Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2011 Civil War Connections by Jerry Bates On Friday, April 12, 1861, at 4:30 a.m., Con- News Tribune by Peter Callaghan made an in- federate artillery batteries opened fi re on Fort teresting point—some of the most famous gen- Sumter—triggering the Civil War. This year, the erals pulled duty here in Washington Territory. nation is commemorating the 150th General Philip H. Sheridan fought anniversary of the war’s beginning. in the Yakama Indian wars as a young lieutenant; William Tecum- Settlers in the Puget Sound were as seh Sherman also fought in the far from the war as Americans could Indian wars here. Ulysses S. Grant get. Most of the men in Washing- was former quartermaster captain ton Territory were relieved to have at Vancouver. George McClellan the Indian wars behind them and explored for a northern transcon- more concerned with clearing land tinental railway path across the or heading to the gold fi elds in Idaho Cascades. On the Confederate side, than what was going on in Virginia. George E. Pickett, was onetime commander in the San Juan Island In Washington Territory, politics was “Pig War.” playing its typical role. The Territo- rial Legislature refused to declare its Washington’s fi rst Territorial Gov- devotion to the Union while never- Civil War General ernor, railroad engineer and Indian theless raising funds for the Union George McClellan agent, Isaac I. Stevens, was killed cause. A middle road was taken; at the battle of Chantilly in Vir- many respected Territorial residents ginia. migrated from the South and sat on the Territorial Legislature. Feel- South Hill and the War ings ran high, yet no signifi cant We have no record of any white incidents of disloyalty or sabotage settlers living on the Hill during occurred. Most were for preserving the war years. After the war many the Union and divided on the issue immigrants traveling the Military of slavery and emancipation. As the Road across the Hill and some Union started winning victories, the that settled here, no doubt, either Confederate sympathizers kept a low served in the Civil War or had close profi le. family members who did. The Territory, though remote from However, prior to the events lead- the action of the war, was home, for a Washington Territo- ing up to the war, one famous Civil time, to some of the Civil War’s major War general and our fi rst Territo- rial Governor Issac players. A recent piece in the Tacoma rial Governor were connected to Stevens 1 the birth of a northern transcontinental rail- Station, and Puyallup with the terminus at road route that would be critical to the growth Tacoma. of Tacoma and Pierce County. The lives of early families on the Hill were also touched by the As mentioned, the tracks went through Alderton eventual railroad route. at the foot of South Hill’s eastern ridge. You may recall that (Fall 2009 newsletter The Alderton Though it would go through many changes in Connection) the town of Alderton, before the road route, ownership and management, the path fol- to Puyallup existed, was the closest connec- lowed by the Northern Pacifi c Railroad started tion to the outside world for early families living with the efforts of Isaac Stevens and the “help” of here on the Hill. Alderton was a town with great George McClellan. prospects and hub of activity in that part of the valley, leading its rivals. The town was just a Isaac Ingalls Stevens, as well as being appointed short distance down a path off the Hill following Washington’s fi rst Territorial Governor by Presi- the Military Road. While doing their business in dent Franklin Pierce, also requested the presi- Alderton, our early residents had the railroad to dent appoint him to lead a survey to establish thank for the town’s growth and the services it a route for a future northern transcontinental offered them. railroad. The overly ambitious Stevens, with his hands full, enlisted his old friend and fellow Perhaps indirect, but a connection of events can West Pointer, Captain George McClellan, to help be established between the famous Union Army him with the route between Eastern Washington general, our fi rst territorial governor, the Civil and Puget Sound through the Cascades. Mc- War era and activities on South Hill in the late Clellan would later become President Lincoln’s 1880s. promising but overly cautious general heading the US Army against the Confederacy, one of a * In 1970 Northern Pacifi c merged with other lines series of generals Lincoln would appoint to lead to form the Burlington Northern Railroad. the effort. Sources for this article: Peter Callaghan The After viewing the rough terrain, and with little News Tribune, April 12, 2011; Puget’s Sound, effort to prove his point, McClellan considered Murray Morgan; Washington Territory, Robert E. any route through the mountains of the Cas- Ficken; historylink.org, Junius Rochester lecture. cades impossible. Shortly after this a wagon train of settlers headed by James Biles and James Longmire had fewer reservations. Their party of 149 people and 53 wagons followed the Naches Pass Trail over the Cascades, proving February this route could deliver settlers to Puget Sound by wagon. General Meeting By Debbie Burtnett Years after these initial efforts by McClellan and Stevens, the Northern Pacifi c Railroad* would Our February guest speaker was Beth Bestrom, tunnel under Stampede Pass, connecting Ta- Manager of the Karshner Museum in Puyallup. coma and Chicago during the summer of 1887. Beth said she was “surprised and delighted to The route of the Northern Pacifi c basically fol- receive the invitation to speak…[she] loves to lowed Stevens’ survey crossing the northern talk about Karshner Museum because it is such Midwest into Eastern Washington. a unique place…only six school districts in the United States have this type of museum.” After leaving the tunnel, the Northern Pacifi c trains wound their way over the western Cas- Beth has been the Manager/Director/Curator cade foothills to the Puyallup Valley, with whis- and Custodian for the museum for three years tle stops at Orting, McMillin, Alderton, Meeker now and clearly loves her job. She stated, “I love going to work every single day.” 2 Beth related the history of the building. “The this area was the Puyallup Valley Hospital, and original Central School was built on this site in the next, Good Samaritan, was built and opened 1886 at the price of $3,030. That school burned in 1951). in 1922 and was rebuilt as it is today and called Dr. Karshner and his wife had one son, a preco- Stewart Elementary. In 1962, a new, larger cious child, who attended Maplewood Elementa- Stewart Elementary was built on the east side of ry, West Junior High, and Puyallup High School. that school. It was decided to put the museum The young man wanted to become a physician at the old school in 1967.” like his dad; unfortunately, he contracted polio and died very quickly in September of his senior Beth’s talk reviewed Dr. Karshner’s biography. year. The tragedy had a direct impact on the He moved to Puyallup ca. 1888, about age 14. In future museum. 1889, Beth read from an article, Puyallup boast- Dr. Karshner and his wife traveled extensively. Avid collectors, they bought Native American artifacts; beach seashells; and after seeing the London Museum “with delight on their faces,” approached the school district back home to start a museum in 1930 to honor their son, Paul. Beth read from a radio address by Dr. Karshner. “The aim is to improve a serious local defect… history and science belong in a teaching muse- um to fi ll a pedagogical need and our wish is to preserve the specimens…” [with instructions for the future]…”to educate kids.” Beth testifi ed to the intelligence of today’s Beth Bestrom of the Karshner Museum tells children. “These kids are so smart; second story of museum and history of Dr. Karshner graders love dinosaurs; and I especially enjoy working with the kindergartners…” She said ed two banks; two general stores; four grocer- the kids “share everything” including smelling ies; four confectionaries; four rest homes; fi ve the elephant’s foot. Touch screen and interac- schools; ten churches; two photographic stu- tive computer technology is NOT found in this dios; one fruit grower association; two saloons; museum! “They get enough of that elsewhere!” two drugstores; two dry goods stores; one fur- explained Beth. Beth emphasized the impor- niture store; one mortuary; one feed store; one tance of a hands-on museum by describing how creamery; and many other establishments. The the students “can touch animal skins and smell Karshners were always working and were a large an elephant’s foot…” For example, a Mr. Morgan family. The young, future Dr. Karshner had a arrived with a box of raccoon, skunk, and wea- job to clean and light lamps in a nearby church,” sel skins. He and his father trapped on the Hill, as well as various other jobs. “He attended the and “those skins are there.” University of Washington for his undergraduate degree and taught for one year in the old Cen- In response to a question about the protection tral School. Next, he attended Northwestern in of elephants and other wildlife, Beth responded, Chicago and became a physician. He was the “the kids are very aware of how horrible the kill- last horse and buggy doctor in Puyallup and ing of African wildlife [has been]; e.g., umbrella delivered over 2,000 babies.