston County Auditor’s Plat # 2700005.

“Engineer Kennedy, late assistant chief engineer of the Union connection with the rumor of the pur- Pacific line, is in the city with Colonel chase of the Port Townsend Southern Scott, the right of way agent of the people, The Olympian is not advised.” Port Townsend Southern [unknown But the Union Pacific Railroad did not why this redundancy was included]. buy the Port Townsend Southern, for Mr. Kennedy has been employed by it was struggling to construct its own the latter company to relocate its line line through Olympia, the Portland & from Olympia to Union City, and will Puget Sound Railroad. begin operation this morning. Whether or not the employment of Mr. Kennedy Figure 5 shows the path chosen for on this work has any significance in the extension north of Olympia, as it 39

passed through West Olympia. Fig- ure 6 is part of a map made in 1891. Likely, it is a good represen- tation of the intended route of the Port Townsend Southern Railroad between Quilcene and Olympia, after the right-of-way was adjusted by Engineer Kennedy. Note that Union City was to be bypassed. By Sep- tember of that year, all the finished right-of-way (Port Townsend to Quilcene and Tenino to Butler Cove) was ready for operation as a standard-gauge railroad. Records preserved at the University of Washing- ton Libraries, in Seattle, indicate that during that month, the railroad’s Chief Engineer accepted into service the Port Townsend Division, from Port Townsend to Quilcene, 27.6 miles, and the Olympia Divi- sion, from Tenino to Butler Cove, 18.0 miles.8 In the same box of records, another (undated) document gave the operational distance between Tenino and Butler Cove as 17.6 miles.

What was the actual configuration of the right-of-way built between Olympia and Butler Cove? Figure 7, prepared in February 1891, con- firms that a pathway primarily on shore had already been substituted for the pathway visualized in Figure 2. Evidently, the route immediately Figure 6: Lowman & Hanford’s Sectional north of Brown’s Wharf was not yet Map of Puget Sound and Grays Harbor settled, even though some grading Country. Compiled from the Latest Official in that region may have been done Data and Other Sources. By C. H. Amer- the previous year (as reported above ine. Published by the Lowman & Hanford in the October 31, 1890 Railway Stationery & Printing Co., Seattle, Wash. Gazette). Brown’s Wharf had been 1891. Courtesy of David Rumsey Map Col- Olympia’s only deep-water moorage lection. 40

Top: Figure 7: Olympia Harbor Wash- ington: Map Showing Improvements. Compiled from maps on file in U.S. Engineer Office, Portland, Oregon, and from Survey and Examination made in February 1891 by B. W. De Courcy, Assistant Engineer. Courtesy of Wash- ington State University Digital Collec- tion.

Right: Figure 8: Olympia Harbor- Puget Sound Washington, First Pub- lished in 1876-Published June 1892, T. C. Mendenhall, Superintendent. This chart was produced by the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey and was updated periodically. Digitized by the Washington State Library.

until approximately 1888, when downtown Olympia’s Main Street Wharf was opened. Positioned on the shore of Budd Inlet at the place where the cur- 41

rent Old Port community is located, George W. French Donation Claim commercial activity at Brown’s Wharf (part of Section 3, Township 18 North, must have been significantly reduced Range 2 West). That parcel is precisely after 1888. where Brown’s Wharf was located.9

Figure 8 was published in June 1892. When visiting the Old Port community Its topographical data was first gath- today, it is difficult to imagine how the ered in 1876 and was updated with northern end of the extension could survey data gathered during July and have descended to the level of the August 1891, by J. J. Gilbert of the U. wharf. A sketch of Old Port, by Janice S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. Figure Hilliard, exemplifies this difficulty. In 9 comes from the same map. It enlarg- this document, the railroad grade de- es the area at the northern terminal of scends on an impossibly steep grade.10 the Port Townsend Southern Railroad extension. In this map, the right-of- Immediately south of Old Port, the way ends at a wharf on Budd Inlet, railroad grade is visible as a signifi- which corresponds precisely with the cantly high fill, immediately south of location of the pre-existing Brown’s Anchor Lane. From that point, Anchor Wharf. Lane rises so steeply that it could not have been used (as it appears today) There is no record of passenger trains to gain access to Brown’s Wharf. running on the extension; the right-of- way appears to have been operated as Fred Saeger was living in this area be- a spur line, without regularly sched- fore the Old Port community was de- uled freight service. Traffic over the veloped. He recalls that a slide oc- extension must have been limited to curred there sometime before his fami- exportation of coal by the Cherry Hill ly moved to the neighborhood. Figure Coal Company. That organization was 10 is a map of Old Port which shows incorporated at Olympia December 27, where the slide started, and where it 1889 by Edmund Rice, Stuart Rice, came to rest. Clearly, it obliterated George D. Shannon, and John F. much of the grade to the wharf. What- Gowey. The company recorded ap- ever was left was probably filled in to proximately fifteen deeds for the pur- create the south end of Anchor Lane chase of coal-bearing properties in when Old Port was developed. Anchor Thurston County between September Lane became the necessary access 1890 and July 1893. These included road for Lot 33. most of the Snyder & Stevens Plat of Tenino and parcels southeast of Figures 11 through 15 are early 21st Tenino. Surface outcroppings of coal Century photographs of other parts of were common around Tenino; an earli- the extension. The track to Butler er name for that community was “Coal Cove was abandoned in 1894.3 This Bank.” Of equal significance, the coal was probably caused, indirectly, by company acquired a portion of the the financial panic of 1893. The busi- 42

Above: Figure 9: En- largement of Figure 8 near the former Brown’s Wharf.

Right: Figure 10: Map of part of the Old Port community showing the surveyed Port Town- send Southern Rail- road right-of-way between Olympia and Union City. Included is the extension, as actually built, termi- nating at the pre- existing Brown’s Wharf.

Left: Figure 11: View north at the junction of West Bay Drive and Schneider Hill Road NW. The extension went straight ahead from here, climbing along the side of the hill seen in the distance. After the extension was removed in 1894, a spur track was installed which followed West Bay Drive to waterfront industries farther north.

Right: Figure 12: View west along remaining traces of the pilings used by Brown’s Wharf. The stubs of pilings were visible during a very low tide. Stakes were driven next to the stubs to enhance visibility. Thanks to Fred Saeger for providing this information.

Figure 13: View west from West Bay Drive, showing the bench upon which the railroad lay as it gained elevation. The photo was made approximately 500 feet north of Figure 11.

Figure 14: View southeast along the extension where it follows 25th Avenue NW. 25th Avenue NW orig- inates at Crestline Drive NW, travels northeast, and turns 90 degrees to pass southeast, paralleling the shore of Budd Inlet.

Figure 15: View northeast from a point just west of the place where 25th Ave- nue NW makes its 90- degree turn. To the immediate north, the railroad crossed a canyon with a bridge visible in Figure 9.

ness of the Cherry Hill Coal Company Figure 16 is an enlargement of Figure must have failed that year, for it was 6 showing the region immediately west in default on a $50,000 mortgage tak- of Olympia. The October 31, 1890 arti- en on coal-bearing land in south cle in Railroad Gazette, quoted above, Thurston County.11 When coal traffic suggests that some clearing and grad- on the extension evaporated, the rails ing was done to the west of Butler were picked up. Cove. A certain Thurston County deed

Area of Figure 17

Figure 16: Enlargement of part of Figure 6. Arrows indicate where topographical features consistent with a railroad grade can be seen in Figure 17. 46

Figure 17: A 2003 Lidar Hillshade aerial photograph showing surface features in part of the Steamboat Island Peninsula. Courtesy of the Thurston County Geodata Center.

probably identifies where part of that Arrows visible in Figure 16 indicate a right-of-way was located.12 Therein, region farther west (in the south part the Cherry Hill Coal Company bought of the Steamboat Island Peninsula) a parcel to the west of the modern-day where topographic features suggest Evergreen State College campus. This that grading took place. Figure 17 in- is compatible with the surveyed route dicates two places where surface alter- having run immediately north of the ations are consistent with human ac- main campus buildings, and the coal tivity; these line up precisely with the company anticipating use of the rail- grade of the Port Townsend Southern road for exporting its product. Railroad, as seen on Figure 16. 47

Figure 18: Map from The College Independent, published by the students of the People’s University, Olympia, Washington, Volume I, Number 4, January 1903.

Figure 18 is a map published in 1903. on Cooper Point called Athens. The It shows the proposed location for the university never moved there from permanent campus of the People’s downtown Olympia, closing its doors University, situated at a community in 1906. Nonetheless, the surveyed 48

route of the Port Townsend Southern Commission Reports. Docket No. 803 Railroad, between Olympia and Mason also specifies that “This report also County, is still represented on this embraces the valuation of the proper- map. In the years after 1894, the rail- ty of the Port Townsend Southern road company never gave up planning Railroad Company.” Washington State to build this line someday. Indeed, it Law Library. resurveyed the right-of-way in 1906, but did not resume construction. Fig- 4 Thurston County Deed Book 23, ure 18 is probably the most accurate page 223, Washington State Archives, conception of this never-completed Southwest Regional Branch. Theodore railroad. L. Brown, Martha Brown, and Benja- ______min F. Brown sold to the Port Town- send Southern Railroad a right-of-way NOTES over Lots 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 of Block 22, in the Plat of West 1 Gauge, in respect to a railroad, is Olympia. the distance between the two rails which comprise a segment of track. 5 Lewis County Deed Book P, page Standard gauge is 56.5 inches; nar- 726, dated April 17, 1889, Washing- row gauge is any distance less than ton State Archives, Southwest Region- that. The Olympia & Chehalis Valley al Branch. Therein, the Olympia & Railroad used a gauge of 36 inches. Chehalis Valley Railroad Company bought a strip of land 50 feet wide 2 In Mason County Deed Book S, pag- through the south half of the north- es 267-269, dated June 19, 1889, the east quarter of Section 3, Township 14 North, Range 2 West. Port Townsend Southern Railroad

Company buys 500 lots in Union City 6 Railroad Gazette, April 25, 1890, from the Hoods Canal Land & Im- page 294. provement Company. The sale was conditional upon the location, by July 7 Minnesota Historical Society, North- 1, 1890, of a standard-gauge railroad ern Pacific Records, Port Townsend from the Bay of Port Townsend, via Southern Railroad Company, Box 3, the west side of Hood Canal, to the Folder 9. Therein, J. H. Smith & Com- Columbia River “or with some railroad pany was contracted to build the in Washington Territory in operation, three-mile extension on March 1, and having transcontinental connec- 1891. This company was located at tions.” the corner of First and Stark Streets,

Portland, Oregon. 3 Valuation Docket No. 803, Port

Townsend and Puget Sound Railway 8 University of Washington Libraries, Company et al. Submitted June 26, Special Collections Division, Allen 1926. Decided September 17, 1926. South, Accession No. 0249-001, Ore- Volume 116 I of Interstate Commerce 49

gon Improvement Company Records, Dr. Hannum is a retired physician and Box 78. surgeon who spent his early years in

Michigan. He arrived in western Wash- 9 Thurston County Deed Book 22, page 386, dated October 23, 1890, 10 ington in 1971 as a member of the U.S. acres, $9,000.00. Washington State Public Health Service. Railroad history Archives, Southwest Regional Branch. has been a life-long interest, and he has written several books on the sub- 10 Thurston County Judgment Book 3, ject. page 63, dated November 27, 1893, Washington State Archives, South- ______west Regional Branch. A judgment regarding the mortgage issued by the Cherry Hill Coal Company October 1, 1890.

11 Thurston County Deed Book 20, page 741, dated September 8, 1890, Washington State Archives, South- west Regional Branch. The Cherry Hill Coal Company bought Lots 2, 3, and 4 and the south half of the southeast quarter of Section 1, Township 18 North, Range 3 West. This parcel is approximately 0.6 mile west of The Evergreen State College campus.

12 Unpublished documents circulated locally within the Old Port community: 1. The History of Old Port, by Mrs. Marion T. Lemon, circa 1971. She lived in the Lemon house at Old Port until 1989. She was born in 1899 and was the wife of Millard Gerry Lemon, who was the son of Millard Lemon (born about 1853 in Idaho). 2. Sketch of Old Port by Janice Hilliard, the daughter of Millard Gerry and Marion T. Lemon. She was born circa 1931 and grew up at the place that became Old Port. ______

EARLY WASHINGTON RECORDS FROM OREGON

Karen L. Johnson

Researchers looking for information Today, copies of these provisional gov- on the earliest Washington pioneers ernment records are preserved on mi- would do well to search the records of crofilm at the Washington State Li- the Provisional Government of Ore- brary in Tumwater, and are formally gon. Pioneers who settled in the Pacif- titled “Papers of the provisional and ic Northwest before 1853 were techni- territorial government of Oregon, 1841 cally living in Oregon Territory, or its -1859.” The records are not available precursor, the Oregon Country. And online, but require a site visit to the until Thurston County was created in library. 1852, our area was part of a much larger Lewis County, created in 1845. The records include two sets of microfilm reels. The first is an index to the Jointly occupied by the British and records. Alphabetized by last name of Americans, the Oregon Country estab- a resident (such as Sylvester, Ed- lished a provisional government, with mund), or by subject (such as Olym- its own legal system, in 1843. In pia, Deschutes River, Thurston Coun- 1846, the Oregon Treaty divided the ty, elections, vessels, and so on), the Oregon Country between Great Brit- index leads researchers to a second ain and the U.S. In 1848, the U.S. set of microfilm which contains the Congress created the Oregon Territo- records themselves: all 14,211 of ry; its duly appointed governor, Jo- them. seph Lane, arrived at Oregon City in 1849, when a territorial government As an example, the index card for pio- was created. neer David Chambers lists three separate documents that contain his Between 1843 and 1849, what was name. The numbers 1082, 1805, and known as the Provisional Government 1854 refer to the actual documents. of Oregon maintained records on resi- Switching to the pertinent microfilm dents and events in the Oregon Coun- reel of records, document #1805 is try. This included the present-day titled “1849 Election Returns, Lewis states of Oregon, Washington, and County, Newmarket Precinct.” During Idaho, small portions of Montana and this election, David Chambers ran for Wyoming, and nearly half of present- the office of Lewis County judge, and day British Columbia, comprising over received nine votes. The other docu- 285,000 square miles. ments include an 1849 Lewis County 51 census (document #1082) and a general election of Chambers, David 1851 (document #1854, where 1082 Census, Lewis county, 1849 Chambers ran for Lewis County 1805 Election returns, Lewis county, 1849 Treasurer, but lost). 1854 Election returns, Lewis county, 1851 These provisional government records are under- utilized, but offer Above: The index card for David Chambers and related docu- a great deal of in- ments. teresting information on our Below: The 1849 election return showing David Chambers with earliest settlers. nine votes for the office of judge. ______

Karen L. Johnson has volunteered and worked in the museum field since 2001. Her interests in early transportation and the pioneer era have led to organizing two stagecoach runs between Olympia and Longview, writing many articles on local and regional history, and co-authoring w i t h D e n n i s Larsen two books about a Washing- ton pioneer. ______

WHO/WHAT/WHERE IS IT?

Situated in the foyer of the General production, timber, fisheries, game, Administration building on the Wash- minerals, other natural resources, and ington State Capitol Campus, this in- recreational facilities. tricate mosaic is a hidden gem in Thurston County. According to the “The pictures are linked together by a National Register nomination, the GA great river of rough cut stones flowing building was “the first major building across the mural. to be constructed on the capitol campus after the Great Depression.” The “The design was originally created in nomination continues: “Typical of the watercolor by Beall. She took her modern style which called for the inte- painting to Venice where she and a gration of art and architecture, Prof. Gaspari supervised the cutting [architect A. Gordon] Lumm called for and assembly of over 150,000 pieces a large mural to be installed in the en- of tesserae, or small pieces of glass, a trance lobby. However, the building Byzantine-era technique from the 4th- would have to wait until 1959 when 6th centuries originally applied in Eu- Bellevue artist Jean Cory Beall was ropean cathedrals, and some stone selected to create a glass-stone mosaic pieces. The work was then transported mural. by ship to Olympia, where Beall and mural assembly supervisor, Martin “Beall received her training at the Cali- Carlson, installed the piece with a fornia College of Arts and Crafts and work crew of six.”1 continued to hone her craft at Parsons Paris School of Design, France; Insti- 1 Annamary Fitzgerald, National Regis- tute Politecnico in Mexico City; and ter nomination, July 1, 2006, https:// the Art Students' League in New York fortress.wa.gov/dahp/wisaardp3/api/ City. api/resultgroup/186701/ doc/1462211166089 “Her commission for the General Ad- ministration Building was selected from among eight designs and cost $12,880. The convex mosaic domi- nates the lobby, measuring 10.5 feet To view the mural, visit the General high and 29.5 feet long, and includes Administration Building located at 210 iconographic imagery representative of 11th Avenue SW, Olympia (on the Washington's industrial and natural northern edge of the capitol campus). resources. The design references the The building is open from 8 a.m. to 5 state's atomic research center, aero- p.m., Monday through Friday, exclud- nautics industry, hydroelectric power ing state holidays.

WHO/WHAT/WHERE IS IT?

A ROTATING FEATURE SHOWCASING ARTIFACTS FROM THURSTON COUNTY HERITAGE GROUPS

Century building in Thurston County. But do you know where? know you doBut County. inThurston building Century - 20th - Composed Composed of over 150,000 pieces of tesserae (small pieces of glass), this vibrant work of art mid a in found be can Article and by photograph submitted Megan a Ockerman, native Olympian and WSUrecent history graduate. She wrote her Master’s thesis on the history of the Olympia Brewing Company and is working on turning that project into a manuscript for publication. She recently served as Foundation. Tumwater for Olympia curator the assistant