Skagit River Journal of History & Folklore Free Resources Stories & Photos

Covers from British Columbia to Puget sound. Counties covered: Skagit, Whatcom, Island, San Juan. An evolving history dedicated to the principle of committing random acts of historical kindness Noel V. Bourasaw, editor 810 Central Ave., Sedro-Woolley, Washington, 98284 Home of the Tarheel Stomp Mortimer Cook slept here & named the town Bug

This photo was taken during the first Loggerodeo parade by Burt Webber, a professional photographer who had his office in the building that formerly stood across from the post office, where the Doorn building is now. We are looking northwest up Murdock street from the intersection at Woodworth. Just beyond the city hall, which dominates the center of the photo, you can see the front of James and Blanche Gray's house at the southwest corner of Ferry. Many old timers remember the house well because of those huge chestnut trees all around. Gray came here from The house was razed and replaced in 1953 by the Hunter Clinic. Just beyond, you can see the 2-story forestry building that stood where Bank of America is today in 2003. That was the original site of the Shrewsbury mill and clothespin factory and the country's first Laundromat. In 1899, you could bring your wash and a lot of elbow grease and use the laundry tubs and get hot water from the tap. Why are all these parade photos centered on Murdock street instead of Metcalf? Because, for the first ten years or so, Metcalf was filled with the carnival rides and booths. In those same years, the parade wound all the up the hill on Fruitdale road so that patients at Northern State Hospital could enjoy the sights and sounds and the sweet smells of everything that horses bring us.

This photo was taken by Burt Webber as he stood in James Gray's yard and looked across Murdock street. Can you identify which intersection this is? How about the house behind it to the left and the railroad tracks that cross the intersection? Both are gone now. If you want to guess at all or any of these or if you have more information, please log in our Guestbook and note: "1948 Loggerodeo Parade."

I've saved this photo for a celebratory time. It's one of my favorites of all time. Burt Webber photographed the staging area for the Grand Parade. Fred Slipper, Fred Vochatzer and returning veterans, who were active in the American Legion, spearheaded a drive to unite the traditional loggers' shows and the rodeo to create a celebration that would make Sedro-Woolley famous throughout the state. Local historian John Conrad, who owned the Chevron station on the Burlington highway, suggested the name, Loggerodeo, in a city contest and won $25. Little did he know that the name would become recognized around the country.       Webber was standing in front of what was then Sig Berglund's Ford Garage on Murdock street, the building that now houses the Sedro-Woolley Museum. Berglund bought the business from the earlier Ford dealer Emil Jech, who erected the building as the Universal Motor Co. garage in 1924. Webber was looking west up Woodworth street on a most historic scene. Stan Nelson's Chevrolet Garage was to the left. Imagine how families celebrated after church by strolling over to the garages that were only an intersection apart and seeing the spiffy new autos. Just a year later the Nelson building burned and was replaced by the one that Countryside Chevrolet is in today.       To the near right on the corner is the city hall, which was built in 1930 on land donated by the estate of P.A. Woolley. Just west from it is Emil Runck's bicycle shop. And beyond that is the Dream Theatre, the temple of my youth. Built as a vaudeville theatre by Ben Abbott in time for Christmas 1913, it was still operated as a movie theatre in 1948 by his father, Dad Abbott. Dad built the Chevrolet dealership in 1919 and sold it to Nelson in 1938; he was honored by Chevrolet in 1949 as their first dealer in Washington state. Dad lost both his wife and Ben in the influenza epidemic that swept America in 1918. His daughter, the late Emma Abbott Ridgway, became famous in Democratic circles during the Roosevelt years and her son, the late Hugh Ridgway, was one of our most beloved attorneys and judges.       If you search really hard, you will find six-year old Carolyn Freeman in one of those cute little dresses. Do you think she was eyeing Berglund's and dreaming of a museum she could help get started some day?

Looking for something special on our site? Enter name, town or subject, then press "Find" Search this site powered by FreeFind

Did you find what you were looking for? If not, please email us and tell us what you seek and we will put it on our list to research. The more details, the better.

Please sign our guestbook so our readers will know where you found out about us, or share something you know about the Skagit River or your memories or those of your family. Share your reactions or suggestions or comment on our Journal. Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to visit our site.

Sign Our Guestbook View Our Guestbook

Remember, we welcome correction and criticism. Please click on the email slot at the right to report any problems with these pages or to suggest ideas for future stories. This is a completely free site. We fund it by providing an online magazine for paid subscribers. If you would like to help support our considerable research costs, you can subscribe for just $17.50 per year. As a paid subscriber, you will receive six yearly issues plus many rare treats between times, including scans of photos and documents that illustrate local history, before they are shared with anyone else. You can go here for Subscription details and you can read the preview edition to see examples of our in-depth research. You may also order gift subscriptions for friends, family or clients who are interested in local history or students or military people who are away from home. Or you can email us for more details. Do you have scanned photos to share? Or you can mail us copies. See addresses to right.

Email us at: journal@stumpranchonline.com Use this email for scans and large files Mail copies/documents to street address: Skagit River Journal, 810 Central Ave., Sedro-Woolley, WA, 98284.