Index, Washington - History

History

Among the many show places of beautiful Snohomish County are Index and the Scenic Highway which leads to it from Everett, forty-one miles away. The highway presents many lovely vistas of deep gorges, mountain heights and rushing, talkative mountain streams, as it twists and turns upon itself, winding its way up the valley to the heights of the Cascades. Index, named for the mountain whose granite finger 1s ever pointed towards the sky, is almost completely surrounded by mountain peaks; Index, Mount Persis, Gunn's Peak, tower above it from 3,000 to 6,000 feet in height. It is a paradise for sportsmen and for nature lovers. From Look Out Point, 900 feet above the village, the view is one of imposing grandeur. But a short journey and the country of eternal snow is reached at the foot of the glaciers. A short distance up the valley are the beautiful waterfalls, the Eagle, the Canyon and the Sunset, where the eager waters of the upper Skykomish lash themselves to fury in their haste to reach the sea. The streams abound with rainbow trout, the gamiest of fish, and as a background stand the silent, mysterious mountains, still hiding their age-old treasures from the grasping hand of man. Index itself is a pretty village and its people have all the open-hearted friendliness so characteristic of the West.

Amos D. Gunn, Founder

The "Father of Index" was Amos D. Gunn, although many a white man had traversed the valley before him, either in search of precious metals or to seek a pathway across the mountains. Indeed, it was a squatter's claim which Gunn bought when he first came to Index, although on account of the railroad right of way he was obliged to file upon it as a placer claim. Amos Gunn was a typical pioneer. Born in Illinois in 1843, he enlisted in the Civil war when but a voung man and after honorable service he served a pioneer apprenticeship in the states of the Middle West, and was finally attracted to the Pacific Coast. His wife, Persis, came with him and his family of grown daughters. When they settled here in 1889 all supplies had to be packed from Wallace, twelve miles away, over a trail very much different from the Scenic Highway of today. But this did not daunt them and they soon built a home large enough to serve as a hotel to accommodate the prospectors and surveyors who came thronging up the valley. In 1890 the family was augmented by the marriage of their daughter, Henrietta, and Fred C. Doolittle, who had followed his sweetheart to the West. The ceremony took place at Snohomish and the bridal couple took their wedding trip on horseback to Index. Their daughter, Hazel, born in 1891, was the first child born in Index. By July, 1891, it was necessary for Mr. Gunn to build an addition to his hostelry, as the nearer approach of the railroad and the reported finding of valuable mineral ledges attracted many to the region. He also secured a postoffice and his own appointment as postmaster. This was an almost payless job as Gunn acted as mail carrier as well, packing the mail by pony, up from Wallace.

Boom Days Of 1892

By 1892 the pressure of railroad building was making the entire Skykomish Valley a scene of great activity. Stages went daily from -Snohomish to Sultan, three times weekly to Wallace and twice weekly on to Index and Galena. It was proposed, in March, 1892, to make this a daily service through to Galena, changing horses at Sultan. Galena had been the scene of much mining excitement for more than three years, was platted as a townsite by J. N. Scott, in December, 1891, and was expected to be the terminus of the Seattle, Snohomish and Spokane Railroad, familiarly known as the "Three S" Line. Galena had thrice a week mail service from Index, established in January, 1892, with B. M. Lasall as postmaster, its streets were slashed and graded and there were several business houses, including the drug store started by Dr. Starr in April of that year. Index was thus an important stopping place not only for railroaders but for miners headed for the Galena district, and this led Mr. Gunn to have a townsite surveyed at Index and to file a plat, which he did April 25, 1893. This plat was dedicated by Amos D. and Persis Gunn, and witnessed by J. A. Coleman, and by J. J. Folstad, who surveyed it. One feature of the plat which covered 137 acres, was Index Avenue, a thoroughfare 100 feet wide. A second addition was built to the hotel. Doctors Beckler and Fairfield established a hospital in a tent two miles west of Index and there were enough people in the neighborhood so that the first term of school was taught in a private residence by Lena Gunn, a tiny schoolhouse being built in 1894.

Index did not escape the eagle eye of the real estate speculators of Seattle and Everett and even before the site was platted Gunn sold a half interest in it to the Everett Terminal Land & Milling Company, an ambitious concern which went to the wall during the panic days and whose affairs were long in litigation. According to a newspaper report, Henry Hewitt, Jr., obtained a controlling interest in the townsites of both Index and Galena at this time, which was held to assure the building of a railroad to the Silver Creek district. Lots in the new town of Index were listed at from $25 to $50 "with terms to suit purchasers."

Destructive Fire, 1893

It was on the night of July 22, 1893, that Index had its "big fire." A boy, reading in bed, overturned the candle and thus started the blaze. Two little girls were badly but not fatally burned, and the entire town was destroyed, except the Great Northern depot and station house. This included the hotel, postoffice and store and five houses. Gunn rebuilt the store and hotel at once, but with the panic days at hand, the railroad built, and the mine excitement dying down, the town made but little progress during the next few years. A small sawmill, and the gradual filling up of the country maintained it as a trading post, and as early

The revival of mining interest came in 1897 and there were two years of great activity all through the Monte Cristo and Silver Creek districts. This brought renewed life to Index. In 1897, a second store was opened by Andrew J. Indredson and this was soon followed by a saloon. The climax of the mining boom struck Index in 1898. The Copper Bell and Sunset mines were discovered and opened up and from 800 to 1,000 prospectors made Index their headquarters. John A. Soderberg opened a general store which he later sold to Baitinger & Ulrich, and Isaac Korn started the pioneer drug store. Two new hotels, the Bush and the Grand Pacific, and the Haybrook sawmill were additions to the town during this year.

Mrs. Persis Gunn died in 1898, and Persis Mountain stands as an imperishable monument to her good life. It was this bereavement as well as his good business judgment which led Mr. Gunn to sell nearly all of his holdings at Index during the height of the boom, in 1899, and to live the remainder of his life in comparative retirement.

Second Big Fire

A second disastrous fire visited Index in November, 1902, when the Sunset lodging house run by Harry Hoback was destroyed, and one man, James Kelly, was burned to death. The barber shop, drug store, assay office and a restaurant were also wiped out by this fire. A waterworks system was instituted in 1904 by John E. Soderberg, securing its supply from mountain springs and during this year Soderberg also opened the granite quarry which is still a large industry and the Sylvester Smith and H. J. Miller saw and shingle mills began operation. Business houses in 1906 included Baitinger & Ulrich, general merchants; C. E. Lewis, meats and groceries; C. R. Redding, drugs and assay office; the Bush, Index and Grand Pacific Hotels; Ross Phillips, confectionery and the Index Miner, which was established in 1899, with C. W. Gorham as editor. Miss Persis Gunn had succeeded her father as postal official. A two-room schoolhouse was erected at a cost of $400, in 1899, and in 1906 there were forty pupils and the teaching corps consisted of Mrs. Belle Dermady and Miss Clara Beach. In 1903, the lodge of the Independent Order of Red Men erected a fine hall, costing $3,000, which served for all community purposes. The Congregational Church Society, organized in 1904, began the erection of a chapel in 1906.

Attracts Many Visitors

During the later years Index has enjoyed a slow but steady growth, suffering no serious reverses, and enjoying no periods of overdone prosperity. The present Index numbers about 500 inhabitants. During the summer months it is visited by many tourists and sportsmen and it 1s becoming a more popular resort each year. The chief industries are the Index-Galena lumber mill which is located in the heart of the village and which employs an average of 150 men, with C. R. Leas as manager; and the granite quarry managed by George Taylor, the product of which has been largely used by the Government in its buildings at the Bremerton naval station. The Sunset Copper Company has the only producing mine in the vicinity, it being located eight miles from Index. The manager of this mine is Ed. C. Morse, a son of Eldridge Morse, the first editor, the first lawyer and one of the most enthusiastic and capable boosters this county has ever known. The chief owner of this mine is Edward A. Sims and it is operating continuously and on a paying basis.

A dozen retail establishments, three hotels and several garages carry on a healthy trade. The Presbyterian Church serves the religious needs of the community, while the Red Men, Odd Fellows and Rebekahs supply a large portion of the social life. The city owns a waterworks system which cost $25,000 and which draws an inexhaustible supply of the purest water from Deer Creek. There 1s a volunteer fire company, which was organized in 1917 and which is well equipped with hose cart and 2,000 feet of hose; there being twenty fire hydrants. The schools are under the supervision of Prof. J. S. Blue, and consist of a grade school of four rooms and a high school of four rooms and a well equipped gymnasium. The postoffice was in charge of Mrs. Persis L. Gunn-Ulrich, who succeeded her father in office twenty years ago, and the office is now in charge of W. F. Ulrich. Fred C. Doolittle still carries on the hotel business founded by Amos D. Gunn. L. H. Egbert is mayor and W. F. Ulrich 1s clerk of this thriving little city. Madge Baldwin is the efficient librarian of the Public Library of which the city is proud. Among the mining incorporations having headquarters at Index are the following: Bunker Hill Mining & Smelter Company, Good Hope Mining Company, Homestead Copper Mining Company, Index Bornite Mining Company, Smugglers Gold Mining Company, and Trout Creek Mining Company.

BIRMINGHAM, now known as WARM BEACH - On the shore of Port Susan Bay south of Stanwood; a fine protected sea beach site at the edge of a wide area of extremely rich logged-off land. Warm Beach is the descriptive and popularly accepted name of the town, which has become a most favored salt water bathing and pleasure resort, with six neighboring fresh water lakes.

BEVERLY PARK - A rapidly growing suburb at the south border of Everett on the Pacific Highway. Maintains its own water system and is a community of uniformly attractive homes. |

BRYANT - An old town five miles north of Arlington on the Northern Pacific Railroad, which was for many years headquarters of the Stimson Logging Company. This town is now headquarters of the Marysville & Northern Railway.

CATHCART - Five miles south of Snohomish, on the Northern Pacific, center of a well-settled district of rich farm, dairy and poultry land, lately subdivided into small tracts. Mail service from Snohomish.

CEDARHOME - Community center of a prolific and well populated farm district, 2% miles southeast from East Stanwood, reached by cement highway.

EDGECOMB - Five miles south of Arlington, on the Pacific Highway and Northern Pacific Railway, center of a well-developed farm district, with postoffice and store.

FLORENCE - One of the oldest Stillaguamish Valley towns, now a hustling community center in a prosperous, fertile region, a few miles south of Stanwood on the banks of the Stillaguamish, and has a postoffice and general store.

FORTSON- - Station on the Northern Pacific twenty-one miles northeast of Arlington, established by R. H. Lamson, lumberman, in 1903; it is on the banks

Index City And Mountain Main Street, Index

GETCHELL - An important town during the nineties, where James Myers operated a noted pioneer hotel, the Monte Cristo, burned in 1893. On the Northern Pacific Railway between Arlington and Snohomish, four miles north of Hartford. The railroad station was removed to Edgecomb in 1899,

MACHIAS - Midway between Snohomish and Hartford, and where the Western Washington Railway connects with the Northern Pacific. This is an old community center, first settled by Charles Neimeyer, who at the age of 90 is still residing there, and A. J. Andrus, deceased, whose son L.ouis still resides on the original homestead. In 1890 L. W. Getchell bought eighty acres there and started the town, and it has continued to be one of the important natural trade centers of that portion of Snohomish County, situated only six miles due east of Everett. It is the seat of a fine farming country, especially the bottom lands of the Pilchuck Valley. Albert Sapp was one of the early postmasters, beginning in 1894 and serving a number of years. Machias Union High School is a feature, built in 1907, costing $70,000.

MALTBY - Located on the Northern Pacific Railway nine miles south of Snohomish, an old and interesting town in a well-settled district. It was first known as Yew, the postoffice being established in 1889, with O. H. Lee as postmaster. In February, 1891, it was platted as the townsite of Yew by the Yew Land & Town Company, E. Y. Jeffrey president, W. H. Moore secretary, but the Northern Pacific Railway station was named Maltby, and in October, 1893, the name of the Yew postoffice was also changed to Maltby, which has remained the name of town and postoffice. It was a thriving mill town during the nineties, and has always manifested much material interest in its public schools. Present population is estimated at 750; seventeen miles southeast of Everett, thirty miles northeast of Seattle, served by the Puget Sound Telephone Company, American Railway Express Company, Western Union Telegraph Company and Northern Pacific Railway.

MEADOWDALE - A postoffice and Great Northern Railroad station center at a point about midway between Mukilteo and Edmonds, a pleasant locality steadily developing with small farm and home settlements.

NORMAN - Postoffice and flag station on the Coast line of the Great Northern Railway, eighteen miles northwest of Everett, one mile from Silvana, its banking and business center. A. A. Satrum is postmaster.

PILCHUCK - One of the pioneer lumber towns of the early eighties, eleven miles from Snohomish, six miles north of Arlington. It was for years a thriving lumber town, and in 1895 it became an important mail town, its postoffice then absorbing Pomona postoffice business. It is now a flag station on the Northern Pacific and is also reached by the main county highway from Arlington.

SILVANA - An old town that has kept pace with modern developments; located in the lower Stillaguamish Valley between Marysville and Stanwood, on the Great Northern Railway and Pacific Highway seventeen miles northwest of Everett, in a prosperous and populous farming district. It is said that the name was suggested by that of one of the first settlers in the valley there, Michael Sill, who died suddenly at the age of 77 in December, 1896, and who was reputed to have been one of the most powerful specimens of manhood in the Stillaguamish Valley in early days; it is said the old man split 200 rails on his birthday when he reached seventy years. Iver Johnson was the first storekeeper, and Rasmus Knutson, who came to Puget Sound in 1879, was a potent factor in the upbuilding of the town, which was practically wiped out by fire on August 22, 1902, the total loss being $30,000, including the destruction of County Commissioner Iver Johnson's general store and postoffice, Swanson's hotel and the stores of Button Bros. and Lewis. Today Silvana has an excellent seven-room high school building, commercial hotel, two garages, postoffice, pool room, etc.

SILVER LAKE - tThe principal summer and tourist pleasure resort, four miles south of the city on the Pacific Highway on the east shore and Seattle- Everett interurban on the west shore. Its natural beauty has been preserved and the east lake shore has been attractively parked, the entertainment facilities being noteworthily elaborated by Geo. W. McKenzie, proprietor of the popular Bungalow Inn. Here the city has its Silver Lake park, and the North Pacific Fair and Live Stock Exhibition is held there annually in August or September.

THREE LAKES - Located five miles northeast of Snohomish, founded in 1903 and platted in 1922 by the Three Lakes Lumber Company, which operates a large sawmill and planing mill and also a large shingle mill operating eight upright shingle machines. The company's standard-gauge logging railroad makes direct connection with the Northern Pacific, Great Northern and Milwaukee Railways, and there is also an excellent automobile stage service. Three Lakes is a model community center, with modern residences, a community church, an adequate public school building and equipment and several mercantile establishments to serve a population of about 1,000. B. W. Maguire is president of the Three Lakes Lumber Company.

RICHMOND- - Situated at the southwest corner of Snohomish County, just north of Richmond Beach, King County, is one of the principal oil storage and shipping stations of the entire Pacific Northwest. Located at the shore of Puget Sound, this unique seaport town presents a formidable spectacle of giant oil tanks, docks and equipment for the handling of crude and refined oils in cargo and lesser quantities for the Puget Sound country, these establishments being maintained by the Standard and Shell Oil companies.

Arlington about 1891 (illus.), 531. Arlington Condensery (illus.), 539. Arlington High School (illus.), 535. Arlington incorporated, 537. Arlington Men's Club, 544.

Attorneys locate at both towns. 530. Attorneys of county, 1926, 772. Attracts many visitors, 611. Australian ballot system used, 118. Auto industry grows, 380

Bridge to Camano Island, 199. British capture Astoria, 44, Brownell urged for Congress, 151. Brvan carries Washington. 145. Bryan opened campaign, 150.

Buchanan, Dr. Charles M., 843. Buchanan memorial, 830. Building boom continued, 338. Busiest "american city in 1892, 332. Business and industry (Monroe), 599. Business changes in 1907, Everett, 375. Business review in 1904, 505 Business revival in 18838, 239. Business street. Monroe (illus.), 598. Business survey, 1926, 547.

Census of 1890, 659. Census shows growth, 179. Centennial history of county, 87. Centennial Lodge. A. F. & A. M., 475. Centennial resolution, 87. Central Christian Church, 442. Central Lutheran Church, 446. Central Park, Everett, 430. Chamber of Commerce, Edmonds, 588, Chamber of Commerce, Everett, 462. - Change and progress, 408.

Index

County warrants, yeurs 1861-1875, County went democratic, 106. Courthouse addition proposed, 181. Courthouse bonds defeated, 117. Courthouse burns, 176. Courthouse contract let, 140. Courthouse enlarged, 176. Courthouse moved, 97. Courthouse moved again, 101. Courts kill option law, 112. Crocker, J, B., 140.

Death of C. W. Gorham, 166. Death of John T. McChesney, 405. Death of Mrs. John Elwell, 235. Death of Peter Leque, 505. Death of T. J. Dooley, 125. Decline of river traffic, 294.

Everett in the saddle, 122. . Everett Herald describes fire, 177. Everett Herald on roads and bridges, 202" Everett Land Company, 140. Everett Land Company begins sales, 321. Bverett Land Company fails, Everett-Machias road, 199." Everett News, The, 799,

Fiverett sehooner launched. 365. "Everett Spirit'? manifest, 364. Everett Theatre opened, 372. Everett the magic city, 305. Everett tops Bellingham, 157. Everett to the front, 120.

church established, 225. Church of Christ, Scientist, 447. city election, Everett, 417. commencement, 264. commission, Everett, 424. commissioners' meeting, 73. Congregational Church, 442. county bridge, 189. county election, 74.

Good women best influence, 265. Gorham, C. W., Death of, 166. Government in. 1863, 78. Government officers chosen, 49. Governor Douglas sends aid, 64. Governor McBride, 152.

Grace Methodist Episcopal Church, 444. Graft charges made, 146, 200. Graham's railroad review, 742. Grand Army of the Republic, 467. Grand free ball given, 116. Granges, 668.

Immaculate Conception Church, 445. Improved Order of Red Men, 479. Incendiary fires of 1893, 251. Incidents of growth, 563. Incorporation, Monroe, 596. Incorporation proposed, 415. Independent Order of Odd Fellows, 478. Index, 608.

Leque, Peter, Death of, 505. Lewis and Clark expedition, 42. Lewis, Capt. Meriwether, 41. Lewis, James Hamilton, 144. Liberty loan drives, 394. Liberty loan parade. 397. Library, Edmonds, 581.

Medical profession, 774-784. Men's organizations, 462. Methodist church founded, 502. Methodist Episcopal Church, 256. Military organizations, 396.

Nail plant in operation. 339, Name adopted (Edmonds), 575. Name changed to Startup, 607. Names, ages, nativity, census of 1862, 7 Names, nativity, 1861 census, 72. Names of first voters, 70. National guard units, 470.

Norman plat vacated, 812. Northern Indian raids, nde "Northern Star" fades, 236. "Northern Star," The, is. 222, 785. Northwest Company, The, 44, Norwegian colony grows, 495. Norwegian Singing Society, 471. Notable demonstrations, 397.

Old schoolhouse, Darrington (illus.), 553. Old skid-road, Snohomish (illus.), 689. Old time dance, Snohomish (illus.). 689. Old Utsaladdy Mil], 1875 (illus.), 679. Old way of logging (illus.), 693.

Removal restrained by court, 136. Report of logging industry for 1887, 699. Republican reverses in 1890, 118. Republicans come back, 147. Republicans win in 1908, 155. Resident dentists in county, 784. Resident physicians in county, 783. Results in 1910, 158,

Index 867

Settlements pass the forks, 514. Settlers in 1887 and 1888, 523. Settlers in West Seattle, 50. Settlers on "Big Burn," 522. Settlers wish to join Skagit County, 492. Seventeen votes polled, 91. Shaw, Benj. F., 67.