Startup, Washington - History

History

Up the valley of the Skykomish, thirty miles from Everett is located the thriving Village of Startup, with a population of 400. While it lies in the river valley, and the ascent over the Scenic Highway has been gradual, there is a freshness and lightness in the air which bespeaks the nearer approach to the mountains, even though the visitor does not raise his eyes to the towering peaks which now seem close at hand. Startup, nee Wallace, began its existence when F. M. Sparling, a bachelor, settled there in the early eighties. There was much travel along the valley to the mining regions and Sparling soon found it profitable to enlarge his shack and to make it serve as a lodging house for the prospectors. This remained for several years as the sole habitation, but in 1889 three events occurred which had marked bearing upon the history of the village. First, Frank Sparling tiring of single blessedness, turned to that great friend of the bachelor pioneer, the Heart and Hand Magazine, and through its columns told of his lonely state, of his homestead and of the beauties of Washington and the Skykomish Valley and invited someone to share them all with him. The result, according to the Snohomish Eye of March 16, 1889, was a wedding performed in the parlors of the old Penobscot Hotel, by which Frank Sparling and Miss Eva Helmick of Ohio, were united in marriage, and thus the first family came to Startup. The second event was the sale by Sparling of a portion of his holdings to one William Wait. The third happening was when John F. Stretch, who did more real pioneering in the upper valley than any other man, erected a small store in the neighborhood of the Sparling home. The next year Stretch and Wait pooled their interests and decided to build a town. The Snohomish Eye told of this as follows: "William Wait from a camp laborer has blossomed out as a townsite owner. He has bought land at the mouth of Wallace River from F. Sparling, has platted it and offers lots at from $25 to $65. This is at the outlet of the Sultan Basin and there are now seventy settlers and thirty families in the valleys of Olney Creek and the Wallace and Skykomish rivers. The hotel and store owned by J. F. Stretch is the only business house but there is to be a store soon."

Plat Filed In 1890

The plat of Wallace was filed March 22, 1890, being dedicated by William Wait and John F. and Sarah Stretch and witnessed by Joseph Mock, Don W.

Evans and B. F. Warren, and containing seventeen blocks, five of which were later vacated. A. C. Reeves built a second store and hotel, but aside from securing competition for themselves the townsite owners attracted no buyers, and while Mr. Stretch made an effort to boom the town in 1891, he made no headway and transferred his affections to his new town of Tye City, selling his Wallace establishment to H. J. Langfit, in 1892. There was temporary activity during the building of the railroad but the business largely centered at Sultan and the Great Northern did not even honor the place with a station, for the Sultan Journal in its issue of November 1, 1893, said: ''Wallace has been without mail since the first of the month. The pony route has been discontinued and there is no depot at that place." The years of hard times did, in fact, almost put Wallace out of business, but the settlers showed their enterprise by clearing ground on Olney Creek for the erection of a shingle mill, and the splendid timber attracted enough lumber and logging interests to keep the town alive. Better times came with the establishment of the Wallace Lumber & Manufacturing Company with capacity of 60,000 feet of lumber and 130,000 shingles per day and this industry proved 'the backbone of the town for many years, or until the cleared lands encouraged what are now large dairy and berry growing industries.

A review of the town, printed in 1906, reads as follows: "There are two general stores, those of T. E. Lewis and Armstrong & Burkhold, the former being the older; two hotels, the Forty-five, conducted by F. M. Sparling, the original owner of the townsite, and the Wallace, built three years ago (1903) by J. R. Giddings; W. J. Webster's meat market, established in 1904; a livery stable, also owned by Giddings; L. L. Ramala's jewelry store; C. D. Shaw's blacksmith shop ; two confectioneries owned by Combs & Lewis and H. G. Cinnamon; and a barber shop conducted by the latter gentleman. T. E. Lewis, a pioneer of 1891, is postmaster.

"Two churches and a good school promote the moral, educational and social welfare of Startup. Of the churches the Methodist is the older, having been erected in 1898; its present pastor is Rev. H. C. Wilson. The Baptist house of worship was erected in 1904 and is presided over by Rev. Adolph Guenther. In 1892 the main portion of the present neat schoolhouse was erected, superseding a small shack. 'Two additions have since been made, the last in 1904, giving the building four rooms."

Name Changed To Startup

Wallace continued as "Wallace" until 1901, when the postal authorities insisted upon a change of name to avoid missending letters intended for Wallace, Idaho. The choice of a new name was left to the postmaster and he selected that of Startup, in honor of George G. Startup, who had become the chief Jumber man and financier of the district.

Startup is dependent upon the surrounding country for its support, and is a popular trading point with many. It boasts two churches, the German Baptist, of which Rev. H. G. Smied is pastor, and the Adventist, in charge of Rev. C. Suzle. There are good general merchandise stores and a number of other retail establishments. The water supply is drawn from deep wells and receives light and power through the Puget Sound Power Company.