It took some ¢ 7? -* 7C gettin’ to get to Granite Falls Granite Falls got its name from the falls on the Stilla- guamish River just north of town. The Indians and early settlers knew it as “the portage” because of the falls and many considered Portage a much better title for the settlement. As late as 1889 there was still considerable feeling about a name and it delayed the establishment of a postoffice until 1890. The first actual settler in the area arrived in 1883. He was Joseph S. Enas. George W. Anderson arrived in 1884 and was followed shortly thereafter by William M. Turner andyF. P. Kistner. W. H. Davis homesteaded in 1855 and Robert Wright in 1886. When Turner settled he ran into a minor difficulty — there was no road into Granite Falls. The nearest neigh- bors of those early settlers were the people of Hartford and Machias but there was some travel problem. Turner lived at Maehias and, after he filed his claim, continued to live there for some months until he could cut a rough trail into it. In 1890 the area finally secured its postoffice with John L. Sneathan as the first postmaster. Mail came at irregu- lar intervals from Getchell. In 1890, too, Mark Swinnerton of Marysville established the first store on what is now the main street of town. T. K. Robe erected the building, Fred P. Anderson went into the store in 1891 and in 1893, he and W. H. Davis pur- chased the business. In 1894 Anderson became the sole own- er but lost it in the business depression. In 1891 a townsite was platted with S. W. Holland and T. K. Robe credited as being the townsite promoters. That same year a grocery store was opened by George C. Mun- roe, but it was destroyed by fire the following year. Work also was started in 1891 by James Roycroft on a two-story frame hotel. It was completed and opened for business be- fore the Hartford Eastern Railroad reached town on Oct. 16, 1892. In 1892 Fred P. Anderson opened the pioneer shingle mill of the community along with the Granite Falls Manu~ facturing & Mercantile Co. In 1897 Percy Parminter built a shingle mill just east of town. By 1900 there were between 50 and 60 people living in Granite Falls. There were four shingle mills -— those of Parminter and the Shafer Brothers, both on the Pilchuck; Swartz & Stacey, east of town and Anderson’s. The population grew rapidly and in 1904 the town boast- ed more than 400 residents. Granite Falls had become a city of the fourth class on Nov. 8, 1903, with B. E. Chap- man as its first mayor, C. T. Smith was clerk; Dr. Frank Chappell, town treasurer; L. A. Clinton, town marshal, and I J. H. Fox, J. G. Luckey, D. I. Carpetner, L. H. Messner and W. H. Earl, councilmen. The first school of Granite Falls was started in 1888 in a cabin a half mile northwest of town. It was taught by Eva Andurs. In 1889 school was moved to a temporary building erected on the former elementary school grounds (now abandoned). F. P. Kistner donated a block for School pur— poses. The title was confirmed by S. W. Holland to School District 21 after he became owner of the land. A new school was built on the site in 1893. The Granite Falls Post .was established July 23, 1903, by Niles and Moore. Two years later it became the sole prop- erty of Frank Niles, although R. G. Messner bought into the firm a little later. The Granite Falls Record was established in 1922 after the old Post had suspended publication. The Union Congregational Church was built in 1901 and a Catholic Church in 1903. HUNGRY AND IN A HURRY TO THE MOUNTAINS? Stop and get some \ ’ DOUBLE CRISP FRIED CHICKEN Hot and ready to eat SULTAN SERVE-U GROCERIES—FRESH MEAT—PRODUCE OPEN 9 to 9 Every day Fabric shop some hours Sultan, WA n9 Prescriptions to the Community since I910. “The Friendliest Store in the County.” Open 9 to 9 Daily, 9 to Saturday, 10 to 6 Sunday Maw LAKE STEVENS Frontier Village Shopping Center 334-2100 , Author: , Accession/Object ID: 2005.326.11, Object Name: Article, Title: , Description: Articled titled "It took some gettin' to get to Granite Falls", early history of Granite Falls, includes quite a few names. Everett Herald July 1976, OCR Text: It took some ¢ 7? -* 7C gettin’ to get to Granite Falls Granite Falls got its name from the falls on the Stilla- guamish River just north of town. The Indians and early settlers knew it as “the portage” because of the falls and many considered Portage a much better title for the settlement. As late as 1889 there was still considerable feeling about a name and it delayed the establishment of a postoffice until 1890. The first actual settler in the area arrived in 1883. He was Joseph S. Enas. George W. Anderson arrived in 1884 and was followed shortly thereafter by William M. Turner andyF. P. Kistner. W. H. Davis homesteaded in 1855 and Robert Wright in 1886. When Turner settled he ran into a minor difficulty — there was no road into Granite Falls. The nearest neigh- bors of those early settlers were the people of Hartford and Machias but there was some travel problem. Turner lived at Maehias and, after he filed his claim, continued to live there for some months until he could cut a rough trail into it. In 1890 the area finally secured its postoffice with John L. Sneathan as the first postmaster. Mail came at irregu- lar intervals from Getchell. In 1890, too, Mark Swinnerton of Marysville established the first store on what is now the main street of town. T. K. Robe erected the building, Fred P. Anderson went into the store in 1891 and in 1893, he and W. H. Davis pur- chased the business. In 1894 Anderson became the sole own- er but lost it in the business depression. In 1891 a townsite was platted with S. W. Holland and T. K. Robe credited as being the townsite promoters. That same year a grocery store was opened by George C. Mun- roe, but it was destroyed by fire the following year. Work also was started in 1891 by James Roycroft on a two-story frame hotel. It was completed and opened for business be- fore the Hartford Eastern Railroad reached town on Oct. 16, 1892. In 1892 Fred P. Anderson opened the pioneer shingle mill of the community along with the Granite Falls Manu~ facturing & Mercantile Co. In 1897 Percy Parminter built a shingle mill just east of town. By 1900 there were between 50 and 60 people living in Granite Falls. There were four shingle mills -— those of Parminter and the Shafer Brothers, both on the Pilchuck; Swartz & Stacey, east of town and Anderson’s. The population grew rapidly and in 1904 the town boast- ed more than 400 residents. Granite Falls had become a city of the fourth class on Nov. 8, 1903, with B. E. Chap- man as its first mayor, C. T. Smith was clerk; Dr. Frank Chappell, town treasurer; L. A. Clinton, town marshal, and I J. H. Fox, J. G. Luckey, D. I. Carpetner, L. H. Messner and W. H. Earl, councilmen. The first school of Granite Falls was started in 1888 in a cabin a half mile northwest of town. It was taught by Eva Andurs. In 1889 school was moved to a temporary building erected on the former elementary school grounds (now abandoned). F. P. Kistner donated a block for School pur— poses. The title was confirmed by S. W. Holland to School District 21 after he became owner of the land. A new school was built on the site in 1893. The Granite Falls Post .was established July 23, 1903, by Niles and Moore. Two years later it became the sole prop- erty of Frank Niles, although R. G. Messner bought into the firm a little later. The Granite Falls Record was established in 1922 after the old Post had suspended publication. The Union Congregational Church was built in 1901 and a Catholic Church in 1903. HUNGRY AND IN A HURRY TO THE MOUNTAINS? Stop and get some \ ’ DOUBLE CRISP FRIED CHICKEN Hot and ready to eat SULTAN SERVE-U GROCERIES—FRESH MEAT—PRODUCE OPEN 9 to 9 Every day Fabric shop some hours Sultan, WA n9 Prescriptions to the Community since I910. “The Friendliest Store in the County.” Open 9 to 9 Daily, 9 to Saturday, 10 to 6 Sunday Maw LAKE STEVENS Frontier Village Shopping Center 334-2100 , Granite Falls Historical Society,Documents (articles, clippings, letters, papers),General Articles & Documents,General Articles,General Articles 01,Article (2005.326.11),Article (2005.326.11) 1, Article (2005.326.11) 1