Settlement Hits 100 Years, Still Going Strong TOWN FIRST CALLED PORTAGE Natural Resources, Farmlands Drew First Families Here They came to this area in 1884, 100 years ago now, a hardy group of pioneer families looking for a place to call home. They followed the Indians to this place. for it seemed to have those things that early settlers needed to hack out a life in rugged new terrain. First, there was access to two rivers, the South Fork of the Stillaguamish and the Pil- chuck, which would facilitate greatly the job of getting any goods they would produce to the markets that were beginning to sprout on the shores of Puget Sound. The Pilchuck would lead them to Snohomish, where it would connect with the Snohomish River and a fairly easy trip past what was to become Everett and on to Puget Sound. The Stilly would take them the other direction through Arlington and on to the Sound. Second, there was flat land, which had become known as Portage by the Indians and frontiersmen that preceded the settlers, for it was over this plateau that the early people moved overland from one river to the other. Third, the land was, in part, cleared, thanks to a forest fire that preceded them and became known as The Big Burn. There were natural resources surrounding them, and it was obvious that the lumber mills that had been started in other nearby areas 30 , Harold Fuller member at large. years earlier were an indicator of a lumber industry that was here to stay. Later, the settlers were to discover the largest deposit of granite yet discovered in the state near the townsne' (continued on page 2) From ThePresident... l: Welcome to Granite Falls. We hope you will enjoy your stay and use our services. TheChamber of Commerce was organized in 1980 with a charter of fifty-three members. Greg-sponsor the Show ‘N Shine Days held t e union Days held the first Saturday in October. The 1984 dates for these events are Angst 4th for the car show and October 6th for ' a road Days. Larry Whitfield at 691-7411 and Jackie Haverfield are spearheading the car show this 1y(ear and Howard Hughes at 691- 8506 and en Huntley are ‘co-chairmen of Railroad Days. You may contact them for more information. , , This paper is sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce’and We holpe you enjoy it. The 1983-84 officers are Ar ene Stilley. president, Carol Munn, vice-president, Richard Law- rence. secretary-treasurer, J .A. Warman; scribe. Board members are Eu ne Driacoll, Michael Touchette, Ken Hunt ey with Doc ‘ We meet the second Thursday at 7 :80 p; in the council chambers at city hall. «. st Saturday in August and Railroad—Res . (Turn of the Century Outing at the Falls) Town Adopts Name of Waterfall East of Town The community of Granite Falls is situated on a narrow neck of land that at one time was a frequently used portage route for natives and pioneers traveling overland between the Pilchuck and Stillaguamish Rivers. The route was well known, hence the adop- tion of the first name for the community. "Portage". But the name lacked something, apparently, because once the families and farms and the sense of permanence. which in- cluded a new post office, became part of the way of life here, the settlers began looking around for a more fitting name. They settled on “Granite Falls", after the waterfall 1.8 miles east of town on the Moun- tain Loop Highway. (The falls are not visible from the highway. but are easily reached by a short path across from the now closed Falls Drive In.) Granite Falls is more like a gigantic rapids as the waters of the South Fork of the Stilla— guamish tumble over huge, flat granite boulders estimated to be 43 million years old. i A fish ladder assists salmon and steelhead to bypass the falls for a distance of 580 feet, followed by a tunnel bored through solid granite for an additional 240 feet. , Author: , Accession/Object ID: 2005.331.3, Object Name: Archive, Title: , Description: Granite Falls Post published by the chamber of commerce. Spring 1984, OCR Text: Settlement Hits 100 Years, Still Going Strong TOWN FIRST CALLED PORTAGE Natural Resources, Farmlands Drew First Families Here They came to this area in 1884, 100 years ago now, a hardy group of pioneer families looking for a place to call home. They followed the Indians to this place. for it seemed to have those things that early settlers needed to hack out a life in rugged new terrain. First, there was access to two rivers, the South Fork of the Stillaguamish and the Pil- chuck, which would facilitate greatly the job of getting any goods they would produce to the markets that were beginning to sprout on the shores of Puget Sound. The Pilchuck would lead them to Snohomish, where it would connect with the Snohomish River and a fairly easy trip past what was to become Everett and on to Puget Sound. The Stilly would take them the other direction through Arlington and on to the Sound. Second, there was flat land, which had become known as Portage by the Indians and frontiersmen that preceded the settlers, for it was over this plateau that the early people moved overland from one river to the other. Third, the land was, in part, cleared, thanks to a forest fire that preceded them and became known as The Big Burn. There were natural resources surrounding them, and it was obvious that the lumber mills that had been started in other nearby areas 30 , Harold Fuller member at large. years earlier were an indicator of a lumber industry that was here to stay. Later, the settlers were to discover the largest deposit of granite yet discovered in the state near the townsne' (continued on page 2) From ThePresident... l: Welcome to Granite Falls. We hope you will enjoy your stay and use our services. TheChamber of Commerce was organized in 1980 with a charter of fifty-three members. Greg-sponsor the Show ‘N Shine Days held t e union Days held the first Saturday in October. The 1984 dates for these events are Angst 4th for the car show and October 6th for ' a road Days. Larry Whitfield at 691-7411 and Jackie Haverfield are spearheading the car show this 1y(ear and Howard Hughes at 691- 8506 and en Huntley are ‘co-chairmen of Railroad Days. You may contact them for more information. , , This paper is sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce’and We holpe you enjoy it. The 1983-84 officers are Ar ene Stilley. president, Carol Munn, vice-president, Richard Law- rence. secretary-treasurer, J .A. Warman; scribe. Board members are Eu ne Driacoll, Michael Touchette, Ken Hunt ey with Doc ‘ We meet the second Thursday at 7 :80 p; in the council chambers at city hall. «. st Saturday in August and Railroad—Res . (Turn of the Century Outing at the Falls) Town Adopts Name of Waterfall East of Town The community of Granite Falls is situated on a narrow neck of land that at one time was a frequently used portage route for natives and pioneers traveling overland between the Pilchuck and Stillaguamish Rivers. The route was well known, hence the adop- tion of the first name for the community. "Portage". But the name lacked something, apparently, because once the families and farms and the sense of permanence. which in- cluded a new post office, became part of the way of life here, the settlers began looking around for a more fitting name. They settled on “Granite Falls", after the waterfall 1.8 miles east of town on the Moun- tain Loop Highway. (The falls are not visible from the highway. but are easily reached by a short path across from the now closed Falls Drive In.) Granite Falls is more like a gigantic rapids as the waters of the South Fork of the Stilla— guamish tumble over huge, flat granite boulders estimated to be 43 million years old. i A fish ladder assists salmon and steelhead to bypass the falls for a distance of 580 feet, followed by a tunnel bored through solid granite for an additional 240 feet. , Granite Falls Historical Society,Documents (articles, clippings, letters, papers),General Articles & Documents,General Articles,General Articles 01,Archive (2005.331.3),Archive (2005.331.3) 1, Archive (2005.331.3) 1