Early Snohomish Heritage Trail

The story of the Early Snohomish Heritage Trail begins here.

Wendy Poischbeg as the city’s Economic Development, and Communications Manager at the time, was awarded a Historic Preservation grant from Snohomish County for nine interpretative signs, and I was commissioned to design and write the content.

Six interpretative signs were installed in the existing kiosks along the south side of First Street in 2020!

Before and After
2019 / 2021

The wayfinding system of three-pole kiosks was installed maybe twenty years ago and over time most were vandalized and no longer used in an official way.

Tap on a thumbnail to view the actual size; or better yet, walk the tour!

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    The three signs shown above have been ordered and will be installed as indicated on the map. A special thanks to copyeditor Melanie Kreiger, and graphic designer David Chrisman for their careful reviews — it takes a village.

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    “J. S. White Our First Architect”

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    Our fine art book, J. S. White, Our First Architect: His Surviving Structures from 19th-Century Snohomish, features essays by local historian Warner Blake (Early Snohomish, Snohomish: Then and Now), and color portraits by Seattle photographer Otto Greule. White left nothing behind except his buildings, so Warner combed through over a decade of weekly issues published by the Snohomish Eye to discover White’s story and identify his structures.


     

    Name if Personalized:


    Signed copies are available exclusively at Snohomish’s cozy
    UPPERCASE BOOKSHOP, in the Log Cabin,
    at 2nd & Avenue B | 360.217.8521

    Unsigned copies of our Fine Art Book are shrink-wrapped —
    and available at the following fine bookstores:
    Seattle | Peter Miller Books, 206.441.1501
    And online at Amazon.

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    To purchase by check please remit $32.71 ($2.76 tax) payable to Snohomish Stories, 230 Avenue B, Snohomish, WA 98290.

    Follw this link to view Dust Cover Images & Book Specs

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    The header image above is from an Emerson 3rd grader’s Thank You Note, as is my lovely portrait above; pictured left is a parent’s snap of the walking tour.

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    Reviews

    “Researching the history of the architecture in small towns like Snohomish is often an impossible task. Early cities and towns had little or no requirements for building permits, early architects’ records are typically nonexistent, and other information, if it exists, can be extremely difficult to dig up. Thus it is quite unusual that we have a new book that documents and illustrates the work of pioneer Snohomish architect and builder John S. White (1845–1920).

    (UW Professor Jeffrey Karl Ochsner’s essay is no longer available online.)
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    Regie Routman
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    Nancy Finelli
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    Peg & Jeff Cox
    Washington Trust for Historic Preservation

    Board of Angels & Publishers

    • Karen Guzak, President
    • Mary Pat Connors, Secretary
    • Julie O’Ferrel, Treasurer
    • Janet Kusler
    • Leah & Shaun McNatt
    • Melinda Gladstone
    • Otto Greule
    • Denise Johns & Terry Thoren
    • Margaret & Randy Riddle
    • Joan & Mike Whitney
    • Penny & Gary Ferguson
    • Warner Blake, Director

    And Our Publishers:
    Ed and Margarita Anderson • Lya Badgley and Sasha Babic • Bob Bickford • Sara Blake • Robert Sarazin Blake • Donna and Peter Blake • Diane and Bill Bylund • Diana Carver • Karen Charnell and Thomas M. Tredway • Melody Clemans • Peg and Jeffery Cox • Teresa Courtney • Karen Crowley and Tom Merrill • Penny and Fred Cruger • Michael Edwards • Nancy Finelli •  Cynthia First and Ron Dotzauer  •  Ed Garth • Susan Geib • Rachel Ben-Shmuel and Serge Gregory • Marta Gronlund & David Carrithers • Lauren Guzak • Chad Alice Hagen • Cherie Hembree • Laura Huntington • Eric Lewis • Rebecca Loveless • Peter Moore • Mathew Naki • Chris Wakefield and Todd Nichols • Dale Preboski and Paul Kaftanski • Barb Rohe and Willie Dickerson • Nicole Robinson and Matt Naki • Jackie and Ken Roelen • Regie and Frank Routman • Lynn and Alex Schilaty • Nan and Ross Scott • Lita Sheldon • Debbie and Chad Shue • Nora Terwilliger and Robert Noble • Ellen and Eric Vannice • Grant Weed • Joan Wilson.

    Thank You All!

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