July 18, 1880, Sunday

On this day Emmett Hunt wrote in his diary "Raising thunder up in the mountains this morning but we get none of it.  Clear again at night.  Young folks come down from ... today."

© 2012 Harbor History Museum. All rights reserved.

July 11, 1880, Sunday

On this day Emmett Hunt wrote in his diary "Nice day.  After a prolonged season of fun, went to Mr. G's for the night."

© 2012 Harbor History Museum. All rights reserved.

Wilkinson Farm Park

Have you had the opportunity to visit the Wilkinson Farm lately? It is so great to see the beautiful garden plots, the potting shed, and all the activities surrounding this great resource available to Gig Harbor residents.

It is located at 4118 Rosedale Street in Gig Harbor and is a 16-acre wildlife park with wetlands, holly groves, meadows, a community garden and trails. There are power outlets, a water fountain and a water hose bib available. The historic homestead includes a barn, house and outbuildings that will be stabilized for public access in the future. There are no public restrooms.  However there is on-site parking. 

The Wilkinson family came to Gig Harbor in the 1890s. In 1909, Mr. Wilkinson purchased this property where he operated the Pioneer Dairy for many years.

William and Mary Castle Wilkinson came from the Midwest. When they first arrived in Gig Harbor they lived down on the waterfront in the vicinity of Pioneer and Harborview where their chickens wandered freely in the area.

Wilkinson deep in his pea patch

Once they purchased this acreage on Rosedale however, William started to clear a field and build a small “love tester” shack in the middle of the field. There he, Maria, their three daughters, Dorothy, Helen and Wilma, and their son Vivian lived. 

William's next project the realization of his dream. In 1914, he built a beautiful barn to house his dairy herd. It was constructed of logs from his property and milled into lumber at the C. O. Austin Mill. Once that was completed, he was willing to start on their ‘proper’ house. The barn was near completion when, on the Fourth of July, 1915, the family celebrated with a picnic held for everyone who had helped raise the barn.  Shortly afterwards, William was killed in a fall from its loft.

Building the barn that still stands today

Maria Wilkinson was left to build the family’s last home alone, getting the job completed in the same way that she accomplished the farm and garden work – with the help of her children.

Maria built a neat white house facing Rosedale Street that took shape slowly.  She wanted a simple plan “with no nooks or crannies, something that I can get into,” and she built it easily without professional help.  In addition to what Maria purchased from C. O. Austin Mill, some of the lumber she used came from the original “love tester” shack.  While she and Vivian were tearing down one house to build the new one, the family made do in a tent, and occasionally slept in the barn.

Maria with Dorothy, Helen, Wilma and son Vivian

They finally moved into their new home in September (the year is unknown). It had a roof, but  windows had yet to be installed. After all, Maria and the children still had to maintain the farm. They raised corn and hay for silage to feed enough milking cows to establish a dairy route in Gig Harbor.

Looking southwest.  Note utility poles at right

Maria planted vegetables every spring before her death in 1953, a practice that her daughter, Helen, continued. Helen smiled and commented that “when something was gone, we’d just wait till it came around again.”  Dorothy died in September, 1974.

That is why it is so gratifying to see the Gig Harbor Community Garden continue in Maria Wilkinson’s footsteps.

   

© 2012 Harbor History Museum. All rights reserved.

July 4, 1880, Sunday

On this day, Emmett Hunt wrote in his diary: "Too warm and clear.  Embarked for Steilacoom again and a magnificent return trip made more enjoyable by a little tonic.  Hurrah for the 4th."

© 2012 Harbor History Museum. All rights reserved.

Gary L. Moore 1938/1997

 

This morning while I was doing the Finholm Stair Climb Gary Moore’s name just jumped out at me when I came to his stair. It’s funny how no matter how often you climb those stairs you seldom take the time to read the names on the stair walk recognizing and remembering so many of past and present families.

I have taken the liberty of referring to the biography of Gary that is published on the Tacoma-Pierce County Old-Timers Baseball Association Hall of Fame. Gary was not the only Gig Harbor resident to be named to the Tacoma-Pierce County Hall of Fame. Some of the other names I found were:  Nancy Jerkovich (Slowpitch), Marco Malich (Slowpitch), Paul Gustafson (Umpire), Fran Pinchbeck (Umpire), Russell White (Baseball), Bill Turnbull (Baseball), and Fran Pinchbeck told me that Denise Hoober (Slowpitch), Gregg Lovrovich (Basketball) and Roger Iverson (Basketball). 

If you are aware of others who should be included on this list, please attach a comment or send an email to the Harbor History Museum (info@harborhistorymuseum.org) with the name and sport...and a biography if possible. For example, I found Frank Ruffo on the Baseball list but was unsure if that was Gig Harbor’s Frank Ruffo or another man with the same name.

But now, here's what we know about Gary L. Moore.

“Gary was not only a superb commander, but he was also a first-class human being.  He was always there 24 hours a day whenever needed to help solve anyone’s problems, no matter how great or small.  Gary will long be remembers by the men and women of the Armed Forces who had the privilege of serving with him.  He was genuinely respected and loved by all who knew him.”  General Schwarzkopf.

Gary was born in Gig Harbor, WA on May 17, 1938.  As a student at Peninsula High School from 1952 to 1956 and was their first four-year letterman in baseball, basketball and football. 

Gary pitched seven no-hitters for Peninsula High School as well as batting over .350 each of his four years with an average of .595 in his junior year.  He earned a four-year scholarship as a starting pitcher to Oregon State University having declined offers from the Chicago Cubs and the New York Yankees among others in order to pursue a college education.

Upon graduation, Gary entered the United States Air Force serving a distinguished 25-year career from 1960 until 1981.  Gary Moore was awarded the Legion of Merit Award, two Bronze Stars and 11 Air Medal Awards.  He retired with distinction in 1984 as a Colonel to pursue a private business and professional career as a pilot and airport authority manager in Georgia. 

At age of 59 Gary was tragically killed in an automobile accident in Georgia on March 13, 1997.  Following his death, the U. S. Navy’s Blue Angels recognized Colonel Moore by naming one of their “Missing Man” maneuvers for him at their Show that year.

Gary Moore’s achievements in athletics while attending Peninsula High School earned him great recognition throughout the community.  The Great Gig Harbor Area Committee organized a “Gary Moore Night” on August 13, 1956 at Peninsula High School after a banquet honoring him.  Gig Harbor Mayor Merrill Parish proclaimed the day “Gary Moore Day”.  Mayor Gretchen Wilbert repeated the proclamation on June 23, 1997 by proclaiming every August fourth as “Gary Moore Day” in Gig Harbor.   

© 2012 Harbor History Museum. All rights reserved.

The First Time We Bridged the Narrows

The idea of bridging the Tacoma Narrows had been talked about for many years.  In December 1927, the Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce discussed it.  The next May, the Tacoma Chamber followed suit.  

A slogan contest was announced in 1937, with the winner announced the next month.  Effie A Jenks won with "Span the Narrows, Bridge the Gap, Put this Peninsula, On the Map!" A year later, construction began.

The bridge deck is nearly completed.
This aerial views shows Gig Harbor, with Wollochet Bay in the background.

 The first Narrows Bridge opened July 1, 1940 with much fanfare.  The celebration lasted four days.

The crowd views the cars approaching the west side of the Narrows Bridge on Opening Day, 1940.  

In only four months, on November 7, 1940, the bridge would collapse.  Once again, the ferries would be back in business until the 1950 bridge was built.  Only the caissons could be saved for the new bridge.

Linda McCowen, Historic Photo Editor
© 2012 Harbor History Museum. All rights reserved.

Little Norway (Cromwell)

Postcard of Cromwell

Many early Scandinavian settlers chose to settle on land located at Hales Pass. Some of the families in 1850 included John Evans, Russell Calvert, William Ellison and John Chandler. Later they were joined by the families of Goodman, Carlot, Bliss, Rasmussen and Peterson. These early homesteaders decided to name their settlement Little Norway. It wasn't long before they were joined by more families, whose names included Samuelson, Carlson, Berntsen, Sundberg, Ellingson, Smaby, Evje, Erickson, Must, Brynestad, Kellogg, Siglem, Fosness, Andestall and Grytten. The majority of these families became ranchers and farmers with crops fruit, berries, produce and dairy products.

In an earlier blog, you had the opportunity to read Dick Brynstad’s recollection of growing up in Little Norway and about his family and neighbors.

The F. W. Samuelson family was a typical family with 14 children. At first, when they arrived it was necessary to clear the land which was heavily timbered. They cleared many stumps with horse-power and with dynamite, but it took years before all the stumps were removed. Mr. Samuelson planted 5 acres of fruit trees, berries and vegetables. At times, they produced as many as 100 crates of strawberries in one day. They named their farm “Sunny Hill Fruit Farm.”

Despite growing the vegetables and fruit, family members still needed to row to Tacoma for staples. Can you imagine going through a 50 pound sack of flour every week to bake bread for the family?

A creek was discovered on the Samuelson property which was later named Muri’s Creek. The creek ran through Samuelson’s land and emptied into the Sound. Several of the families used gas pumps to pump the water through pipes into large wooden storage tanks. Later concrete tanks were built; one tank was used for irrigation and in the summer as a community swimming pool.

In the beginning, Cromwell’s mail was delivered to the Artondale post office and Claud Elms would pick it up and deliver it to the families in Cromwell. Finally in about 1902 the various families petitioned Tacoma for direct delivery. John Cromwell came over from Tacoma to check out the settlement and was so impressed by the community that he secured an official post office for them. Calvert was the name of the first unofficial post office with John Goodman acting as postmaster. Mrs. Calvert asked Mr. Cromwell to change the community’s name and so Little Norway became Cromwell.

The families built a school in 1900 on land donated by Mrs. Calvert. However, she placed a stipulation on her donation that stated the land was never to be sold. The school had an enrollment of about 15 students when it first opened. Miss Blanche Seagent was the first school mistress and she received a salary of $30 per month. By 1912, the student body had grown to 50 students and a second school was built. It had two rooms and a cloak room.

In 1898 the community banded together to form the Immanuel Scandinavian Lutheran Church at Hales Pass.  Before the church was built, services were held in various homes until the school was built, when services were moved to the schoolhouse. Sermons were delivered in Swedish and Norwegian; salaries of the visiting ministers paid by donations collected from the church members.

G. M. Evje became the first Sunday School Superintendent with 15 children in the Norwegian speaking class.  Later Mrs. Smaby started an English speaking Sunday school class. The first baptisms in the church were for Flora Samuelson and Lillian Bloom in May, 1910. The first wedding was not until 1925 when Ernest Luckenotte married Freida Grytten.

Because the community was based on common ethnic backgrounds, there was much enthusiasm and involvement by everyone leading to a socially active community group. There were informal wiener roasts, taffy pulls (when was the last time you pulled taffy and where...? Santa Cruz, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and Coney Island or on the coast of Oregon?). Beach bonfires were common in the summer, ice skating in the winter, musicals and other similar activities. Arthur Kellogg’s home had a large living room and Mrs. Kellogg was an excellent pianist. Anton Berntsen family members were well-known for their skill with stringed instruments, John Grytten for his violin and the Samuelsons for their singing both as quartets and double quartets. By early 1900, Advancement Hall was built and it became the social center.    

Cromwell organized its first baseball team in 1913 with ball players Alfred and Arthur Berntsen, Manfred, Oscar and Victor Samuelson, Ole Olson, and Bill and Benny Bloom. Knute Sande and Edward and Carl Carlson also joined the team although they lived in Wollochet.

The first telephone was installed in the Samuelson home in 1908 and one 32-volt electric Delco system was installed in six homes in 1919 -- but most families still relied on kerosene lamps.

Transportation brought an increase to the population of Cromwell but the Depression was extremely hard on the farms. Gradually, the community evolved into a summer retreat for families from Tacoma and elsewhere with many of those new families eventually becoming permanent residents.  

As you can tell, this is but a brief overview of the amazing history of one of our earliest settlements.

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© 2012 Harbor History Museum. All rights reserved.