By Joanne Mulloy, President, Mukilteo Historical Society

When I tell people about my memories of visiting the bears at the Forest Park Zoo. I get strange looks. When discussing it with those from this area, we name the zoo animals we remember.  I have vague memories of other animals but mostly remember bears and many peacocks.  Children would chase the peacocks for their feathers, but they were easily picked up from the ground and most of my friends had a bouquet of peacock feathers in their room.  I spent a lot of time at Forest Park as a child:  in the wading pool, at the playground and in the picnic shelter with my family.  I was over the moon when I won a sleeping bag at an event sponsored by the Everett Police Department.  As an unmotivated teenager, I “worked” for the Parks Department during the summer in the time of their Van Go traveling art bus.  I also worked at the Animal Farm cleaning out farm stalls and putting down fresh hay.  We took any unfertilized eggs home and I would use them to bake cakes.  The first day I ever skipped school, I explored the trails at Pigeon Creek with a friend and will always remember that day.  For these reasons, I wanted to explore the history of the park.  Thank you to the Everett Walking Tour for the photos included here, and many details.  The 1989 book, “The History of Everett Parks, A Century of Service and Vision” by Allan May and Dale Preboski was a valuable resource.        

The history of Forest Park started much earlier than I expected.  The first ten acres were purchased on September 27, 1894 for $4300 with the requirement that $600 in improvements be completed in the next five years.  This time frame was due to just coming out of a depression.  In 1907, voters approved a five-man Park Commission to be appointed by the Mayor.  In 1909, eighty acres of land were purchased to expand Forest Park and in 1913, Forest Park was officially named.  Before that, it was called South Park or Swalwell Park (after the family that previously owned the land). 

In 1914, the City of Everett created the zoo with three deer, two coyotes, two pelicans that were given to the City by the game warden.  Five years later, the Forest Park Zoo was officially established.  Over the next decades, when the park was being run by Oden Hall, his brother Walter and his nephew, John, the zoo grew.  With little money, Hall collected young animals from overcrowded parks along the west coast including British Columbia.  He traded with circuses traveling through the area.  The Halls raised food for the birds and other non-carnivore animals in their fields and arranged for farmers and highway patrols to notify them of dead livestock or roadkill.  The zoo animals changed over the years.  At one time during the 1920s, it was said there were 200 animals, including bison, elk, deer, zebras, an Indian elephant named Rosie, a wallaby kangaroo, 4 bears, a marmot, goats, coyotes, a badger, raccoons, rabbits and a skunk.  Later there were lions, leopards, monkeys, an eagle, owls and peacocks.  Alvin Weiss was appointed zookeeper in 1945.  By the fifties, it had become too expensive and it was scaled back.  The zookeeper position was eliminated in 1958.  Three bond issues to fund the zoo were turned down by voters during the 1950s. In 1962, most of the zoo was torn down.  For many years, peacocks still walked freely in the park.  In 1976, the last animals, the bears, were sent to the Olympic Game Farm in Sequim. 

In 1915, an emergency fund was created from the park budget, putting unemployed people to work on improvements to the park.  The following year, more land was purchased to expand it.  That purchase linked the park to Puget Sound through Pigeon Creek and established its permanent form.  In 1919, the same year the zoo was established, $13,000 of a bond approval went towards more improvements to the zoo, playground and park.  Ten years later, the area where Floral Hall, the greenhouses and the administrative offices are was acquired from the Norwegian Lutheran Church.  The 1930s brought help from the Works Progress Administration (WPA) for more development including plantings, terracing the hillside, building trails and clearing pastures for the zoo animals.  The wading pool was built during this time.  It was sponsored by the Lions Club and at 75 by 45 feet was one of the largest and best in the northwest.  In the center was a statue of two larger than life babies designed by artist Frances Hedges. 

Floral Hall was built by the WPA from lumber logged near Three Lakes in the National Parks rustic style.  It was completed in 1940 in time for the Snohomish County Gladiolus Society’s show.  Floral Hall was the home of many flower shows.  A dance floor and kitchen were added in the 1960s. It originally had a 12-foot veranda on the north and west sides.  The hall was renovated in 1989 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. 

The WPA sponsored “play days” with organized games and activities.  They offered swimming lessons, archery, and a weekly library book truck.  In 1941, an area in lower Forest Park called Maple Heights Park was leased to the Boy Scouts who used it for seven years.  Improvements were made to Pigeon Creek and Bathing Beach which opened on July 1, 1943.  The Maple Heights Beach was later abandoned, and the overhead crossing was removed.  When the WPA was discontinued, development faded. 

In the early 1950s, the Skiers Club built a ski jump in the park for a two-day Snofair where a crowd of 7000 watched 70 contestants.  A second, popular Snofair was held the following year.  Due to lack of snow, the American Ice Company supplied the slipperiness.  In 1963, the Everett Community College Carpentry Class built a concession building at the park and ten years later it became the Recreation Office.  Two years later they built a picnic shelter on the northeast corner of the Kiddie Korral in the park.  In 1967, the Everett Parks and Recreation Department moved out of City Hall and into the park office at Forest Park which was also built by the Carpentry Class.

In 1970, the Animal Farm was created at the park at the zoo’s old butcher shop location at the west end of the park. In 1975, the Swim Center opened to the public with a removeable roof that was unique at the time.  The Thanksgiving Day storm of 1984 severely damaged the fabric roof and it was replaced with a permanent roof in 1985.  Forest Park is currently 110 acres and a major center of the Everett Park system.

For more information:
Nostalgia tinged with sadness: The story of Forest Park Zoo
Forest Park Self-Guided Walking Tour

Originally published in the 9/9/2020 issue of the Mukilteo Beacon.

By Tina Dickson

Speeding on 5^th St, congestion due to ferry traffic, barking dogs.  These are some of the things that have been affecting the residents of Mukilteo since the early 1900’s and are still an issue today.  As one of the oldest inhabited areas on Puget Sound, Mukilteo was home to a large lumber mill, a hotel, and several commercial establishments.  Until the 1940’s Mukilteo was not yet incorporated as a town and the residents looked after themselves. With only about 600 residents, doors were not locked and people policed themselves.

A group of businessmen got together and formed what they named the Improvement Club.  They worked to make the community better and enhance the area by improving the roads, cleaning up the local cemetery, and improving the lighting.  They felt that more could be done by incorporating the area to become the Town of Mukilteo. An election was held in 1947 and incorporation was approved, along with the selection of a mayor and council.  At the time of incorporation, the southern border of Mukilteo was near the present location of Olympic View Middle School.

One of the first duties of the new town council was to ensure that Mukilteo was a safe place.  They hired Marvin Wilson as the part-time Marshall, Fire Chief, and head of the Street Department.  Most days Marvin could be found driving the road grader, improving the streets.  For his policing duties he used his own car which he outfitted with a siren and flashing red light that he borrowed from the fire department.  He was paid about $1.00 an hour and also got reimbursed by the city for use of his own car at the rate of 15 cents per mile.

Marvin resigned as Marshall in 1951 and Charlie Hurd was named to the position.  Around this time the town purchased its first police vehicle.  But Charlie had to put in a request to the council for the purchase of a new siren and light so that he could return the current ones to the Fire Department.

Charlie was the only police officer for this small town which had grown to about 800 residents and he took it upon himself to keep order.  Even though the roads were not up to today’s standards there were still complaints of speeding, especially on 5^th St. and on the Mukilteo Speedway. 

Unlike today with our 911 system and high level of communication, in the 1950s information was passed by word of mouth.  At town council meetings complaints were aired and the council would direct the Marshall to handle them.  This could entail buying and installing speed limit signs, talking to the owners of barking dogs, or doing extra patrol on Front Street (especially Saturday nights) to prevent petty thievery.  The council also requested that Charlie help sell dog licenses.  One complaint that never seemed to get resolved was that of ferry traffic/congestion.  Even with letters to the Washington State Toll Bridge Authority and to the governor, a solution had not been found.

In 1954 Wally Brodniak was named Marshall when Charlie resigned.  Two years later a Deputy Marshall was hired by the town.  As before, direction came from the town council.  Speeding was still an issue.  In spite of additional speed limit signs being posted, the Deputy Marshall was directed by the council to do extra patrol during the day.  All of this was done with one police car, with the Marshall and Deputy trading off. 

Mukilteo purchased a 1955 Ford V-8 for $1700 to replace the police “van” that had been in use for many years.  Soon a new radio system was installed in the police car and was brought up to the standards of the Snohomish County Sheriff for better communication among agencies.

More changes were in store for the growing town of Mukilteo.  John Nunnally was hired as the new Marshall (still not a full-time position) in 1958.  He was sent to Ft. Lewis to attend a Basic Law Enforcement training class put on by the FBI becoming the first police officer in Mukilteo to receive any training in police work.  In 1959 the Marshall became a full-time position which paid $400 per month.

Around this time, the council enacted a curfew for the teenagers of the town. Marshall Nunnally was a very positive force for the young people of Mukilteo.  He did well at working with the kids and their parents rather than sending them into the detention center in Everett.  And all of the teen drivers were sure that his presence was everywhere.  The teens did not dare speed on 5^th St!  Little did they know that as a deterrent, at various times during the day he parked his patrol car on the street and walked home.

As the population approached 1000 Chief Nunnally became the full-time Marshall and Bill Drew was hired in 1964 as Deputy Marshall to help him. When Chief Nunnally retired in 1967, Bill Drew was named Chief.  During his tenure, the Police Department office moved from the basement of the old fire department garage at 3^rd and Park, to a portable next to Rosehill Community Center.  When Bill retired in 1979, Roger Stam became police chief and there were three men on the department to serve the community of 1200 residents.  Four years later the office moved again to the site of a former mortuary/cemetery at 76^th and 44^th, where the Mukilteo Community Garden is now located. The population was about 5600 when Roger Stam retired in 1990.

Since 1987 Mukilteo has had two annexations, the second one in 1991 included the Harbor Point area to the south which increased the population to 13,000.  The Police station moved two more times, and the staffing and certification has increased to meet the demands of the larger population. With technology and the 911 system, communication has improved police responses to meet our needs.  Something the previous Marshalls/Police Chiefs mentioned is how they felt like they knew most of the people of the town.  With the rapid growth that part of their job has been lost.

Some things have never changed.  There is still speeding on the Speedway and on 5^th St, there is still congestion and traffic problems caused by the ferry, and there are still complaints of barking dogs.

Originally published in the 7/28/2020 issue of the Mukilteo Beacon.

By Kieran Gamble, MHS 2020 Scholarship Winner

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Note: This is the winning essay submitted for the Mukilteo Historical Society’s 2020 scholarship program.  Kieran Gamble is a graduating Kamiak High School senior who plans to attend the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles starting this fall.

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Mukilteo is a small town rich in history. In 1855, Governor Isaac Stevens met with the 82 different Native American leaders in the area resulting in the Snohomish Tribe, who inhabited what is currently Mukilteo, signing the Point Elliot Treaty. In the Snohomish Tribe language “Mukilteo” meant two different things, one being good camping ground, as Mukilteo was a fishing village for the Snohomish and its neighboring tribes, and the other meaning narrow passage. The name Mukilteo was fitting because the town was located on a narrow passage of water that connected the Puget Sound and a big lake in the middle of town, which currently is the beach parking lot and a portion of old town.

Like other small towns in the area at the time, local leaders such as Emory C. Ferguson, Morris Frost and Jacob Fowler were trying to establish an empire with logging, trade business and hotels to encourage and support local growth.

Sense of community and spiritual growth is important when establishing a new city.  Between 1907 and 1919, several churches were built to service the spiritual needs of the people. In 1907, a Presbyterian Church was built. Next was the Christian Missionary Alliance church in 1915.  In 1916, the Nazarene Church was built. In 1919, a chapel initially referred to as the Church of the Holy Rosary, later to be known as St. John’s church, was constructed. St. John’s is currently the oldest active church in the city and is celebrating its 100th year since its official dedication in 1920.

Before St. John’s was constructed, the small Catholic community consisting of approximately 83 people worshipped in a building on 2nd Street in Mukilteo. There was a chaplain from Providence Hospital in Everett that attended the mission during 1908 through 1915.  Due to the chaplain, the mission associated itself for a period of time with Perpetual Help located in Everett.

St. John’s was constructed at a total cost of $4,238.17. A local supporter in the community, Mary C. Mahoney, provided a grant of $500. An additional $500 was received in December 1919 by the Catholic Church Extension Society of the United States of America located in Chicago. In total, by August 1920 the community collected the additional funds needed to pay off the remaining $3,238 in construction costs and to purchase adjacent land to the church. The church was built by the community and for the community without any debt.

Father Leo Hansen said the first Mass on Christmas Eve in 1919, but it was not until August 20, 1920 that the church was officially dedicated with a high Mass officiated by Father O’Brien. Approximately 20 local children made their first Holy Communion during the Mass. The church was completely filled with visitors from Everett and other surrounding towns. After the services, a dinner was served for approximately 200 people by the ladies of the parish in the beautiful garden of Mr. and Mrs J. A. Cameron.  

For four years from 1923 through 1926, Saint John’s congregation was served by priests that traveled all the way from Saint Martin’s Abbey in Olympia.  From 1928 to 1932, Father Edmund Long was St. John’s priest. Father Long walked each Sunday to church from his home, the McNab Hogland house which, at the time, was an Ursuline convent. During this time St. John’s opened its doors to the greater Mukilteo community in times of need. When the original Rosehill School burned down in 1928, their classes were held at Saint John’s as well as Hawthorn Hall, now the Boys and Girls Club. The Mission also helped the greater community when Crown Lumber closed down and the Powder plant exploded in 1930. This was during the Great Depression which impacted the entire Mukilteo community.

Despite the loss of the lumber industry in Mukilteo, other industries that started at the same time still were present and growing. Transportation was something that was very important, as Mukilteo was cut off from other parts of the mainland.  Boats became very popular in the area, as that was the number one way of getting into town.  During this time of transition between the focus on lumber to transportation, Father William Fitzgerald guided St. John’s in 1936 to become attached to Immaculate Conception Parish in Everett. Father Fitzgerald was the priest until the early 1950’s.

Mukilteo saw a surge of growth when the United States entered into the second World War. In 1936, Paine Field was originally a commercial airport that provided another entry point into Mukilteo other than by boat. When Pearl Harbor was attacked in 1941, Paine Field was turned into an Air Force base. The government bought out the Mukilteo Lumber Company’s old lumber yard and built ammunition testing sites to help train soldiers for the war. The US government used Mukilteo to train approximately 600 soldiers until 1946.

In early 1940’s, Saint John’s children received their Catechism instruction in the basement of the mission, as well as in the homes of parishioners, attended by the Sisters at Immaculate Conception. The priest at the time was Father Bennan, who also served at Paine Field for soldiers during the second World War. Due to the war effort, St. John’s church was a place that drew many Catholic soldiers and employees of The Boeing Company to its doors.

The Boeing Company experienced significant growth with their plane manufacturing during the war effort. The Boeing Company brought many jobs and people to the city of Mukilteo during this time.

In the 1960’s, The Boeing Company began to build commercial airplanes like the 737 and 747.  The Boeing Company has become one of the biggest companies in Snohomish county and continues to impact the city of Mukilteo’s economy. 

St. John’s Church has played a big part over the past 40 years in my family’s history. In 1983, my grandparents and mother moved to Mukilteo from eastern Washington.  With their Catholic background, they were drawn to attend the quaint little church. My mother received her Catholic Confirmation there in 1986.  In 1999, my parents were married inside St. John’s church.  My brother and I were baptized at St. John’s in the early 2000’s. My first years as a child, I went to church at St. John’s with my grandparents.  Ironically, the priest at the time was Father Thumbi, the priest I altar-served with for four years at St. Thomas More church in Lynnwood. Even though I am not a consistent attendee at St. John’s, it is rare for my grandparents to miss a Sunday at church. Both my grandparents serve St. John’s in various ways. My Grandpa has helped over the years with maintenance and supporting fundraising events.  My Grandma is an Eucharistic Minister and is a part of the Women’s Guild which oversees the church events, plants, funeral support, decorations, etc.

St. John’s has a solid place in the history of Mukilteo.  It has served and supported the community for 100 years, not only in a religious capacity but as a fixture in the well-being of the town as a whole. I feel very fortunate and proud to be a part of this community and to have been a part of St. John’s my whole life.

Originally published in the 6/24/2020 issue of the Mukilteo Beacon.

By Joanne Mulloy, President, Mukilteo Historical Society

The area now known as Mukilteo Lighthouse Park has a long history. Native Americans used the land for thousands of years and local tribes held inter-tribal conferences in this area. Due to this rich history, any digging or project requires a consultation with archeologists due to the potential to disrupt the shell midden or artifacts. After the town of Mukilteo was established in the early 1900s, some residents built houses on the beach. Edith Baudry wrote that her family lived in one of three houses on the beach between the lighthouse and the seawall. A big storm in 1913 tore away all the bulkheads, woodshed, boathouse, and chicken house and tipped and undermined their house. Her father, Ed Wilson, rowed the family over to the railroad and they rented until the house was placed back on its foundation. She remembered it as a paradise during that time, with deer coming down to the beach to lick salt from the rocks. She recalled the gulches were full of bleeding hearts, maidenhair ferns and trilliums with creeks running through. Edith’s descriptions aligned with Captain George Vancouver’s descriptions when he arrived in 1792. He spoke of the beauties of this region, the serenity of the climate and the pleasing landscapes. He named this area Rose Point because of the wild roses he found. 

In 1954, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission acquired 17 acres of land on Possession Sound, next to the Mukilteo Light Station, to develop into a state park. The story is that a delegation of officials was sent to decide if they wanted to do it, so the women of the community invited them to a dinner to convince them. The U.S. Coast Guard donated an acre of swampy land from the station’s southwest corner to the new park. The park was constructed on filled tideland to provide beach access and attract tourists and was mostly a large asphalt parking lot servicing its four-lane boat launch ramp. Volunteers began building the ramp in 1955 by pouring concrete forms. The state oversaw the rest of the ramp work before Mukilteo State Park opened to the public in July 1957. It is a challenging boat launch due to the water depth and was used more before the Everett Marina opened. It is particularly busy during humpy or pink salmon season. The main attraction of the park was a 1495-foot-long strip of sandy and rocky beach where people would picnic, sunbathe, or fly kites. The lighthouse was not part of the park during this period and was owned by the U.S. Coast Guard. Visits were limited to special invitations or school tours. A fence separated the federal property from the park.

In October 1998, Representative Jack Metcalf, R-Washington, introduced a bill to Congress that permanently transferred ownership of the entire Mukilteo Light Station from the U.S. Coast Guard to the City of Mukilteo. This transfer was completed in 2001. Now, the centerpiece of the park was the unique Victorian Style lighthouse designed by architect, Carl Leick, built in 1905. HR4207 (b) Terms of Conveyance specifies, “the property is to be used as a nonprofit center for the interpretation and preservation of maritime history; is to be maintained in a manner that ensures its present or future use as a Coast Guard aid to navigation; and is to be maintained in a manner consistent with the provisions of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.” The partnership between the City of Mukilteo and the Mukilteo Historical Society was a major part of this transfer, knowing a non-profit organization was involved in the preservation of history and caretaking of the Light Station and property.

In 2002, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, facing budget issues, offered to give the 18-acre Mukilteo State Park to the City of Mukilteo. On November 4, 2002, the Mukilteo City Council passed a resolution to accept transfer of the park, which included $449,000 that the state appropriated for maintenance and renovations. In January 2003, the City Council voted to rename it “Mukilteo Lighthouse Park”. On February 4, 2003, Governor Gary Locke deeded the park to Mukilteo and sent the title to the Snohomish County Auditor for filing. Ownership was officially transferred on March 26, 2003. 

In 2004, the City Council adopted a Lighthouse Park Master Plan to make physical improvements to the park and provide ways to celebrate and provide public use to the historic lighthouse, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Four phases to the plan were developed, and the City of Mukilteo used a grant from the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) to begin the first phase of development. The first iteration of the plan included removing the fence to incorporate the lighthouse grounds into the park. There were concerns that this would take away from the special feeling of the lighthouse grounds, so the Mukilteo Historical Society (MHS) asked the City to maintain the picket fence. Another part of the plan included taking down the historic garage and interpretive center near the lighthouse, so MHS stepped up to renominate the light station on the historic register. 

Phase one included restoring the shore lands to a natural condition to stabilize sandy soils, developing a waterfront path along the park’s shoreline, adding landscaped areas and sheltered picnic sites, an interpretive program with displays and viewpoints, a new restroom and disabled access to the shoreline with a new parking area.  

Phase two improvements included new fencing defining the boundary of the light station, a curb less roundabout in front of the lighthouse, shoreline and drought tolerant plants, a picnic shelter/bandshell, restrooms, safe and accessible walkways within the lighthouse complex and along the waterfront and Front Street and a section of path to SR 525 and interpretive signs. Playground facilities, a beach volleyball court and anchoring several driftwood logs along the water were included in this renovation. Archeologists were required on site during these renovations and if an artifact were found during digging, they would investigate. The utility lines were buried at that time with the archeologists available. The area in front of the lighthouse grounds was raised to remove a step. A standalone garden shed (big enough for a tea party!) was relocated to the community garden. The City built a new gardening shed on the back of the garage to replace it.

To keep the historic environment of the lighthouse in the public awareness, the City added a sign designating that visitors were entering a historical property. The sidewalks were widened to make them ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant. A step up to enter the lighthouse was removed and a slope created, so it was ADA accessible. Wide board fencing replaced the old chain-link fencing, since adding more picket fencing would not be original.  Fencing was extended out to the foghorn and benches were added in the northwest corner of the park. During this phase of work, the City provided rooms at Rosehill for MHS to work, which meant not being able to access the buildings or knowing when they could open the lighthouse. The work was completed in 2008 and celebrated on August 9^th with free coffee, cupcakes, and ice cream. 

In honor of the tribes, the artwork installed in the park is by James Madison, Tulalip master carver, who created a stunning 18-foot driftwood carving reminding everyone that “Mother Earth” is always watching. Madison collaborated with another Tulalip artist, Joe Gobin, to create a big metal cube sculpture, concrete planters, and the art on the sidewalks.

Phase one and two are complete. Phase three plans include improvements to Front Street, an entry staircase from the Speedway, completion of a park driveway and new parking in the southeast corner of the park. Phase IV includes completion of the pathway system, a new pedestrian pier, the central lawn and festival area and restrooms near the lighthouse. 

Sources:
Mukilteo Light Station – HistoryLink.org
Mukilteo:  Pictures and Memories by Opal McConnell
Special thanks to Ann Collier and Christopher Summitt

Originally published in the 1/20/2021 issue of the Mukilteo Beacon.

By Peter Anderson, Director, Mukilteo Historical Society

Completion of the Great Northern Railway in 1893 provided our Puget Sound region with an important transportation link to Minneapolis – St. Paul and other cities further east.  Built over the Cascade Mountains via Stevens Pass, the railway sparked an economic boom that opened our markets for fish, lumber and other products to eastern cities, and brought settlers to the Pacific Northwest. 

By the early 1900’s, trains began to rumble through Mukilteo bringing mail and other goods to the townspeople.  Initially there was only one train per day travelling on a single track.  The depot, located on First Street near Park Avenue, became an important gathering place.

Excitement over the arrival of a scheduled train stopping at Mukilteo was sometimes heightened by train mishaps occurring here or nearby.  The tracks between Everett and Seattle were built along the shoreline to avoid the high cost of constructing bridges that otherwise would have to span the many gulches along the route.  This made the track beds prone to tidal erosion on the water side and earth slides from high bluffs on the land side. 

            About 1911, a second railroad track was built at Mukilteo.  When a train went over the new track, the engine and box car tipped over where the footing was too soft to support them.  The engine came completely off the track and ended up on its side.

A rock seawall was built to strengthen the footing and protect the railroad from tidal erosion.  To build the seawall, flat cars dumped huge granite boulders with a crane and a crew of men helped lay them in place.  Gondola cars then came with sand, gravel and rocks to fill the bed between the wall and railroad track.

In 1916, a huge earth slide tore up and covered railroad tracks near Mukilteo.  In 1948, another large slide pushed a Seattle-bound mail train off its tracks.  The locomotive careened over a ten-foot seawall and landed on its side in the water.  Tons of earth slid down the embankment, burying the double tracks to a depth of almost 15-feet. 

          Our area has had its share of train wrecks due to other causes since the early 1900’s.  On the morning of February 10, 1909, Mukilteo townsfolks were startled by an explosion that shook their buildings.  They soon learned that the boiler of the engine pulling the southbound Owl train had exploded about a half-mile south of town.  The engine was completely demolished, and the engineer and fireman were killed.  Box cars were derailed.

On September 22, 1913, nearly the whole town came out to see the spectacle of a Great Northern train wreck near the Mukilteo train depot.  There had been a collision between a locomotive and a passenger train.

Other train mishaps have included livestock that wandered on the tracks.  In 1917, Mukilteo resident Frank Pokswinski filed a claim against Great Northern Railroad after one of their trains killed his cow.  The GN legal department responded with a letter to Pokswinski saying he was negligent in allowing his stock to run freely where they were apt to get onto the railroad right of way.  However, GN wanted to be fair and so offered to “split the difference” with Pokswinski by giving him an allowance of $60.00 to settle his claim.  Although we have found no further record, we presume Pokswinski accepted GN’s settlement offer.

There have been many more mishaps caused by slides, or fear of slides, that have interrupted train service in our area over the years.  Although some improvements in retaining walls have helped, the possibility of earth slides during periods of heavy rains continue to be of concern to this day.  A November 1956 article in the Everett Daily Herald reported that bulldozers were working to move huge granite boulders into position for a new seawall that would enable train tracks to be moved away from a slide-prone bank just south of Mukilteo.

Due to several mergers and acquisitions, the name “Great Northern” has been replaced by “BNSF” (for Burlington Northern and Sante Fe) on freight trains traveling through our area.  The same tracks are also used by Amtrak and Sound Transit’s “Sounder” train, which provides passenger service for commuters to and from Seattle.  Service can still be frequently disrupted or canceled during the autumn and winter seasons due to landslides from unstable slopes above the tracks.  During the 2012-2013 winter season, a record of 206 passenger trains between Everett and Seattle were canceled, prompting WASHDOT to begin a three-year landslide mitigation project to stabilize slopes above the railroad between Seattle and Everett.

Originally published in the 12/2/2020 issue of the Mukilteo Beacon.

By Joanne Mulloy, President, Mukilteo Historical Society

The Mukilteo lighthouse roof was replaced recently, which was an enormous effort by the Public Works crew at the City of Mukilteo. Matt Nienhuis of Public Works obtained a grant, managed the project, and worked with the US Coast Guard and the Department of Archeology and Historical Preservation (DAHP) for Washington State to ensure the right color was selected for the roofing materials. Finding details to document the history of the lighthouse roof was challenging. The lighthouse was originally built by the United States Light House Service, then owned by the US Coast Guard, which transferred the light station to the City of Mukilteo in 2001. Historical records are difficult to find and there are other roofs on the property which confuses the story more. If readers have historical information on the roof, especially prior to 2001, the Mukilteo Historical Society (MHS) would like your help.

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When the City of Mukilteo took ownership of the property in 2001, an agreement, outlined in a letter from the House of Representatives, was signed. The agreement stated that the City and MHS, a non-profit organization, would work together to preserve and maintain the light station. This partnership is thriving in 2020. The City of Mukilteo and MHS partner with organizations and each other to secure funding for preservation projects. MHS obtains preservation grants from Lighthouse Environmental Programs (LEP) an organization funded by the purchase of lighthouse license plates. On the roof project, all three groups worked together.  

The light station construction started in 1905 and most likely had a cedar shingle roof. Sometime before World War II the lighthouse had a diamond pattern concrete asbestos shingle roof, which was likely gray. In older photos there was an original flagpole, much taller and constructed of cedar. Based on two different patterns in photos, there were two red tile roofs on the lighthouse.  The second red tile roof was installed in the mid-nineties with red Monier tiles, weighing ten pounds each. Remarkably, those tiles and the specific red color have no historical significance. In 1997 there was an extensive effort to remove the lead paint and asbestos from the lighthouse. The red tile roof was replaced this year with a red composite material, ensuring the lighthouse is preserved well into the future.  

The roof project is an example of how organizations worked together to focus on this historical building, an icon for the Mukilteo community. The lighthouse safeguards the Fourth Order Fresnel lens, the only active one in Washington state. In 2018, MHS applied for a grant from the LEP program to paint the interior of the lighthouse. LEP representatives did a site visit and decided they would not fund this project, since humidity issues needed to be addressed first. LEP provided consultation services of Board member, Harrison Goodall, and a $5000 grant to start the investigation. The resources were used to install data readers to check humidity readings through the winter of 2018-2019. MHS provided volunteer labor to read and compile the data. These readings were tabled once there was stable baseline data. Meetings were held with representation from all involved parties and it was agreed the remainder of the grant and additional MHS funds go toward a building inspection. In November 2018, the inspection was performed by RDH Building Science, Inc.  A Public Works crew participated by manning the lift and providing access to building spaces. The primary recommendation was replacement of the roof.

The City of Mukilteo was busy improving the property during this time, replacing a porch, and addressing a sinkhole on the grounds. They replaced the rubber sidewalks which were a tripping hazard, replaced windows on the first floor of the lighthouse and replaced the tower glass with UV protective glass to protect the lens. MHS requested another grant from LEP to help with the roofing costs and received approval for $10,000 to cover roofing materials. Matt Nienhuis acquired the resources to complete the project. The roof replacement was done by contractor, K-A General Construction. 

Data will be tracked again this winter to see if the new roof and windows have improved the environment. MHS is grateful to the City of Mukilteo for their work to preserve the lighthouse. The City has done an outstanding job of continuous improvements to a building that has requirements for materials, permits and approvals beyond those of non-historical buildings. 2021 projects include a City funded lighthouse interior painting and a MHS funded repair of the round roof above the lens. We are proud of this community collaboration to maintain the lighthouse and the loyalty to the intent of the House of Representatives almost 20 years ago. Go see the new roof and its new look! 

Originally published in the 11/11/2020 issue of the Mukilteo Beacon.

By Peter Anderson, Director, Mukilteo Historical Society

This is a story about Victor McConnell, who arrived in Mukilteo about 1900 and built a facility on Front Street for servicing boats and motors.  He should not be confused with George McConnell, who came to Mukilteo in the 1940s and purchased Victor’s facility, which then became McConnell’s Boathouse.  Victor McConnell and George McConnell were not related.

Victor McConnell was born on February 2, 1872, in Caledonia, Kent County, Michigan.  From the 1880 US Census and other records, we know he was the son of Marcus McConnell, born about 1842 in Ohio, and Sarah A. Humphrey, born March 7, 1844, in England.  He had three brothers, Albertus, Guian and George, and two sisters, Fannie and Rachel.  After his father died, Victor came west seeking his fortune.  The 1900 US Census finds him single, at age 28, living as a boarder in Culver Precinct, Chelan County, Washington, where he and his neighbors worked as gold miners.

Other family members also came west.  Victor’s mother, Sarah, settled on Orcas Island, where she died in 1928.  His brother, Guian, lived for a while in Vancouver, BC, then in Bellingham, and finally on Orcas Is.  His sister, Rachel, married John E. Barker in Orcas in July 1896.

There is some speculation that, before coming to Mukilteo, Victor McConnell established squatter’s rights to a small unpopulated island just south of Orcas.  According to folklore, while living there, he engaged in some shady activities, including assisting Asians to enter the U.S. in violation of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.  A Tacoma grand jury found Victor guilty of smuggling a marine engine from Canada to put into a 38-foot hull that he was building at West Sound.  Victor’s small island, which became known as McConnell Island, was later purchased by Thomas Gordon Thompson, a University of Washington professor.  A portion of the island is now a nature reserve.

Victor was a bit of a womanizer – married four times that we know of.  In 1904, he married Florence La Forte in Yakutat, Alaska.  She had been born in Michigan and was only 17 when she married Victor, who was 32.  It may have been a “shotgun” wedding, as they soon had a child, Rosa Victoria McConnell, born October 6, 1905, in Mukilteo.  Rosa died young, in 1907, and is buried in Mukilteo’s Pioneer Cemetery.  Victor and Florence (La Forte) had two other children: Ernest. born in 1907, and an unknown child born in 1909, who died as an infant.

Upon their arrival in Mukilteo, Victor and Florence lived for a short time in one of the beach houses located where Lighthouse Park is now. They then moved to a large house next to the gas station that they operated on the south side of Front Street.

We next find records indicating Victor married Louise Tesch of Seattle on March 1, 1919.  They were married by a Justice of the Peace in Everett.  We have not found a verifiable record that indicates what happened to Victor’s previous wife, Florence La Forte.  And evidently the marriage of Victor and Louise did not last long.  Although Victor was still listed as married in the 1920 Census, it indicates Louise was not part of Victor’s household.  At that time, he was living in Mukilteo with just his son Ernest.

We next find a marriage record for Victor McConnell and Florence I. Jones.  This Florence was born September 9, 1886, in Kearney, Buffalo County, Nebraska.  Her parents were Henry W. Reeves, born about 1848, and Annie M. Brant, born about 1852.  Their daughter, Florence Isabelle Reeves, first married Charles F. Jones in Kearney, NE, on May 31, 1912.  They had two children: Harry Franklin Jones and Ada Jones.  Florence’s first husband, Charles, died of suicide in Hagerman, Idaho, on September 23, 1920.  Then the widowed Florence Jones married our Victor McConnell in Mukilteo on November 27, 1922.

Curiously, there was again a significant (14-year) age difference between Victor and his new wife Florence Reeves Jones.   The 1930 U.S. Census lists their Mukilteo household consisting of Victor and Florence McConnell and Franklin and Ada Jones (Florence’s children from her first marriage).  By this time, Victor’s son, Ernest, had married and moved to a separate residence.  Ernest died of pulmonary tuberculosis at age 30 on June 21, 1937.

Seeing further business potential, Victor acquired the land across the street from his house and gas station and began building a marine service station there using cement and beach sand.  Located on the north side of Front Street, where the Silver Cloud Inn is now, it was the first concrete building in Mukilteo.  Curious townsfolk marveled as they watched “Mac” trudge day-after-day hauling sand in his wheelbarrow from the beach to mix with cement to construct his building.  He completed the first section of his building in 1925, and later added to it using the same construction technique. 

The concrete building had large signs on it which read: “McConnell Service Station”, “General Repairing”, “Storage”, “Red Crown Gasoline” and “Zerolene Oils”.  Mac and third wife Florence were engaging figures around town.  Mac owned a vintage truck that they used to haul goods for people and businesses.  Mac usually wore bib overalls and had a large collection of hats.  He and Florence would entertain gas station customers with colorful stories while filling their tanks at the gas station.

Florence Isabelle McConnell died in Mukilteo on March 15, 1946, at age 59.  She is buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Everett.  After his wife died, Mac sold his concrete service station building to George McConnell (no relation), who turned it into McConnell’s Boathouse.  Victor kept his house and gas station across the street.

In 1948, Mac married his fourth wife, Ida (Singleton) Wilkes.  At the time of their marriage, Victor was 76 and Ida was 72.  Ida’s first husband, James Alvin Wilkes, had died of a brain tumor in Seattle in 1915.

Victor McConnell died in Mukilteo on January 10, 1953, at age 80.  He was cremated and interred at View Crest Abbey in Everett. 

Following Victor’s death, stepson Charles Robert “Bob” Wilkes and wife Helen assumed ownership of the McConnell house and gas station.  Seeing a business opportunity, the Wilkes moved the old house to the back of the lot to make way for the Sea Horse Snack Bar Delicatessen.  The Deli opened on the south side of Front Street in 1955, and later became the Buzz Inn.

Victor McConnell’s fourth wife, Ida Wilkes, died in 1961.  Stepson Bob Wilkes died in Snohomish on December 5, 1976.  His wife, Helen Wilkes, was named Mukilteo’s Citizen of the Year in 1981; she died in Everett on March 6, 1998.

Originally published in the 10/14/2020 issue of the Mukilteo Beacon.