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Attendees: Volunteers: Mark Bowns, Chairperson; Kate Hull-Pease, Jim Meier, Jeanne Fancher City: Paula Wiech, Discussion Items: Mark began the meeting with the topic of C.D. Hillman, an early real estate developer, who subdivided about two square miles of land to form the City of Pacific. Hillman began by purchasing about 8.5 square miles in the area from 17 farmers in 1906 and 1907. They were: Henry T. Bredes (200 acres) Henry L. Eggert (160 acres) George E. Hyde (160 acres, known as Derringer Farm) John B. Stetson (160 acres) Dr. Waughop (145 acres) Fred Hatcher (80 acres) Christian Kley (95 acres) Sandford G. Griffin (120 acres) Christopher W. Horr (140 acres) M. Hansen (80 acres) Frederick R. Wood (800 acres) James Burkhart (420 acres) Barlow & Whitcomb of Tacoma (80 acres) Slettergren & Arrell (480 acres) John F. Logerwall (90 acres) Willis Boatman (160 acres) Martin J. Lutze (40 acres) This comprised about 5,400 acres total. The area was originally surveyed by Ezra Meeker in 1868 to establish section corners. Later A.L. Valentine was the surveyor who surveyed the land in more detail. The railroads acquired land through this area by using government grants and the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, and Pacific and the Northern Pacific were quick to establish lines in South King County. The original streets were numbered until gradually they became named after the early residents and the railroad. The Pacific Highway (now the West Valley Highway) ran north and south, along the west side of the valley. The Seattle-Tacoma Interurban crossed over the highway with a steel bridge before heading up the Jovita Canyon on its way to Tacoma. After the demise of the Interurban, the bridge was removed in 1928. William Fraser Tolmie was the first white man to travel through the area that is now the City of Pacific. Born in Scotland, he was a surgeon, fur trader, scientist, and politician and served as administrator of Fort Nisqually, in the southern end of Puget Sound from 1843 to 1859. The Stuck River, a two mile portion of the White River, runs from the north eastern end of Pacific and joins up with the Puyallup River at the southwest tip of Sumner. The name is derived from the Salish Native American word for gouged or plowed through. It was this portion that continually flooded the farmlands, prompting the settlers to divert it from year to year to either run north into the Green River or west into the Puyallup. It was eventually settled in court as to the route we now have today with the White River emptying into the Stuck River. Fifty dollars collected from group to join Association of King County Historical Organizations. |
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