Articles written by Tim Raetzloff
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 220
Old Amtrak Cascade bistro car ready for viewing | HIstory Files
Talgo 6 trainsets traveled through Edmonds on a daily basis as the Amtrak Cascades for more than two decades. And the Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie was able to acquire a... — Updated 3/9/2023
Historical records provide some answers | History Files
Popular author Mary Daheim died eight months ago. Teresa A. Anderson and I have been helping Mary's family sort through photos and historic records that Mary had collected. Teresa h... — Updated 11/22/2022
On watersheds and lost rivers | History Files
Recent trips to Alpental at Snoqualmie Pass and Black River Junction in Renton were learning experiences and reminders of history that is older than usually found in textbooks. I... — Updated 10/27/2022
Change is gradual, but it's everywhere in Edmonds | History Files
I drive to work every day from Ninth, north of Puget to Harbor Square. I pass the same places over and over. Change is gradual, and it's easy to forget what isn't there anymore. As... — Updated 9/2/2022
History: It's all about connections | History Files
A number of years ago, I was sitting on the sofa in the late Mary Daheim's living room. On the end table next to me was a book titled "A Hoghead's Random Railroad Reminiscences."... — Updated 8/18/2022
A story with two happy endings | History Files
In my last column, I wrote about former Seattle Mariner third-base coach Rich Donnelly, his daughter Amy, her losing battle with cancer in the 1990s, and a couple of nearly... — Updated 8/4/2022
Inside baseball: The chicken runs at midnight | History Files
The chicken runs at midnight. This isn't ancient history. Much more recent. It dates from 1992, but it seems appropriate this year when the Mariners may be making a playoff run for... — Updated 8/2/2022
Towns built, towns wiped out – and forgotten | History Files
I watched a YouTube video presented by "The History Guy," who likes to specialize in forgotten history. The particular episode was about Camp Ellis near Ipava, Illinois. During... — Updated 6/30/2022
A road trip, and a still-missing photo | History Files
It was nearly a three-hour drive from Edmonds to Issaquah to Port Orchard. Later in the day, I reversed the route to come home. Why would I do that? In Port Orchard there were... — Updated 6/23/2022
How Edmonds, and other places, got their names | History Files
I'm the Galloping Ghost of the Japanese coast. You don't hear of me and my crew. But just ask any man off the coast of Japan If he knows of the Trigger Maru. - Constantine N.... — Updated 6/15/2022
Trivia time: presidents and vice presidents | History Files
I was looking through my old files to find something that I could post on the "Remembering Alpine Washington" Facebook page. I found an old interview granted by Mary Daheim. I also... — Updated 5/26/2022
The history of Edmonds – as I learned it | History Files
I moved to Edmonds in April 1988. Most of what I thought I knew of Edmonds history was taken from what my four daughters learned in third grade history at Edmonds Elementary. The... — Updated 5/17/2022
Snohomish County, and its coaching tie to the U-Dub | History Files
I mentioned a few weeks ago that celebrated local author Mary Daheim had died. She had been the voice for the ghost town of Alpine, Washington, a title I have inherited. I also... — Updated 5/5/2022
What happened to old depots from 100 years ago? | History Files
We all know the southwest Snohomish County of today. Edmonds, Lynnwood, Mukilteo, Mill Creek, Mountlake Terrace, and Brier are the municipalities. But what about 100 years ago? Wher... — Updated 4/21/2022
The death of Mary Daheim, and a Facebook cancellation | History Files
Two events happened to affect fans of Alpine, Washington, which I've written about extensively for this column. The first was that Mary Daheim died March 30. Mary had been the... — Updated 4/14/2022
Would you buy a home on the site of an old coal mine? | History Files
In a recent article I mentioned attending a program at the Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center in Bellevue. While there, I met a man who is knowledgeable about the history... — Updated 4/6/2022
Our shorelines are not where they used to be | History Files
An Edmonds birdwatcher mentioned to me that there didn't seem to be any grebes around. The grebe has always been a very common bird. On any given day he might see hundreds. A few... — Updated 3/26/2022
Edmonds history, and how you can help keep it alive | History Files
I am a member of the Edmonds Historic Preservation Commission. I guess that means I am a commissioner. I think most people think that the Edmonds Historic Preservation Commission... — Updated 3/23/2022
How is Swoosie Kurtz's name related to Washington state? | History Files
The name of actress Swoosie Kurtz is familiar to many. Years ago, I assumed that Swoosie was a nickname of some sort. Wrong. Swoosie is really her name, and there is a Puget Sound... — Updated 3/13/2022
Anna Curtis: Which town was named for her? | History Files
Have you visited Joyce, Florence, Beverly, Addy, Arletta, Amanda Park, or Lebam? Those are all towns in Washington named for wives, daughters, and lady friends. There are certainly... — Updated 3/7/2022
A resort, and a toboggan slide, at Silver Lake | History Files
My second daughter lives near Silver Lake in south Everett. Actually, she lives much closer to Ruggs Lake, but nobody has heard of Ruggs Lake, and most are at least little familiar... — Updated 2/18/2022
Tib, Charley, and the Edmonds and Seattle creation myths | History Files
Creation myths are common for many cities. I suppose the most famous is the story of Romulus and Remus, fed by a wolf when they were infants. Romulus later killed Remus and created... — Updated 2/10/2022
A new use for Wilburton trestle on the Eastside | History Files
I have driven past the Wilburton trestle in Bellevue more times than I can count. I have driven under it more than a few times; I only learned last year that originally there was no... — Updated 2/3/2022
The road less traveled is often off the map | History Files
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth;... — Updated 1/20/2022
Finding history, and great races, in Easton, Wash. | History Files
The greatest pleasure in digging up buried history is that you never know what you're going to get. Because you don't what, if anything, is buried. It's a bit like Forrest Gump's... — Updated 1/15/2022