Arlington, Washington - Snohomish County Washington, Past Achievements, Present Status, Future

Snohomish County Washington, Past Achievements, Present Status, Future

The City of Arlington occupies an advantageous location at the confluence of the north and south forks of the Stillaguamish River, on the Seattle division of the Northern Pacific Railway and at the junction of that line's Darrington branch - a location embodying the availability and accessibility of immense resources (forest, mineral and agricultural), abounding throughout an enormous area, of which Arlington is the logical commercial center and natural distributing point.

cient to ensure perfect fire Protection. The banks of the city (two in number) are con- Servatively managed institutions with combined deposits totalling $420,000. The business houses clearly indicate the prosperity of the community by the extent and diversity of the stocks they carry. The weekly newspapers (of which there are two) are capably edited and well supported. The educational facilities, including a well-equipped High School, are a source of special pride, and the religious, fraternal and social activities more than suffice to meet all reasonable requirements.

Railroad Avenue, Arlington

but the work already achieved has nevertheless resulted in the upbuilding of a community of 2,000 people - from which it may reasonably be argued that the striking growth which has characterized the history of Arlington in the past is but indicative of development in the future that will be even more remarkable.

The city today may be conservatively described as a thoroughly progressive and modern municipality, affording all the advantages that such a phrase implies. It has many miles of improved streets and permanent sidewalks; many buildings of solid construction and attractive design; an excellent sewerage system, and light and power plants that would reflect credit upon larger and more pretentious communities. Its water system could hardly be excelled either from the standpoint of purity or that of pressure, the latter being amply suffi-

As a manufacturing center, Arlington has already achieved considerable success, the payroll from the saw mills, shingle mills, logging camps and other industries approximately aggregating $500,000 per annum, This, however, should be but the commencement of much more extensive industrial activity - for numerous opportunities exist for the advantageous investment of capital in manufacturing enterprise. In the first place the forest resources are almost immeasurable in extent, and the demand for Puget Sound lumber is world wide in its scope. In the second place the location of Arlington pre-eminently adapts it for the establishment of sash and door factories, furniture factories, box factories and other wood working institutions - to which list might also be added the opportunities based upon accessible resources other than those of the forest, these including brick and tile

Views In The Arlington District

In precisely similar manner the agricultural activities of the district serve to emphasize the wonderful opportunities in this direction, for the simple reason that the Stillaguamish Valley and the valleys of its tributary streams have only been developed, as yet, to a fractional part of their producing capacity, while the adjacent bench lands have hardly been cultivated at all.

To a very large extent the soil of the valley bottom lands is best adapted to dairying and to the raising of oats, hay, barley, corn and cale for ensilage, potatoes and others vegetables, while the bench lands are eminently suited to poultry raising and the cultivation of berries and fruits.

Large areas of logged-off land are available for settlement, these offering undoubted opportunity for activity in this direction, and for fruit growing, market gardening, general farming and poultry raising, and these cannot fail to prove remunerative investments when carefully selected and Properly handled by men who possess sufficient capital to keep themselves and those dependent upon them in adequate comfort throughout the necessary period of preliminary preparation.

. Briefly summarizing its salient characteristics, it may be said of Arlington that she is a city of manufacturing importance and industrial opportunity; a center of extensive

The Arlington Waterfront

It is worthy of note that here, as in other parts of the county, dairying is proving to be the most staple and most profitable line of agricultural activity, and consequently is steadily growing in popularity. This is not surprising in view of the fact that the entire Puget Sound country is essentially a grass growing country; that the soil and climate are ideally suited to dairying pursuits; that Silage and root crops produce enormous yields and that the equable climate, long growing season and abundant moisture assure pasturage for fully three-fourths of every year.

In the Arlington vicinity dairying may be said to have assumed proportions of importance in 1904, when the co-operative creamery commenced its operations, and to have steadily grown since then, until now agricultural activity and assured agricultural development; the gateway to a mining country of remarkable possibilities; a residence city of peculiar attractiveness and finally a city that is deservedly the haunt of the enthusiastic sportsman. Speckled trout, rainbow trout and Dolly Vardens lurk in the swift flowing streams; deer, bear, mountain goat, bobcats and cougar frequent the adjacent hills, while grouse, quail and pheasant abound in the valleys and loggedoff lands. Indeed in whatever direction the inclinations of the sportsman lie, these may be gratified in this locality to an extent that would justify the slogan "Sportsman's Paradise" - although generally speaking Arlington is naturally known as the "Metropolis of the Stillaguamish Valley," by reason of its advantageous location.