While searching the Seattle Municipal archives this evening I ran across a couple interesting photos that I had never seen and thought that someone here would enjoy them. My search also turned up many images of forest clear-cut, titled "Milwaukee vs City" and "Cedar River slide" as a descriptor, with no other information. Here is the view of the Cedar Falls station and the Municipal Railway. http://clerk.ci.seattle.wa.us/~scri...D&d=PHOT&l=1&p=1&u=/~public/phot3.htm&r=1&f=G A more distant view showing Municipal Railway & Milwaukee yards looking west. http://clerk.ci.seattle.wa.us/~scri...URON&d=PHO3&p=2&u=/~public/phot1.htm&r=27&f=G Fantastic view looking down on Rattlesnake Lake showing a plethora of railroad activity. http://clerk.ci.seattle.wa.us/~scri...D&d=PHOT&l=1&p=1&u=/~public/phot3.htm&r=1&f=G I was also delighted to find this view of the large community on Rattlesnake Lake. This photo was included among many taken in this area after a flood. http://clerk.ci.seattle.wa.us/~scri...D&d=PHOT&l=1&p=1&u=/~public/phot3.htm&r=1&f=G Hope you enjoy, Kevin
We have a member here, who is very familiar with Cedar Falls. I've sent him a PM. Hope he'll have a few minutes free, and post up some additional information. I have many fond memories of Cedar Falls. A nice bit of history. Tucked away quietly. Where many did not even know the place existed. Boxcab E50
Just a quick thought- The third photo is captioned as being view to the northwest. It certainly looks more west-southwest to me. But it's a great overall perspective! Boxcab E50
Re: Historic Cedar Falls Photos Kevin, These photos are very interesting, to say the least, I worked and lived in Cedar Falls for a few years and these photos stir many memories and answer a few questions I was never able to solve when I was there. The first photo shows the depot from the east end and looks right down the Seattle Municipal Railroad tracks, with the City of Seattle road alongside to the right of the tracks. This led to the residential area of the City Light Workers and to the City Light Substation at the falls of the Cedar River (Cedar Falls). This spur was know as "City of Seattle Spur" and took off from the Milwaukee main line up near to where the substation later stood. The track to the left of it was the Municipal Ry. line up to the dam. Later, this line connected to the Pacific States Logging Co. who had spurs and logging railroads all the way to Selleck, on the Enumclaw branch. They also had the highest logging railroad bridge in the world, over the Cedar River, on the line up to the dam. The tracks in the photo continued on into the Seattle City Light residential district and came back out onto the Milwaukee main line about a half-mile west of here and was known as the "Riverside Spur" from that end. The second photo is looking at the Municipal railroad and their trestle over the gulch, a bit east of the connection to the City Spur we saw in the earlier photo. Interseting details in this photo to me are the depot in the distance, oil tank across the yard and the back of the Milwaukee water tank at the right edge of the photo. The third photo is a very interesting view indeed! We can see the Seattle Municipal railroad below, with a better view of the trestle over the gulch. The "Riverside Spur" (or, at least the grade) can be seen at the mid left edge of the photo. Note the grade extending from the tail of the Milwaukee wye. I had always heard that there once was a logging railroad that took off from this wye, but this is the first real evidence I have seen. Other interesting details I see are steam power on the engine track at the wye, the oil tank and it's sump, depot, scale house, and the store, post office and barber shop east of the water tank. Also, the height of the lake, clear up to the east leg of the wye. The fourth photo is the flood that had it's beginnings with the construction of a new masonry pool and dam by City Light. The masonry pool leaked, causing the level of Rattlesnake Lake to rise thirteen feet in May 1915, flooding the townsite of Moncton. The complete flooding took a period of years and I have heard that people continued to live here, until the slowly rising waters forced another batch to move out. There was a wagon and team always kept in readiness at North Bend for people to use in moving out. The flood situation reached it's climax in December, 1918 when City Light made an attempt to raise the water level in their masonry pool by eighteen feet. The ground under the pool collapsed, sending a torrent of water down Boxley canyon, destroying the millsite town of Edgewick. This event occured on December 23rd and caused the name of Boxley Creek to be changed to Christmas Creek. The large building in the background is, I believe, the Moncton School. It was originally built as a two-story school, but a heavy snow collapsed the upper floor and it was repaired as a single story structure. It's foundations are still quite visible at the lake site. Allen.
Allen- I think it's interesting to see those buildings, located to the right of the Milw water tower. Weren't these a post office, store, etc? Boxcab E50
Kevin, welcome to Trainboard. I enjoyed your historic photo links. History is important and we need to keep it in front of the younger generations. :teeth:
Thank you Allen for all the good information you provided to enhance the photos, it takes real time and effort to find this info on your own. In my brief internet search, I read a review of a book titled "Company Towns of the Northwest". Claims it has a lot of information pretaining to this area, which will earn it a place in my library. Thank you all for your interest. Kevin
Additional photo link Ragnar,WA Additional mining of the Municipal Archives turned up this 1911 photo of Ragnar, Wa. The Border Collie has starred in several photos in this area, including a couple with images of a survey party. No information is given as to what was being surveyed. Kevin http://clerk.ci.seattle.wa.us/~scri...D&d=PHOT&l=1&p=1&u=/~public/phot3.htm&r=1&f=G
Somewhere here in Covington, WA, a gentleman bought the depot from Seattle City Light and moved it, piece by piece, to his property. There was a write-up in the local Covington Reporter newspaper about it, but didn't give the address of it, so I'm always looking for it!!
Kurt- That was done by Fred High. It's west of Crest Air field, under the power lines. Check your PM for more info! Boxcab E50
Hey Boxy, can you also send me that info on the whereabouts of the depot, would love to get measurements. With appropriate permissions of course. M
I belive this was taken near the time the Milw had open the new hill line before the current line the Milw had switch backs over the pass and Ragnar was the starting point on the west side
This doesn't quite sound right. Believe you must be thinking of the pre-1914 tunnel operations between Rockdale and a station just east of the later Hyak, named (1st) Keechelus. However, I don't recall any actual switchbacks in that segment. Boxcab E50
Survey The survey party that I referred to in the Ragnar link was the condemantion survey of the watershed prior to the area being sealed up. This survey occured in 1911 which matches the photo dates. The Kent Lumber Co. mill and town of Barneston survived for 12 years after condemnation through agreements and extensions finally dismantling their operation in 1923. Using the search term "Barneston" in the Municipal Archives will turn up many photos of this mill and town. Kevin
It's rare to see any mention about the town of Barneston. Few people remember anything about the little settlements of that area. Halmar (sp), Selleck, Kerriston, etc. A couple of which were on the Milw main, or Enumclaw Line. Boxcab E50
trestle Allen you mentioned a high trestle, I found a couple of trestle photos in this area you might be interested in. Cedar Lake. Looking West at Logged Land from Camp 18 http://clerk.ci.seattle.wa.us/~scri...D&d=PHOT&l=1&p=1&u=/~public/phot3.htm&r=1&f=G Additional view of above trestle. http://clerk.ci.seattle.wa.us/~scri...LURON&d=PHO3&p=1&u=/~public/phot1.htm&r=4&f=G Rex River, High Log Railroad Bridge near Mouth of River. http://clerk.ci.seattle.wa.us/~scri...LURON&d=PHO3&p=1&u=/~public/phot1.htm&r=3&f=G Kevin
Re: Historic Cedar Falls Photos None of these are the bridge I was referring to, although the third one is very similar in appearance, with the big inverted "v" in the center. They are interesting views none the less. There were pictures of the Cedar River bridge in the books "This Was Logging" and a couple of other similar books on the Northwest Logging Industry, but my copies are buried in boxes up in the attic at this time. Allen.
Re: Historic Cedar Falls Photos There were no switchbacks on the Milwaukee's original line over Snoqualmie Pass, just an adverse grade and many tight curves. The grade on the west side, Rockdale to Laconia, was 2.7% and the east side, Keechelus to Laconia was around 2.5% I believe. Ragnar was the first station east of Cedar Falls on the permanent line up to Rockdale, although the actual name-point location was moved about one mile east of it's original location in the late 1930's. Allen.
Re: Historic Cedar Falls Photos I did a little searching in the Seattle Municipal Archives last weekend myself and came up with a few interesting photos, such as this one of the Boetzke Creek bridge being filled in 1911. http://clerk.ci.seattle.wa.us/~archives/photos/47/1200/47846.gif Here is a neat one of the flagstop for the North Bend Lumber Co Camp 10, about one mile east of Cedar Falls. The overhead bridge in the background was their North Bend & Eastern Railway, which was abandoned by 1918 and the Milwaukee requested the removal of the structure for their new electrification. http://clerk.ci.seattle.wa.us/~archives/photos/50/1200/50794.gif This one is the Everett Branch crossing of the road to North Bend. A great example of the old Railroad Crossing signs used before the adoption of the crossbuck. http://clerk.ci.seattle.wa.us/~archives/photos/49/1200/49966.gif And finally, a view of Trude, showing the flagstop seating for waiting passengers and the station sign http://clerk.ci.seattle.wa.us/~archives/photos/47/1200/47706.gif A great site Kevin. Allen.
