If you take the ferry from Edmonds to Kingston, and then drive to Port Townsend, you will likely drive through Chimacum on Highway 19. A farm near Chimacum was the source of the... — Updated 9/7/2023

Thirteen years ago, I went in search of Anabe Falls with three other Edmonds residents: Michele Harris, Marie Lovell, and Brian Harris. Anabe Falls is east of North Bend, and a... — Updated 7/20/2023

Not all of the history of this region is human history. Before anyone lived here, super-charged geologic forces dug up and dug out our geography – and ice was a major tool.... — Updated 6/22/2023

"History is written by the winners." I have seen that quote attributed to George Orwell, Napoleon and even novelist Dan Brown. The phrase itself represents how difficult it is to... — Updated 6/8/2023

Washington has some lovely state parks that were once a part of the coast defense system. Fort Casey on Whidbey Island was one of the forts. Also Fort Worden at Port Townsend, and... — Updated 5/25/2023

In 1905, the south boundary of Edmonds was Walnut Street. How do I know? A few years ago, Brian Harris gave me a copy of the 1905 map of Snohomish County Road #49. According to the... — Updated 5/4/2023

Edmonds is identified with the ferries that shuttle back and forth to Kingston, and a ferry is prominent in the city's logo. No wonder – they've been a part of the Edmonds... — Updated 4/27/2023

I recently gave a presentation to the Lynnwood Kiwanis, who actually meet in Edmonds at Maplewood Presbyterian Church. Because of the location, I made C.T. Conover a large part of... — Updated 4/13/2023

My mother's parents lost their farm in the southeast corner of Montana, near Ridge, in 1924. They packed up everything they could, like "The Beverly Hillbillies," and left... — Updated 3/23/2023

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

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

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

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

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

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

The history of railroads in Edmonds is really rather boring. Great Northern Railway reached Edmonds in 1891. The most unusual aspect of this arrival was that Great Northern used... — Updated 7/14/2022

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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