Skagit River Journal of History & Folklore Subscribers Edition Stories & Photos The most in-depth, comprehensive site about the Skagit. 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 is the original location of Sedro-Woolley Iron Works on the east side of Puget street, just south of the Seattle & Northern railroad tracks. We are looking southeast, where a manufactured home stands today. John Anderson began the business as a blacksmith in the backroom of the Fritsch Brothers Hardware store in old Woolley in 1901, as an adjunct to his larger Marysville repair shop. This photo was taken sometime in 1902 as the new plant on Puget soon became a repair shop for trains and lumber camps from here on upriver. After a fire in 1910, the plant was rebuilt west of Metcalf street near Gibson, on about the original location of P.A. Woolley's lumber camp. This photo is reproduced from the Aug. 8, 1961 Puget Sound Mail newspaper of LaConner, which is long out of print. It was loaned by Berniece Leaf.       We are able to identify some but not all men in the photo. From l. to r.: unknown boilermaker; pattern maker, unknown; Edward Clinchard, foundryman; John G. Anderson, founder, boilermaker and plant superintendent; Robert Naubert, machinist; David G. McIntyre, machinist; Benny Anderson, cupola tender and casting cleaner; Clay Gould, bookkeeper. Fred R. Faller, first president and general manager, is seated in the buggy.

      For some time we have been researching the history of Skagit Steel & Iron Works, the most important industry ever located in Sedro-Woolley, if not Skagit county. Old timers used to say that the economy in this area in the first third of the twentieth century sat on a four-legged stool: Northern State Hospital, agriculture, the Cokedale mines and Skagit Steel. Although Skagit Steel started with an emphasis on rail repairs and logging equipment, the McIntyres adapted with the times, aligning with new technological changes. In fact, in a 1939 editorial in the Sedro-Woolley Courier-Times, publisher Frank Evans noted that most of the county had been clear-cut and that logging was already taking a backseat in industry. After the area around the early towns was logged off, agriculture took over from logging, and Skagit Steel provided equipment for the transition.
      Over the last three years, Berniece Leaf has been sharing with us her extensive history of the McIntyre family and their role in Skagit Steel and the industry of Skagit county. She is the granddaughter of David G. McIntyre, the family patriarch, and her other grandfather is Joe Hoyt, whose mill was located in the Prairie area. She is also related through her grandmother, Annie Boyd Hoyt, to Lewis Alexander Boyd, the first schoolmaster of the upriver area. He is profiled elsewhere on the website.
      Berniece gave us a copy of the article below, which is sort of a Rosetta stone to understanding the impact of Skagit Steel. It was printed in the February 1929 issue of Washingtonian magazine, just eight months before the stock market crash that led to the terrible Depression of the 1930s. Berniece insists that half of the credit for the McIntyre's success should go to her grandmother, Clara McIntyre, who was truly a partner for David in all his enterprises. Before Berniece, the chronicler of the family was Catherine McIntyre McClintock, who was the youngest child of David and Clara. She was a dear friend of my mother, Hazel Bourasaw, and shared with us not only the history of the McIntyre but also the dozens of biographies she wrote about local pioneers in the Courier-Times.
      Finally, we must note the passing of Jack McIntyre on April 22, 2001. He was the last of the three sons of Sydney S. McIntyre, who continued as leaders of Skagit Steel after the death of their grandfather David and their father Sydney. He is survived by his sister Mary McIntyre Soldate, his wife Shirley and his children and many grandchildren, along with many nieces and nephews. The streets of Sedro-Woolley are dotted with historical displays of the company that Jack and his brothers donated. And after his passing, Jack's family announced their generous endowment of the planned county arts center. I enjoyed talking with Jack at Rotary luncheons over the years and he was very kind about sharing memories and material about Skagit Steel. He was very modest about his own considerable career successes and his family heritage. Few knew that he was awarded the Bronze Star for his photo-interpreting skills during the Korean War. We hope you will consider emailing memories of your own family's Skagit Steel memories or scans of any photos you may have. This section will grow over the next few months.

This photo from an undated post card shows the Sedro-Woolley Iron Works after it was built at the new location following the 1910 fire at the Puget street plant. The site was west of Metcalf on part of P.A. Woolley's original mill acreage. This was the office with the foundry behind it.

This marvelous photo of the interior of the Skagit Steel machine shop was taken in 1930. We hope that a reader can identify the men. Photo courtesy of Berniece Hoyt Leaf, granddaughter of David G. McIntyre.

David G. McIntyre spent years in the woods working with crews like this one by their steam donkey. When customers could not bring their heavy gear to the shop, he went out to the location. He drummed up business for the original Sedro-Woolley Iron Works and dreamed up new technology that his son Sydney S. McIntyre invented and patented. Photo courtesy of the late John Wicker.

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