Gold Bar, Washington - Snohomish County Washington, Past Achievements, Present Status, Future

Snohomish County Washington, Past Achievements, Present Status, Future

Of Gold Bar, Washington, it may truly be said that "the old order changeth, yielding place to new" - a comparison suggested and justified by the remarkable rapidity of the community's development.

Prior to 1912 Gold Bar was little more than a straggling village, on the banks of the Skykomish River and in the valley of that name; a village sustained almost entirely by the operations of the Gold Bar Lumber Company, which for many years has employed a large number of men in its camps and mills. Today, Gold Bar is an incorporated town of about 700 people, possessing absolute asmuch larger } company is served for : commodate superintendents, consulting engineers, dispatchers, clerks, and others whose work is inseparable from a recognized railroad division. In a word, the activities of the Great Northern Company in Gold Bar show that its location on a large level tract of land immediately west of the Cascade Mountains is one of strategic value from a railroad point of view, and that the town is

A Section Of The

In addition to the advantages of its location (29 miles from Everett, on the main line of the Great Northern Railroad) two causes are directly responsible for this change and for the unqualified assurance of its logical continuance.

In the first place the Great Northern Railroad selected Gold Bar for the location of assembly yards, repair shops, etc., in the spring of 1912, and quietly bought up a large quantity of land directly opposite the village for these purposes. A small army of men was immediately employed in removing stumps, in grading, and in constructing the yards and buildings - the latter including repair shops, engine house, power house, store distributing house, sand sheds, oil sheds, and tanks. Moreover, the work already done

Business District

In the second place, not until 1912 was any systematic effort made to direct attention to the opportunities of this locality from an agricultural standpoint. Coincident, however, with the commencement of the railroad company's activities, a large quantity of logged-off land was placed on the market in such a way as to emphasize its agricultural possibilities while also giving assurance of a local demand for farm products arising from the growth of the community in other directions. Although less than two years have since elapsed, the results already achieved have justified the claims then made regarding Gold Bar as a possible agricultural center, the crops on developed farms having indicated a yield of gratifying proportions.

Scenes In Gold Bar P.

SCENES IN GOLD BAR P Views'infits residence and business difrids, a pertion of the Great Northern Railroad Company's yards and the public school grades, the second bottom land being deep, rich and exceptionally fertile. Many of the and the postracts are crossed by streams anc sibilities for dairying and diversified farmproximity to the eas' town and the consequen products can be taken to market, sold in Gold Bar or shipped to the cities of Seattle or Everett, there is good value in the land when its reasonable cost is considered.

Yet another advantage possessed by Gold Bar is found in the extent and diversity of the opportunities it offers for the gratification of the sportsman's inclinations. The Skykomish River is the greatest stream in the state for big, gamey trout; the nearby already many graded and leveled streets; a system of electric lighting that embraces even the remoter districts; city water, piped direct to the homes from a clear, cool mountain stream; numerous and substantial business estabiishments; good hotel and restaurant accommodac'ons; local and long distance telephone connections; churches of various denominations; many prominent lodges; a social club (occupying a commodious and attractive hall for dances and other gatherings); 4 first class theatre (devoted to vaudeville and motion picture entertainments); a weekly newspaper, and educational facilities that are deservedly a source of pride. The school property and

Plant Of The Gold Bar Lumber Co

Wallace, though smaller, is proportionately prolific; while May Creek, Olney Creek Proctor Creek and Swamp Creek are all attractive from the fisherman's point of view The hunter of upland birds will find an abundance of Chinese pheasants, quail grouse, and native pheasants in the 'immedi. ate vicinity; mountain goat abound on the crags to the north of town and deer are to be found within an hour's walk. Bear, lynx and bobcats frequent the thickly wooded mountainous districts (10 miles or so away) while an occasional cougar rewards He hardy hunter who wanders far into the hills at a place of residence, the town of Gold 7 ma ee many attractive features, for tat Hin to its commercial prosperity and 2 cee VOR MERE of natural charm, it is also SON ae mone people are esl e. In spite - ceptional rapidity of its seis Gola Bar

Summarizing the more prominent characteristics of Gold Bar, it will be seen that the community owes its prosperity to three distinct lines of activity - the first being base upon adjacent forest resources, the second upon the status of the town as a railroad division point and the third upon the logical development of its agricultural opportunities. As already stated, the features last named are both, as yet, in but a preparatory stage, while the lumber industry is ol established, stable and continuous. So immeasurable indeed are the forest resources of the district that even were the Gold Bar putes Company to run night and day for pDivears there would still be vast tracts of abs in the vicinity untouched by the yoo sinen s axe, and this in spite of the fact the e company employs about 150 men