Emmett Hunt's Diary Entry for June 17, 1885

Good day with a shower at night.  All day tinkering at the slashing, buy in another "time check" of a logger.

© 2012 Harbor History Museum. All rights reserved.

Puget Sound Herring Sales, Gig Harbor Herring Industry

We are very fortunate in that today’s blog has been research and written by none other than Gary Williamson.  Many people throughout the greater Gig Harbor community know Gary and their children, or perhaps even they, had Gary as their principal when they were in elementary school.  

So, sit back and learn about a lesser known fishing industry in our area.  Herring! 

PIUGET SOUND HERRING SALES

GIG HARBOR HERRING INDUSTRY

The herring fishing industry in Gig Harbor is alive and well, however, when it historically began is difficult to trace.  From the 1950’s there is a fair amount of material.

One recent reference was a 2011 report on herring information by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Service.  It covers the spawning areas of Puget Sound.  The closest documented areas to Gig Harbor mentioned in their report were Squaxin Pass, Wollochet Bay, Purdy and Quartermaster Harbor.  In many of the past years in the Gig Harbor area the favored fishing areas for local fishermen have been the Narrows near Salmon Beach, Shaw’s Cove near Green’s Point, and Gig Harbor Bay.

Also included in the Fish and Wildlife Services report was that the beginning of herring fishing in the Puget Sound, not necessarily Gig Harbor, was in the early 1900’s when the fish were mostly exported for human consumption.  Following World War I most herring caught were used for bait for commercial fishing of halibut, crab, and shark fisheries.  Since the 1940’s and early 1950’s herring fishing emphasis changed to supplying bait for commercial and recreational salmon fishing interests.

During the late 1950’s and into the 1960’s local herring sales for salmon bait flourished with large recreational fishing fleets in West Port, Ilwaco, LaPush, Seiku and recreational fishing sites throughout Puget Sound.

"Tan" unloading herring in Gig Harbor 6/6/1951

It was during the 1950’s that Rollie and Edith Smythe began Smythe Herring Sales in Gig Harbor.  Their business was located on Harborview Drive where the Russell Building is today and next door to the Tides Tavern.  There was the Smythe home on the property and on the water were several herring pens and a dock for their boat, “Sea Bird.”  There was also a heated work shed where several women packaged and refrigerated the herring for sales.

Sea Bird." Built by Martinovich for Pasco Dorotich in Dockton in 1909. Powered by 20 hp Frisco Standard gas; length 48'.  

Later owned by A.R. Bruger and named changed to "A.R.B.6"

Last registration unknown.

Rental cabins owned by Peter Skansie on shore across from Gig Harbor spit.

Home of Sam Jerisich family stands on hillside. It burned in 1946 while rented by Julia Van Waters.

Rowley Smythe next to his boat, with boy beside him, 6/4/1951

A few years after the purchase of the property, and setting up for the business, Rollie Smythe died.  Edith then took over the complete management with her two sons, Sonny Smythe and Bill Lindberg.  Sonny and Bill became the fishermen on the “Sea Bird.”

It was also during this time, that I, Gary Williamson, local school teacher, was employed during the summers of 1961 and 1962 by Edith to take care of the docks, sell herring to local customers, kill the herring through electric shock, and transport the herring to the women in the work shed for packaging and refrigerating the fish.

A favorite anecdote of mine while working for the Smythes involved elderly little Mrs. Lysell or “Ma” Lysell, as she was known.  She was an Alaskan native and the wife of a local fisherman.  On almost a weekly basis I could look up from my job on the docks and see “Ma” walking on Harborview Drive past Mike and Sophie Jerisich’s little home carrying her fishing pole over her shoulder with one hand and in the other was a large clean solve coffee can.  She would come directly down on the dock and would ask me for six live herring to be pt in her coffee can after I put tidal water in it.  With a small net I would scoop out six (plus) herring on each occasion.

Boy Lysell May 15, 1946 (Millie Lysell's husband who tragically fell from a boat and drowned in 1951)

Six herring the time were $.25 and there were always one or two situations.  “Ma” would either hand me $.25 or like most of the time she would say, “Oh, no money today.”  “Ok, “Ma,” I would say, “but next time remember, you owe $.25 plus the $.25 you didn’t have the last time.”  “ok” she would respond.  The she would pick up her fishing pole and take the coffee can by the bale handle and head down the street to the dock in front of the Tides Tavern.  She would set up her little space, put a live herring on her hook, drop iy in the water and wait for some action.  She frequently had action.  She would catch salmon right off the end of the dock and when she did she would yell, “Help me, Help me, fish on!”  Usually, a tavern patron would run out and help her reel in her catch, or if no one came from the tavern one of us on the herring dock would run over and help her.  When she was finished fishing for the day we would then watch her walk back down Harborview Dr. with the fishing pole and a bucket in one hand and a fish over her shoulder.  She would be back in a few days.

It was not long after 1960 that a Shoreline school custodian came to Edith to purchase live herring bait for a business he was starting in Seattle.  His name was Jerry Williams.  Jerry had a pickup and on the bed of the truck he built a wood and fiberglass box that would hold saltwater to keep herring alive.  He would show up at Smythe Herring Sales each Friday evening, fill his tank with salt water and buy several hundred dozen live herring to place in his tank.  He would then drive back to Seattle stay all night in a favored location on Aurora Ave. and sell live bait to sportsmen for their morning recreation fishing.

Jerry Williams

In 1964, Edith decided to sell her entire business.  Jerry Williams bought it and moved his family; wife, Lois, sons, Bob, Steve and Jerry Jr. to Gig Harbor.  With Jerry Williams’ purchase the name of the business changed to Puget Sound Herring Sales.  Jerry’s sons Bob and Steve soon became the fishermen for the business after working  short time learning the trade with Bill Lindberg.  Their business did well.  Bob then took on the task of sales, bookkeeping, salaries etc., Steve became the fisherman while Sue, Steve’s wife and Jo Elaine, Bob’s wife were in charge of all processing and packaging.  Time elapsed, Jerry began moving toward retirement and sold the business to Bob, Jo Elaine, Steve and sue in 1980.

Nineteen years later in 1999 as the Williams family describe it, some men came to the company one day dressed in dark business suits and said to the family, “We are from the Russell Investment Company and we are interesting in purchasing your property.”  Negotiations progresses into 2000 when a price was agreed upon and the Russell Building was soon built…to the consternation of some in town and glee to others.

Changing business location to Peacock Hill Steve continued fishing while Sue and Jo Elaine remained in charge of all processing and packaging.  Steve subsequently grew the business by adding Bill Dotson, and independent fisherman, with his boat, “Osprey”, to help out.  Steve now had additional boats, “Wee Willie” and the “Night Hawk” both, built to his specifications.  It was about this time that Steven Jr. took over the helm of either the “Night Hawk” or the “Wee Willie” so that three boats with their crews could fill their holds with the lucrative bait.

I asked Williams when and where the “Wee Willie” and the “Night Hawk” were built.  No one could remember for sure so Sue and her sister-in-law Jo Elaine later met to try to recall about the building dates and location of construction.  Upon getting together they calculated the construction dates as they lined up when their children were born.  So, it turns out that one child was born as the “Wee Willie” was being built and outfitted in Hoquiam in 1967.  Another family birth coincided with the building of the “Night Hawk.”  Its’ hull was purchased in the 1980’s and was towed to Modutech Marine in Tacoma for outfitting.  It was finished in 1985.  The “Wee Willie” was sold later and Bill Dotson no longer fished, so the “Night Hawk” became the major herring vessel in the company.

In 2000 Steven Jr. became owner and president along with partners Doug Williams and Jason Bunch.  The catch each night of fishing on the “Night Hawk” goes to the Narrows Marina in Tacoma for sizing, packaging and distribution.

Steven Jr. reports that herring fishing in Puget Sound is diminishing.  He states that the main population of herring is within Gig Harbor Bay.  According to his experience all the eel grass where the herring lay their eggs has been disappearing.  Smaller catches of herring are now the norm.  He cannot say for certain what is killing the eel grass but his inclination is the many contaminants which are now in the water.  Industry throughout Puget Sound may be at fault as well as perfectly manicured and fertilized landscaping at new homes along the beaches.  Steven has a hunch that as much of the waterfront landscape is fertilized and irrigated, it also allows poison contaminates to leach into the bay water, thus killing the natural growing eel grass.  Steven Jr. also reports that legally protected seals and sea lions have caused a noticeable decline in the herring populations.

Steven Jr. further stated that because of diminishing herring populations the state established closure for fishing all bays from December to April.  During those months fishermen can travel from point but cannot set any nets in the bays because they are natural spawning areas.

When asked about unusual events that may have occurred during the family’s long tenure in the herring business the family smiled and began recalling some of their memories.  One such memory in their early career was called “Ball Fishing.”  This was described as an event that naturally occurs in the fall of the year when the herring begin spawning.  The herring form a giant ball, possibly in a three to four feet wide circle encompassing thousands of herring.  They cause a terrific turmoil in the water which is spotted immediately by overhead seagulls.  The seagulls dive for a quick dinner of herring.  In addition to the gulls invasion the herring fishermen will drop what they are doing and give chase to the “ball” to net the herring.  The commercial fishermen learned that the fastest boat is the victor in racing to the ball, so they many times tie a fast runabout onto their large fishing boat before proceeding to the fishing grounds.  When a ball is spotted in the distance all participants race to the herring ball and scoop into their boats as many herring as their nets can lift.  Today, ball fishing is rare as the herring predators, seal and sea lion populations have increased.

The Williams family has worked very hard over the years and can be congratulated for creating and maintaining a successful Gig Harbor business for over half a century, 52 years later.  Their continued dedication is a great asset to our community.  In addition it must be noted that during all these years of fishing each herring boat required at least three crew members.  Over the years the company employed many; too many to mention by name in this blog.

There are a few photos related to herring on the Harbor History Museum website  (Frank Shaw FIshing/Boats Gallery) (herring) being unloaded in 1951 from the boat “Tan”.  Gig Harbor dock location and boat ownership unknown.  Additional photos have just been added to the Gallery at the museum.  They are of the “Night Hawk”, Puget Sound Herring Sales Boat and Jerry Williams, original owner.  A mural including the “Night Hawk” can also be appreciated.  It is located on the wall inside the entrance of Ace Hardware.

Information supplied (by) Steve and Sue Williams, Steven Williams and Gary Williamson, 2016. 

Note:  “Tan”, a troller, was owned by Lars Peterson 

© 2012 Harbor History Museum. All rights reserved.

Emmett Hunt's Diary Entry for June 10, 1885

More mist, Today we made some molding and various small jobs.  At eve we fish(?)

© 2012 Harbor History Museum. All rights reserved.

Emmett Hunt's Diary Entry for June 3, 1885

Just the same or warmer.  Took a little bark aboard the "Gipsy" and spent the remainder of my time fire slashing.

© 2012 Harbor History Museum. All rights reserved.

Postmarked Washington: Pierce County by Guy Reed Ramsey

Postmarked Washington:  Pierce County by Guy Reed Ramsey

This is a book in the Harbor History Museum Resource Room and it shows what one person can do when they develop an interest in a specific subject.  According to the “Introduction” in this book written by Richard Hitchman, President of the Washington State Historical Society, Mr. Ramsey was one of those people.  

“Guy Reed Ramsey was born in 1894 at Warrenburg, Missouri where he was educated in public schools, graduating from the Warrenburg High School in 1913.  During World War I he served in the Naval Aviation.  At the age of 31 he enrolled in the College of Forestry, University of Washington.  He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry in 1929 and Master of Science in 1931.  He taught identification of trees and tree diseases at Davey Institute of Tree Surgery, served as foreman at C. C. C. camps at Mount Rainier National Park and Riverside State Park, Spokane.  For ten years he was on the Forestry School staff at Iowa State College.  In 1944 he returned West and entered the wood preservation business, with headquarters at Portland.  He retired in 1960 and from then on his life was dedicated in large part to his study of postal history.  He died at Corvallis, Oregon on April 28, 1980.  Shortly before his death the Board of Curators of the Washington State Historical Society voted to name Mr. Ramsey, a David Douglas Fellow in recognition of his unique contribution to the record of the State’s history.”

What caused me to pick up this book when I happened to be in the Harbor History Museum Resource Room was some notes both handwritten and typed on “Information on Gig Harbor Post Offices” which had been researched by Jean Insel Robeson, 9/1/01, found in a file box by Vicki Blackwell.

These notes basically listed the various postmasters and their terms’ starting date.  Mrs. Robeson had used Mr. Ramsey’s book as research when she compiled her list.  Some of the names will be familiar to us as we read Mrs. Robeson’s notes, but some of the names will have been lost in history.  So now it will be our responsibility to discover more about the unfamiliar names.  Perhaps, you will be the one person who checks the postal records to see if you can discover more background information.

Information on Gig Harbor

Post Offices

(Jean Insel Robeson)

Gig Harbor post office established Dec. 14, 1885.  No information on postmaster James A. Tryer or location of post office.

Alphonso W. Young, March 7, 1887:  Post office located in Young’s home on east side of Gig Harbor - known as Young’s Landing.  Young credited with being first postmaster in Gig Harbor.  Mail delivered to floating dock by small boat “Baby Mine” owned and operated by Capt. Emmett Hunt.  “Baby Mine” made trip from Wollochet to Tacoma to Gig Harbor once a week.  (There is a short blog on Mr. Young's son, Fennimore Fremont Young)

Emmett Hunt, whose parents, Mr. and Mrs. M. B. Hunt homesteaded 80 acres at Artondale in 1876, was one of the well-known “Hunt Brothers” who owned and operated such well known Sound passenger and freight boats as the “Sentinel”, “Atlanta” and the “Crest”, later renamed the “Bay Island”.  Other Hunt brothers were Forrest, Ardah, Floyd, Lloyd (twins) and Arthur.

Zethro Bale, August 21, 1894:  According to recollection of Mrs. Irwin Rust, Gig Harbor pioneer, Jethro Bale was not postmaster.  His daughter, Miss Jessie E. Bale was the postmaster.  The post office was located in small building on Kitsap Street (now Peacock Way).  Miss Bale delivered first mail ever delivered in Gig Harbor.  With mail bag strap over her shoulder, she went across Harbor on small passenger boat to Millville (Gig Harbor Mill Co.) on west side of Gig Harbor and delivered mail on foot.  Mail brought to Gig Harbor by boat from Tacoma - boat made 3 trips daily.  (I found Jethro Bale on Ancestry.com born in Burton Diss, England on Feb. 21, 1839-died Mar. 9, 1902, buried in Artondale Cemetery.  His daughter Jessie Elizabeth Bale 1874-1951, married Ernest Elwood Magoon and daughter Hazel Mcgoon)

Sarah H. Franklin, Nov. 27, 1896:  Maiden name, Sarah H. Benway:  born in Buffalo, New York.  Husband’s full name, Robert Irwin Franklin.  Post office located in Franklin home (house since burned down) on Front Street in North Gig Harbor - Front Street now known as Harbor View Ave.)

During Mrs. Franklin’s term of office, Edson C. Kimball, then 18 years old (died May 11, 1968) carried mail to Olalla and later during term of George Magoon - a total of 5 years.  He carried mail on horseback with mail in saddle bags, particularly during winter time when roads were impassable for a “sulky” - often times it was necessary to detour through woods and then return to trail.  Mail was brought from Tacoma on steamer “Crest” every day - Ardah Hunt, captain.  ( The Franklins donated a reed organ to the First Methodist Episcopal Church when it was built 1893)

George A. Magoon, Oct. 12, 1901:  Post office located in first floor of two-story building in North Gig Harbor on waterfront; later Magoon built another building - also on waterfront.  Magoon also sold real estate.  Post office clerk Miss Lillian Julia Goodman, daughter of pioneers Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Goodman, who came to Gig Harbor in 1883.  She is now Mrs. Irwin Rust and still lives in Gig Harbor.  Mrs. Magoon also assisted in post office and Miss Goodman took care of post office when Mrs. Mcgoon was sick.  Rachel Crowley (maiden name Cates) also carried mail to Olalla during Magoon term of office.  She used a “sulky”.  (George A, Mcgoon is discussed in a Harbor History Museum blog July 9, 2015)

Thomas H. Harris, July 11, 1903.  Mrs. Rust says Harris’ first name was Fred.  Post office located in same building as that used during Magoon term of office.  Harris with brother-in-law, Ora Oliver, sold hay, feed and groceries.

George A. Magoon, June 30, 1904:  Post office in new building mentioned above.

Cassius D. Fuller, Nov. 19, 1906:  Post office located in building on waterfront at North Gig Harbor on Front Street - now Harbor View Ave.  ( Cassius D. Fuller (1854-1923) was born Illinois, married Nelcina (Nellie) M. Fuller and was a brick manufacturer.  He is buried GH Cemetery and children shown as Bess Patrick and George H. Fuller)

Carrie M. Wroten, April 30, 1909:  Maiden name, Carrie M. Kingsbury, Husband’s name not known, nor location of post office.  (Ancestry.com identifies Carrie’s husband as Alexander Wroten, 1844-1916 and showing him as postmaster in 1910.  He is buried in GH Cemetery.  They had a daughter named Sophie.)

Axel I. Uddenberg, June 5, 1912:  Post office located in addition to Uddenberg store on waterfront - adjacent to dock at North Gig Harbor.  Mail delivered to Harbor by boat from Tacoma.

Axel Uddenberg was born in Stockholm, Sweden.  He went to sea in 1871 following graduation from high school.  He proved an excellent seaman and promotions came rapidly.  He attended navigation school and received his master’s papers at the age of 21.  He commanded both sail and steam vessels and visited most of the important ports of the world.  He married his wife Angela in Hull, England, and she went to sea with him.  He made his first visit to Puget Sound in 1888 at the Port of Tacoma to load lumber for Australia.  After leaving the sea, he returned to Washington, settling on a farm at Spanaway and later a hop ranch at Roy.  He located in Tacoma in 1890 where he operated a grocery store.  He moved to Gig Harbor in 1906 where he also operated grocery stores.  He became postmaster June 5, 1912.  (http://harborhistorymuseum.blogspot.com/2014/10/bertram-bert-uddenberg-sr-1894-1963.html)

Mrs. Teresa Sweeney, March 5, 1915:  Maiden name, Teresa McCambridge, born in County Antrim, Ireland; came to United States in 1898 and Washington in 1908.  Husband’s name James Sweeney.  Post office located in Sweeney home on Front Street - now Harbor view Ave.  Later post office moved to Sweeney building across street from home - building now torn down.  Mail came from Tacoma by boat.  Lillian Goodman (Mrs. Irwin Rust) and Miss Verna Wheeler (her niece) employed as postal clerks.  (http://harborhistorymuseum.blogspot.com/2013/05/theresa-catherine-cambridge-sweeney.html)

Franz S. Drummond, Feb. 10, 1922:  When Mr. Drummond died, Mrs. Frances Drummond completed his term of office.  First mail deliver to Gig Harbor by stage (bus) July 1st, 1922.  Stage line operated by Hubert Secor.  Buses crossed from Tacoma on ferry.  Post office located in Axel-Uddenburg-John Vernhardshon building at North Gig Harbor on Harbor View Avenue.  Margaret Alvestad (Mrs. Edward Goldman of Wauna)  In additional notes, Jean Insel Robeson goes on:  Drummond (known for) “good humor”, “chewed tobacco”  “good aim” (at) “spittoons”.  Moved the post office from the Sweeney Building to the Axel Uddenberg-John Vernhardson Building {date of move not given - Postmarked Washington:  Pierce Co. by Guy Reed Ramsey PP 32 & 33)  The location of the post office was the concrete brick building in North Gig Harbor now occupied by the dry cleaners.  (Franz Drummond was also the editor of the Bay Island News)

Mrs. Teresa Sweeney, Sept. 7, 1933: Post office in Uddenberg-Vernhardson building.

Albert L. Hopkins, August 24, 1935:  post office located in Uddenberg-Vernhardson building at North Gig Harbor.  Gladys Hunt (Mrs. Don Edwards) and later Miss Henrietta Hunt (Mrs. Frederick Babbitt) employed as postal clerks.

During the observance of National Air Mail Week, May 15-21, 1938, Gig Harborites gathered on the beach at East Gig Harbor (near site of Young’s Landing) to celebrate the event of the first air mail ever to leave the Gig Harbor post office.  A. L. Hopkins was master of ceremonies.  He welcomed Bert E. Echkstein, pilot, who had been commissioned for the day to carry the mail.  Echkstein landed his plane on the beach at 1:50 p.m.  John Insel acting postmaster, attended to the posting of letters at the beach post office.  He was assisted by clerk, Miss Gladys Hunt (Mrs. Don Edwards) with 626 air mail letters aboard, the plane soared away to the Mueller-Harkins airport in Tacoma on the first air mail flight out of Gig Harbor.

Intel, then carrying R.F.D.1 out of the Gig Harbor post office was awarded a post office Dept. citation for selling the largest number of air mail stamps in the state of Washington during Air Mail Week.  (http://harborhistorymuseum.blogspot.com/2012/05/first-air-mail-service-in-gig-harbor.html)  (Mr. Hopkins also owned a drug store in Gig Harbor)

Mrs. Gertrude B. Hopkins (wider of Albert L. Hopkins) May 20, 1942:  Maiden name Gertrude Baker.  Post office located in Uddenberg-Vernhardson building.  Mrs. Ann Berkheimer, clerk.

Mrs. Mary New, Oct. 1, 1942:  Post office in Uddenberg-Vernhardson building.  Mrs. New (wife of Edward New) was born in Coshocton County, Ohio; maiden name, Mary Scarborough - was teacher of home economics in Canton, Ohio schools.  Mr. and Mrs. New came to Gig Harbor in 1923.  Mrs. Ann Berkheimer, clerk.  (Edward New was school principal)

Thomas W. Tait, Nov. 26, 1943:  Post office located in Uddenberg-Vernhardson building.  Post office later moved from North Gig Harbor January 1952, to Richardson building at West Gig Harbor on Harbor View avenue.

Mail brought from Tacoma by Star Route carrier when Tacoma Narrows bridge opened July, 1940.  First bridge crashed to bottom of Narrows in November of that year.  Frances Borgen (Mrs. Maurice Carlson) carrying the star route to Tacoma was on the deck of the bridge when the cement began breaking up - she just made it across before the bridge collapsed.  When Narrows bridge again rebuilt and opened for traffic in 1950 mail again was brought from Tacoma across the bridge.  (http://harborhistorymuseum.blogspot.com/2014/01/frances-borgen-carlson.html )

John H. Insel, veteran mail carrier of the R.F.D.no.1, out of the Gig Harbor post office retired Oct. 31, 1956, after 37 years of postal service.  Intel’s service dates from Dec. 15, 1918, when the 29.8 mile run was only rural free delivery route out of Gig Harbor post office.  At that time, the post office was located in the Sweeney building, the late Mrs. Teresa Sweeney postmaster.  As population of area increased, many extensions were added to original No. 1  Considered one of the longest rural routes in the state, it served communities of Gig Harbor, Shore Acres, Wollochet, Midway, Artondale, Cromwell, Warren, Arletta, Horsehead  Bay, Rosedale, North Rosedale, North Gig Harbor, East Gig Harbor and Crescent Valley.  No. 1 was divided into two routes on June 16, 1946 - Herbert J. Cook who served as Insel’s substitute carrier, now carries R.F.D.No.2.

Intel has “cased” mail in three postoffice - two located at North Gig Harbor and the office at West Gig Harbor.  He has served during terms of postmasters Mrs. Sweeney, F.S. Drummond, Mrs. Drummond, A. L. Hopkins, Mrs. A. L. Hopkins, Mrs. Edward New and Thomas Tait.

( Blogs-http://harborhistorymuseum.blogspot.com/2014/07/memories-of-father.html; http://harborhistorymuseum.blogspot.com/2012/05/first-air-mail-service-in-gig-harbor.html; http://harborhistorymuseum.blogspot.com/2012/05/first-air-mail-service-in-gig-harbor.html and http://harborhistorymuseum.blogspot.com/2012/05/first-air-mail-service-in-gig-harbor.html )

————————————————————

Gig Harbor owes its distinctive name to Lt. Commdr. Cadwallader Ringgold, a United States Naval Officer, who discovered the harbor on July 3, 1841.  The lieutenant was an officer with the squadron of six ships that made up the first United States Exploring Expedition - Capt. Charles Wilkes in command.

Samuel Jerisich, the first white settler, founded Gig Harbor in 1867.  The town of Gig Harbor was incorporated June 30, 1946 with Dr, Harold Ryan elected first mayor.

• For information, indebted to 
• Mrs. Irwin Rust (Lillian Goodman)
• Hubert Secor
• John Sweeney
• Mrs. Al Kingsbury
• John Insel
• Miss Jean Wiley
• Clarence Burnham
• Edson C. Kimball
• Arvid Brown
• Mrs. Ebba Uddenberg

Mr. Ramsey goes on to write a three to four page outline of Gig Harbor and its history, including bits and pieces about certain postmasters.  He also wrote separate entries on the postmasters in Arletta, Artondale,Fox Island, Glencove, Herron, Home, Lake Bay, Long Branch,Minter, Purdy,Rosedale, Wauna and the other small communities that also housed post offices with their own individual postmasters.  A charming look back into history for those interested.

Note:

• Research by Jean Insel Robeson, 9/7/01, regarding notes found in File Box, V. Blackwell
• Postmarked Washington:  Pierce County by Guy Reed Ramsey
• Various Blogs by Harbor History Museum referenced as well

© 2012 Harbor History Museum. All rights reserved.

Emmett Hunt's Diary Entry for May 27, 1885

Calm and fair.  For occupation we wooded and watered "Gipsy", finished the school-mistresses bedroom and put in a couple of hours or more repairing the "Alice".

© 2012 Harbor History Museum. All rights reserved.