In past posts, I have featured photos of Flaming Geyser Park, dating the history of this State Park back to 1925. Thanks to Charles Luttrell with Washington State Parks, I have recently learned that Flaming Geyser became a State Park much later than this - not until 1969. To quote:
"This was not one of the first state parks like Moran, Lewis and Clark, Jackson House and etc. Rather, Flaming Geyser Park was a private development associated with the Riverdale Farm Company, Inc. It continued into the 1960s as a private park. Our state development began ca. 1969. I know the private park was open for business July 4th 1924, but it is a bit unclear when exactly private development started. The corporate office was in Seattle and I ran down the articles of incorporation and a bunch of early newspaper articles that mention the park. Other park amenities of that time included a barn with pack horses, 18-acre fishing pond, and trout hatchery to stock the pond."
The hatchery is still used today - not for trout but for steelhead. This early photo taken in 1925 was apparently of the private park.
Photo courtesy of Museum of History & Industry, Seattle PI staff photographer, P124764, circa 1925
Thanks Charles for helping us keep our history straight. And for those who love wildlife like me, it won't be long before migratory birds will be transiting through and/or wintering over in the park. Great photo ops.
Craig, I have a friend that is doing research on the History of our Green River Valley .. If possible he would like to meet with you to see if you have information that he has not found.. He is doing a wonderful job and is very serious about this endevor, he has been working on it for several years. Please send me your contact info so I can give it to him.. or you can contact him.. Gwyn vukich gvukich@msn.com 253 939 0627
His contact info is.. Richard j Latham latham_rj@comcast.net
Posted by: Gwyn vukich | 08/07/2016 at 01:05 PM