CITY OF SNOQUALMIE LANDMARK REGISTRATION FORM

KING COUNTY LANDMARKS AND HERITAGE COMMISISON

King County Office of Cultural Resources

1115 Smith Tower, 506 Second Avenue, Seattle, Washington, 98104

1. Name of Property

historic name:

Snoqualmie Historic Commercial District

other names/site number:

King County HRI#: 1344

2. Location

street & number:

Railroad Avenue, King Street, River Street

not for publication

city, town:

Snoqualmie

vicinity

state:

code:

county:

King

code:

033

zip code:

3. Classification

Ownership of Property

Category of Property

Number of Resources within Property

private

building(s)

Contributing

Non-Contributing

public-local

district

buildings

public-State

site

sites

public-Federal

structure

structures

object

objects

Total

Name of related multiple property listing:

(Enter "N/A" if property is not part of a multiple property listing.)

Number of contributing resources previously

designated as King County Landmarks:

4. Owner of Property

name:

See continuation sheet, page 14

street & number

city, town:

state:

zip:

5. Form Prepared By

name/title:

Cloantha Copass

organization:

King County Landmarks & Heritage Program

date:

September 18, 1997

street & number:

506 2nd Ave., Rm. 1115, Seattle, WA 98104

telephone:

206-296-8682

6. Function or Use

Snoqualmie Historic Commercial District

Name of Property

Historic Functions (enter from instructions)

Current Functions (enter from instructions)

Commerce/Trade

Transportation

Government

7. Description

Architectural Classification

(enter from instructions)

Materials

(enter categories from instructions)

Commercial Vernacular

foundation:

concrete; post and pier

Queen Anne

walls:

horiz. wood siding; brick; stucco

roof:

composition shingle; built up

other:

Describe the present and historic physical appearance of the property on one or more continuation

sheets.

8. Statement of Significance

Applicable Designation Criteria

Property is associated with events that have

made a significant contribution to the broad

patterns of national, state, or local history.

Property is associated with the lives of

person significant in national, state, or local

history.

Property embodies the distinctive

characteristics of a type, period, style,or method

of design or construction or represents a

significant and distinguishable entity whose

components lack individual distinction.

Property has yielded, or is likely to yield,

information important in prehistory or history

Property is an outstanding work of a

designer or builder who has made a substantial

contribution to the art.

Criteria Considerations

(Mark "x" in all the boxes that apply.)

Property is:

a cemetary, birthplace, or grave

owned by a religious institution/used for religious

purposes

moved from its original location.

a reconstructed historic building

a comemorative property

less than 40 years old or achieveing significance

within the last 40 years

Snoqualmie Historic Commercial District

Name of Property

Areas of Significance

(Enter categories from instructions)

Architecture

Commerce

Transportation

Significant Person

(Complete if Criterion A2 is marked above)

N/A

Architect/Builder

N/A

Period of Significance:

Significant Dates:

1889-1941

1889

Cultural Affiliation

State significance of property, and justify criteria, criteria considerations, and areas and periods of

significance noted above on one or more continuation sheets.

9. Major Bibliographical References

Bibliography

(Cite the books, articles, and other sources used in preparing this form on one or more continuation sheets)

Previous documentation on file:

Primary location of additional data:

included in King County Historic Resource Inventory #:1344

State Historic Preservation Office

previously designated a King County Landmark

Other State agency

previously designated a Community Landmark

Federal agency

listed in Washington State Register of Historic Places

Local government

preliminary determination of individual listing

University

(36 CFR 67) has been requested

Other (specify repository)

previously listed in the National Register

King County Landmarks & Heritage Program

previously determined eligible by the National Register

designated a National Historic Landmark

recorded by Historic American Buildings, Survey #:

recorded by Historic American Engineering, Rec. #:

10. Geographical Data

Acreage of Property:

Quadrangle Name:

Quadrangle Scale:

Verbal Boundary Description

See continuation sheet, page 14

Boundary Justification

This district includes the intact resources associated with commercial development in downtown

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Statement of Significance

The Snoqualmie Commercial District is significant under criterion A1 for its association with the development of

the City of Snoqualmie and for its function as a commercial center for the northern part of the upper Snoqualmie

Valley. As a group, the buildings are also significant under criterion A3 as examples of commercial vernacular

architecture constructed in a rural King County community over a period of 50 years. The period of significance

extends from 1889, when the town was platted in anticipation of the railroad’s arrival, to 1941, when

construction of a new highway alignment for the interstate between Preston to North Bend diverted the primary

cross-state highway out of downtown Snoqualmie.

The Snoqualmie commercial area and surrounding neighborhoods were surveyed in 1996 by King County

Landmarks and Heritage Program staff in collaboration with Snoqualmie Valley historian Dave Battey and Greg

Watson, Director of the Snoqualmie Valley Museum. Information in this nomination is drawn primarily from the

context statement and inventory records prepared for that project.

The Snoqualmie Historic Commercial District centers on the landmark Snoqualmie Railroad Depot and

surrounding railroad right-of-way, the long commercial block to the east which faces the railroad depot, and

significant buildings and visually prominent properties which face King Street and River Street at the north and

south ends of the primary commercial block, respectively. The properties within the district include both

commercial and institutional buildings, as well as the railroad right-of-way, which is primarily open space.

Eleven contributing buildings within the historic district document two phases of the community’s development.

The first phase, from 1889-1915, covers the early development of Snoqualmie, when the town was primarily

oriented toward and dependent on the railroad for travel and commerce. Four contributing buildings in the

district, as well as the overall layout of the town, are associated with the town’s first phase of development.

These buildings are the Snoqualmie Railroad Depot (1890), the IOOF Hall (1902), the Reinig Store (1909), and

Kritzer’s Market (1909).

During the second phase development of Snoqualmie’s development, from 1916-1941, the creation of the cross-

state Sunset Highway opened the valley to further development. Growth of the timber industry, as well as the

expansion of dairying and the tourist industry spurred development within Snoqualmie. Construction of the

Snoqualmie Falls Lumber Company mill across the river from town had the most substantial impact on growth.

Seven contributing buildings in the district were built in a ten-year period between 1919 and 1928. Buildings

associated with this phase of Snoqualmie’s development include the Sunset Theater (1919), the State Bank of

Snoqualmie (1923), and the Fury Block (1928). The Great Depression brought new construction to a standstill.

However, changes in use of downtown buildings, such as converting the old Sunset Theater for use as Town Hall,

resulted in alterations to existing buildings during the period of significance.

Summary History of Snoqualmie

The City of Snoqualmie is located in the territory of the Snoqualmie Tribe. Most accounts place most of the

tribe’s settlements below the falls, with one village in the upper valley near the large open area called the

Snoqualmie Prairie. Initial Euro-American settlement in the area was soon followed by the construction in the

late 1860s of the King County Wagon Road, a semi-improved track of earth and cedar puncheon or “corduroy”

which traversed the valley. Events outside the region had a substantial impact on development of the Snoqualmie

Valley. After the Northern Pacific Railroad selected Tacoma rather than Seattle as the terminus of its

transcontinental line, Seattle interests determined to create their own link to the expanding transcontinental rail

network. The Seattle, Lake Shore, and Eastern Railroad was formed to build a line east from Seattle across

Snoqualmie Pass to join transcontinental lines near Spokane. News of the rail construction drew real estate

Unless otherwise noted, information on the history of Snoqualmie presented in this nomination is drawn from the 1997

“Overview History of Snoqualmie, WA” by Kenneth G. Watson and the King County Landmarks and Heritage Program

Staff. The overview history was prepared as part of the 1996/1997 survey and inventory of Snoqualmie’s Historic Overlay

Zone.

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speculators to the Snoqualmie Valley in the late 1880s. Among these investors were the partners in the

Snoqualmie Land and Improvement Company, who purchased the the land which would become the townsite and

filed a plat for Snoqualmie in 1889. Their town was initially called Snoqualmie Falls.

The plat established the layout of the downtown commercial district, and included large lots facing onto Railroad

Avenue across from the site planned for the depot. In 1890, the depot opened and the tracks reached from Seattle

to Tanner two miles east of North Bend. Development in Snoqualmie has always been closely linked with the

economy of the valley. Early industries included mining, hop growing centered around the Meadowbrook Hop

Ranch, and some logging and production of milled lumber and shingles. The Snoqualmie Mill had begun

operating across the river from the townsite in 1886. Construction of the power plant at Snoqualmie Falls also

supported development in Snoqualmie. The falls were a significant tourist attraction, particularly after

construction of the railroad made a day trip from Seattle possible.

In the 1890s, commercial development in Snoqualmie concentrated along Railroad Avenue. Commercial

buildings were of wood frame construction, with gable roofs. While most buildings were only one story tall,

“boomtown” facades (also called false fronts) were used to give the buildings more substantial appearances.

Most of the commercial businesses were general rather than specialty stores. The town also had several hotels

and taverns, and, after 1892, a Methodist-Episcopal Church building with a small steeple and gothic-arched

windows. The most visually-prominent building in town other than the depot was the two story Hotel Kinsey,

which burned down in 1902. After an initial boom of construction in the early 1890s, development slowed as the

panic of 1893 dried up capital. Failure of the hop crops at the turn of the century also slowed the valley

economy.

In the early 1900s, the valley economy improved as dairying replaced hop farming, logging railroads reached

farther into the hills, and operations expanded at the Snoqualmie Falls power plant. The city incorporated in

1903. Development in this phase concentrated in the original plat. Automobiles arrived in the valley later than

in urban areas with better roads. However, once they arrived in number in the valley in the 1910s, they brought

rapid and significant changes. The impact of automobile travel on the valley was highlighted by the opening of

the Sunset Highway. The cross-state route, which carried travelers over Snoqualmie Pass via the old wagon road,

remained poorly improved and closed in winter until 1930. Creation of the Sunset Highway, as well as the

improvement of local roads both increased development of valley industries and reduced the demand for rail

service. Valley residents particularly enjoyed the flexibility of the automobile or truck for transporting farm

goods to market. By 1925, rail passenger service to Snoqualmie was discontinued. New businesses in

Snoqualmie sprang up which catered to the growing numbers of automobile travelers and tourists. These

businesses included auto camps, car dealerships, and service stations.

In 1910/11, the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad was extended through Snoqualmie and northward

along the Snoqualmie River into the upper valley. The presence of two competing railroads made Snoqualmie an

attractive site for a lumber mill which would depend on a railroad to transport its product. In 1916, construction

began on the Snoqualmie Falls Lumber Company mill at the long-defunct mill site of the Snoqualmie Mill

Company across the river from town. The mill was a joint venture of St. Paul, Minnesota based Weyerhaeuser

Timber Company and the Grandin-Coast Company of Kansas City. By the late 1910s, the mill was producing

substantial volumes of lumber which was shipped east by rail.

The growth of the mill had a substantial impact on the community. While most mill employees lived across the

river from Snoqualmie in the company town surrounding the mill, they patronized local businesses and

participated in Snoqualmie community activities. The prosperity of the 1920s was reflected in Snoqualmie’s

commercial district. Wood frame buildings from the town’s first phase of development were replaced by larger

masonry or at least brick-clad and stucco buildings. New commercial buildings were constructed along the

highway to the north and south of the main business block. Many of these new businesses were automobile

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related. In 1923, two new plats were filed in the community, reflecting the need to develop more housing for the

growing population.

The Great Depression substantially slowed development in the historic commercial district. The most notable

projects between the construction of the Fury Block in 1928 and the opening of the highway bypass in 1940 were

the commercial district improvements undertaken by the city and the newly formed Upper Valley Kiwanis Club.

In 1929, angled parking was created in the road margin adjoining the depot across from the stores. A row of

memorial evergreen trees, many of them exotic species, was planted in the area between Railroad Avenue and the

railroad tracks in the long block between River Street and King Street.

In 1930, the highway was straightened from Snoqualmie to North Bend to create a direct line rather than the

meandering route around Meadowbrook Corner and down what is now Boalch Avenue. While this project did

not have a direct impact on the Snoqualmie commercial district, it reflected the highway program’s goals of

providing increasingly-direct routes of travel between major destinations. Planning meetings for the new “Cross

State Highway” were underway in the valley in 1939. The proposed new route, after leaving Issaquah, would

traverse an even more direct route along the base of Rattlesnake Ridge, bypassing Preston, Fall City and

Snoqualmie in order to cut fourteen miles off the trip from Seattle to North Bend. While Snoqualmie did receive

its promised link to the new highway, it ceased to receive the travelers it has when the highway ran through the

town’s commercial district.

Snoqualmie continued to prosper with a strong logging industry in the post-World

War II era, however, the physical fabric of the downtown would not change significantly until a wave of

construction and modernization projects took place in the mid-1950s and early 1960s.

Conclusion

The physical organization of Snoqualmie underscores the importance of railroads in opening the upper

Snoqualmie Valley to development in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Snoqualmie is the only community

in the valley where an intact depot remains the centerpiece of the commercial district. The continued presence of

operating passenger trains underscores the continuity of this historic theme. Snoqualmie has retained a compact

downtown centered on its main street, Railroad Avenue, which carried the principle cross-state highway from its

establishment in 1915 until 1941. While there have been non-contributing buildings added in the heart of the

district which diverge from the historic building pattern, the district today conveys a strong sense of its historic

development.

Physical Description

The City of Snoqualmie is located in King County’s Snoqualmie River Valley, just upstream from the falls which

divide the upper Snoqualmie Valley from the lower valley. Snoqualmie’s commercial core lies just west of and

parallel to the Snoqualmie River. The nominated Snoqualmie Historic Commercial District extends along both

side of Railroad Avenue from King Street at the north to River Street at the south. The boundaries include two

properties on the north side of King Street, as well as properties which front on the south side of River Street east

of Falls Avenue. While there are commercial buildings outside of the district boundary, these structures do not

possess sufficient integrity of materials, design, feeling, or association to be included within the boundaries.

The district contains twenty resources which constitute the core of the commercial district. It also includes the

railroad right-of-way on the west side of Railroad Avenue S between River Street and extending approximatley

100’ north of King Street. The historic railroad right-of-way contains both the rail line and other significant

features such as memorial trees. The buildings in the district are all commercial, public, or institutional

buildings.

The City of Snoqualmie developed primarily because of the construction of the Seattle, Lake Shore, and Eastern

Railroad. The original commercial district is concentrated on the east side of Railroad Avenue across the street

Information on the highway development is drawn from Dave Battey, Past and Present, “The Cross-State Highway,” 1990.

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from the tracks. In contrast with river-oriented settlements in the Snoqualmie Valley, such as Fall City,

Snoqualmie’s earliest commercial buildings turned their backs to the river, facing instead the crude wagon road

and the railroad. The form and organization of the town reflects the original plat, laid out by engineer Charles

Baker, and filed in 1889. The plat provided larger lots facing Railroad Avenue in the vicinity of the depot in

anticipation of the preferred location for commercial activities.

Contributing buildings in the district were built over a span of 40 years between 1890 and 1930. With the

exception of the depot and the bank, the buildings in the district are built in Commercial Vernacular styles which

reflect architectural trends at the times they were built. In the first phase of the town’s development (1890-1915),

commercial buildings along Railroad Avenue were all of wood frame construction. While they varied in height

from one to two stories, and in width from 10-40 feet, they shared a number of common elements. Buildings

typically had no setback from the sidewalk, and had large, wood frame shop windows surrounding center entry

doors. The windows typically rested on a low bulkheads covered with wood siding. Above the canopies,

boomtown facades, clad in horizontal wooden siding, provided a place for identifying signage, which was

typically painted directly on the building. The facades were generally capped with a small pent roof cornice,

often supported on decorative brackets. Shed-roofed canopies or cloth awnings extending over the sidewalk

sheltered pedestrians and protected the large windows. Most buildings had a band of clerestory windows above

the canopy to carry light into the high-ceilinged shop space.

During the City’s second phase of development (1916-1941), the basic designs for storefronts persisted from

earlier years. However, the building materials began to change as better connections to regional building supply

markets reduced reliance on local wood products. In the late 1910s and early 1920s, stucco became a popular

finish material for commercial buildings, and the first brick building (The State Bank of Snoqualmie) was

constructed in the district. By the late 1920s, brick replaced wood as the preferred material for facades, and

ceramic and glass tiles were introduced as decorative materials in the bulkheads and elsewhere on the facades.

The facades became increasingly elaborate, featuring pilasters flanking the storefronts and more deorative

parapets. One 1928 building (HRI#1347) foreshadowed the post-war move away from wood windows, utilizing

aluminum sash in the storefront. In the 1920s, most buildings were constructed with canopies; however, these

were flat, rather than shed roof shaped. Projecting neon signs became a popular alternative to the painted signs

of the earlier phase of development.

Historic photographs document changes in the district during the 50-year span of the period of significance. By

the end of the first phase of development (c. 1915), a row of wooden buildings lined the east side of Railroad

Avenue, interspersed by a few vacant lots. Railroad Avenue was a narrow dirt road; however, as of 1915 it was

part of the Sunset Highway. During the second phase of development, masonry buildings replaced some of the

earlier wood frame buildings. These buildings were similar in width, height. setback, and orientation to the

earlier structures, and, while new, ensured a continuity of scale in the commercial district. Railroad Avenue was

paved in the late 1920s as part of improvements to SR 202 along the route through the valley to Snoqualmie Pass.

In 1929, angled parking was created to better accomodate shoppers in the district.

Principle changes in the appearance of the district since the end of the period of significance (1941) include the

growth of large evergreen trees in the once-open railroad right of way (note: these trees are considered

significant in their own right). The most significant change in the district’s appearance has been the removal of

several historic commercial buildings at the northern end of the district to enable construction of Harding’s Dry

Goods (Northwest Cellars) in 1956, the grocery store in 1963, and the commercial building setback next to the

grocery store (city offices) in 1972. The grocery and city office building, are set back from Railroad Avenue, and

are not in keeping with historic Railroad Avenue development patterns. The 1956 Harding’s building, however,

is not set back from the sidewalk and is more in keeping with the traditional commercial district development

pattern. Continued operation of passenger rail cars on the right-of-way have ensured a continuity of physical

presence of the railroad and the historical association of railroading in downtown Snoqualmie.

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Contributing buildings within the district have experienced some alterations over the years. Most have had

clerestory windows infilled, likely when dropped ceilings were installed on the building interiors. Additionally,

the windows and bulkheads of the storefronts have seen a range of alterations, likely in response to damage or

deterioration. Three of the most historically-significant and visually-prominent buildings have either been

restored recently or are in process of being restored. The Snoqualmie Depot was substantially restorated almost

20 years ago to restore its appearance during the days of passenger service (1890-1925) and the elaborately

patterned wood shingle roof was restored in 1996. The IOOF Hall is presently being restored. The State Bank of

Snoqualmie, now used as City Hall, was restored and reopened in 1992 following flood damage in 1990.

The following section contains a description of each of the contributing buildings with in the district.

Contributing buildings have been classified as either primary or secondary. Primary buildings display good

integrity of materials and design, in addition to location, setting, feeling, and association. Secondary contributing

buildings have experienced more extensive alterations of the exterior cladding, but retain their integrity of

location, setting, feeling, and association. A subsequent section briefly describes each of the non-contributing

properties. Within each of these sections, the descriptions are organized from north to south along east side of

Railroad Avenue, and then move back from south to north on the west side of Railroad Avenue.

CONTRIBUTING BUILDINGS

HRI#: 1345 Latberger’s Barbershop

Address: 8010 & 8012 Railroad Avenue

Date built: c. 1910 / c. 1920 Status: Secondary

This pair of commercial buildings has been in single ownership since at least 1935. These buildings have been

altered since their construction, and even since the 1940 appearance documented in a tax photograph. However,

these buildings maintain the basic form and design from the district’s historic period. The taller, narrower,

southern storefront was built in 1910. While tax records indicate the lower northern portion was built in 1920, by

1940 it had been substantially remodeled, and appears to be smaller in size. Both buildings appear in a c. 1920

photograph; however only the southern building appears on the 1926 Sanborn.

The buildings originally featured false fronts and tall, narrow wood shop windows. By 1940, the buildings had

been remodeled to give them a more unified appearance. The buildings have boomtown facades capped by small

pent roofs which are clad in composition shingle. A composition shingle-clad shed-roof canopy extends across

the facade of both buildings. The southern building’s facade features a large horizontal plate glass window on a

brick veneer bulkhead and a contemporary door on the right side. A band of clerestory windows reaches across

facade above the plate glass window and below the canopy. Historically, this property had a wooden bulkhead

below the windows and a cloth awning in the place of the canopy. The northern store front consists of a

contemporary door to the left of a broad plate glass window on a low brick veneer base. There are no transom

windows on this part of the building. Historically, the northern structure appears to have had a symmetrically

divided facade, half containing the entry and half containing a window.

In 1935, August "Gus" Latberger, purchased both structures; he operated a barbershop in the northern building

through the 1920s. In 1940, Audrey’s Beauty Salon operated in the southern space. The northern shop continues

in use as a barbershop, while the southern has an upholstery shop. A parking area now borders the property on

the south.

HRI#: 1347 Glazed Brick Building, 1928

Address: 8062 Railroad Avenue SE (132 Railroad Avenue N)

Date Built: 1928 Status: Primary

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This one-story commercial structure was one of two new commercial developments in the district in 1928. (The

other was the Fury Block, HRI# 1351/1352). This brick-clad structure replaced a small wooden building which

housed a cobbler shop and a variety store. Its facade features glazed brick with inset tiles, pigmented glass panels

below the windows, and aluminum window and door trim. This building is a unique example in Snoqualmie of a

vernacular interpretation of the 1920s Moderne (or “streamlined modern”) commercial design. The 30-by-60

foot, rectangular, wood frame building was originally divided into two storefronts--a smaller one on the north and

a larger one on the south. A continuous flat canopy runs across the width of the building, and a brick pilaster

denotes the separation between the two stores. The band of clerestory windows--three above the north shop

windows and five above the south shop--remain open. The only noticeable alteration to the building is that the

edge of the porch canopy is trimmed with a band of wood. Historically, the canopy edge was finished with black

glass similar to that used on the storefront bulkhead.

The original developer and/or owner has not been identified. In the 1933, the building was purchased by Louis

A. Wade, who served as a justice in Snoqualmie Falls. From the tax records, it appears that in 1940 the property

housed the offices of Valley Insurance and Copass & Hall Lawyers. The northern shop space housed the offices

of the Lumber and Sawmill Workers Union Local #1845, which, at the time, was operating as a semi-beneficial

Local #2345 of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners. The building later housed the Falls Tavern.

The building is currently occupied by Isadora's Antiques and Cafe.

HRI#: 1348 1921 Cafe and Tavern

Address: 8072 Railroad Avenue SE

Date Built: 1921 Status: Primary

This frame and masonry commercial building, constructed in 1921, retains all significant elements of its original

design. The facade, which extends vertically above the storefront, features an original stucco finish, which is

typical of Snoqualmie buildings from the early 1920s. Originally, a recessed center entry door provided access to

the building. The entry has been modified to create two separate interior spaces. Each shop front has a large

wood frame window on a low stucco bulkhead, and a door with a large glass center section, similar in proportion

to the historic entry door and windows. A flat canopy extends across the facade above the shops. Historic

photographs indicate that the perimeter band of the canopy was narrower than it is presently, and that the

perimeter of the canopy was used for advertising. A band of prominent vertical clerestory windows crosses the

facade above the canopy; these have been infilled within the original openings. The parapet steps up slightly at

the center of the facade.

In the 1920s, the building housed a cafe and tavern. During prohibition, the tavern operated as a “soft drink” and

pool hall. In 1940 the Bennett Confectionery and Ice Cream Parlor was in the building. The property was

purchased in 1972 by Curtis Randleman. Randleman Realty presently occupies the northern shop space and Go

and See Travel uses the southern space. Ownership remains in the Randleman family.

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HRI#: 1349 Sunset Theater/Town Hall

Address: 8086 Railroad Avenue SE (126 Railroad Avenue)

Date Built: 1919 Status: Primary

This building is significant as an example of commercial vernacular architecture and for its association with the

themes of recreation, government, and, later, labor history in Snoqualmie.

While the building’s use and exterior

appearance has changed over time, it maintains its integrity from the district’s period of significance. The two-

story stucco-clad building was constructed in 1919 as a movie theater. It was likely built for E. W. Sandel, who

operated theaters in North Bend and Issaquah in addition to working as a druggist in Snoqualmie from 1917-

1922. Sandel operated the theater as the Dream Theater until c. 1923, when it was acquired by William

Cocherane. Cocherane, who had just built the Brook Theater in Meadowbrook, changed the Dream Theater’s

name to the Sunset Theater. The new name referenced the building’s location on the Sunset Highway (Railroad

Avenue). The main entry is recessed beneath a low, arched opening framed by a larger rectangle. The design

recalls a proscenium arch on a stage. The windows, now infilled, which flanked the entry originally had multi-

paned glass. The original second story window openings remain; however, the windows have been replaced with

aluminum casement sash. At the top of the parapet, a prominent cornice with rounded coronae projects from the

building.

In response to declining ticket sales and public desire for movies with sound, for which the theater was not

designed, Cocherane closed the Sunset Theater at the end of January, 1930. In 1939, well after the closing of the

theater, the building was remodeled to house the town hall and the fire station. In 1946, Snoqualmie’s first

library was established in the upper level. Additionally, a 10’ X 20’ concrete jail building was built on the site at

some point during this period. The flat canopy roof over the sidewalk was added sometime after 1940; however,

it is designed in a style found on other 1920s commercial buildings. Additional remodeling was done after 1956

when the Lumber and Sawmill Workers Union Local 1845 purchased the building for their union hall. This

remodeling has included installing an aluminum entry door and picture widow with a brick veneer base in the

doorway. While the building is presently painted a dark brown, in the 1940s the facade was painted a light color

framed by a darker base and cornice.

HRI#: 1350 Kritzer’s Meats

Address: 8096 Railroad Avenue

Date Built: 1909 Status: Primary

Built in 1909, this wood frame commercial building is one of the few intact commercial buildings in Snoqualmie

from the town’s first phase of development (1890-1910). While the building has been altered since its

construction, the significant elements of its commercial vernacular design remain. The facade of the 26 x 50

building foot features large wood frame shop windows below a flat boomtown facade clad in horizontal beveled

siding. The original entry was centered on the building; it has been moved to the left side. The shop windows

originally rested on a base of vertical siding resembling bead board. The same siding, set at an angle, was used

flanking the shop windows on both sides of the facade. The bulkhead is presently clad with polished slices of

rock set in concrete. A flat canopy, installed c. 1966, projects over the sidewalk. Historic photos indicate that

the canopy over the sidewalk was originally a shed roof porch rather than the current flat design. A band of

horizontal clerestory windows crosses the facade above the canopy. These windows have been infilled with wood

panels, but the openings remain. A pent roof, part of the original design, extends across the top of the facade.

Composition shingles have replaced the original wood shingles on this roof.

For many years, this building housed Kritzer’s Meat Market, operated by Joseph and Mary Kritzer. The date

they began operating in this building is uncertain. Kritzers first advertised in the 1907/08 Gazetteer as a butcher;

and may have moved to this building when it was constructed. They were certainly in operation at this location in

The labor history association begins after the period of significance established for the district.

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the 1920s, and continued into the 1940s. Long-time owner Mena K. Mahoney sold the building to Victor

Klement in 1962. Klement remodeled the building for use as a jeweler's shop and added the agate inlay found in

the bulkhead below the shop windows. Sherman Tile now occupies the building.

HRI#: 1351/1352 The Fury Block

Address: 8102-8112 Railroad Avenue SE (120-106 RR Avenue N)

Date Built: 1928 Status: Primary

This one-story commercial structure, which contains three separate shop spaces, was built in 1928 by William

Fury. This was the most substantial commercial development in the historic district in the late 1920s. The site

had previously been occupied by the Fury & Kinsey Livery stable, which was converted to a garage in the 1920s.

A battery service station had also been built on the lot, likely in the 1920s. The brick-clad storefronts featured

large wood frame shop windows on bulkheads clad with large (roughly 4”x4”) tiles. The doors were centered on

the shopfronts. A single canopy, with a band of horizontal clerestory windows above, extends over the sidewalk

across the facade of the block. The canopy appears to have modified somewhat, mostly in the detailing of the

edge profile. Above the canopy, darker bricks are placed to create a frame above each storefront. The stepped

parapet wall at the top of the facade was crowned with decorative urns at the building corners and between the

storefonts, and with ornamental metal work scrolls flanking the vertically-projecting section of the parapet above

each storefront. Only one urn remains; however, the decorative metal on the parapet cap remains on the southern

two storefronts.

At some point, the northern store was segregated into separate ownership. By 1940, the northernmost storefront

was occupied by Anderson’s Hardware. A large two-story wooden building, attached to the store at the rear and

facing River Street, provided warehouse space for building supplies (this building is extant but extremely

altered). By 1966, the upper part of the facade on this store had been covered in vertical metal siding popular in

the 1960s. However, the original brick facade is once again exposed. The clerestory windows have been covered

with wood shingles, and the original parapet design obscured by infill construction. The shop front has been

altered. The wood window framing and doors and the tiled base have been replaced (probably c. 1950) with

aluminum windows on a base clad with tiles of a much smaller dimension than the original. A cafe and sweet

shop now occupies this portion of the building. The center storefront has undergone similar alterations of the

windows and door. The southern storefront has been infilled with vertical wood siding, and the clerestory

windows have been covered with wood shingles. The southern two shops have been used as pharmacy for many

years, most recently by Sims Drugs.

HRI#: 1353 Bookter’s Bakery/Puget Sound Power & Light/

Address: 8150 Railroad Avenue [104 Railroad Avenue]

Date Built: 1920/26 Status: Secondary

This building is prominently located on the northeast corner of the intersection of Railroad Avenue and River

Street. The southern portion of this one-story rectangular commercial structure was built in 1920 while the

northern portion was built in 1926. This corner was the site of the Kinsey Hotel complex, which burned in 1905.

A wooden structure which housed a barber shop and pool hall, built after the fire, was demolished to make way

for the current structure. Historically, this building shared many characteristics with other Snoqualmie

commercial properties, particularly a flat canopy over the sidewalk with large wood frame plate glass windows

below and smaller clerestory windows reaching across the facade above the canopy. The building had a brick

facade. Renovations, including cladding the building with pebbled stucco, replacing the canopy with a hipped

awning, covering the clerestory windows, and removing historic window openings on the south elevation, have

altered the historic appearance. However, the building maintains its integrity of form, location, and association.

The southern shop (on the corner) was used for offices by Puget Sound Power and Light. This space, remodeled

in 1954, later held the Railroad Cafe, a floor covering store, and most recently served as the offices of

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Snoqualmie Ridge, a real estate project of the Weyerhaeuser Company. The northern section, which fronts on

Railroad Avenue, was initially occupied by Bookter's Bakery. The northern portion has been divided into two

spaces, and currently houses a medical office and an insurance agency.

HRI#: 0750 Reinig Brothers General Merchandise

Address: 8150 Falls Avenue S

Date Built: 1909 Status: Primary

This large wood-frame commercial building was built in 1909 as Reinig Brothers General Merchandise, Otto

Frank Reinig, Proprietor. This building replaced a 1902 building on the same site which had been destroyed in

1908 by a fire which had originated across River Street in the Snoqualmie Hotel. On the street frontages, the

building has maintained its historic appearance. The most significant alterations are changes to the store

entrances on Falls Avenue. The two-story building features large store front windows on the facade, each

divided into four lights, which rested on a wooden bulkhead. Historically, there were three entries--two recessed

doors on the facade and a flush door on the southern part of the facade where there is presently a recessed entry.

A high hip roof porch crosses the entire front of the building and is supported on seven posts with decorative

knee braces. While historic photographs indicate that these posts had been removed by 1940, they have been

accurately restored. An historic pent roof crosses the facade below the parapet. The windowless upper part of the

facade was used historically to display painted signs. The facade and primary elevations are clad in original

beveled horizontal wood siding; vertical wood siding covers the south side of the rear addition. On the north

elevation, five square warehouse windows are placed along the building about 10’ off the ground. These have

been infilled with plywood within the historic openings. This building has been added onto over time,

particularly on the rear (east) and south sides.

This building is the only remaining building in Snoqualmie significantly associated with Otto Reinig, a

prominent Snoqualmie citizen in the early 1900s. Otto was the son of influential early Snoqualmie residents

Leonard and Margarethe Reinig. He started in the grocery business in the early 1900s after spending five years

in Dawson during the Klondike gold rush. Reinig later served as Postmaster from 1915 to the late 1940s; the post

office was located in the store during his tenure. Reinig served as Mayor of Snoqualmie for eleven years, and

was active in community organizations including in the Fall City Masonic Lodge, and a founding member of

Snoqualmie IOOF Lodge. In 1946, Reinig sold his interest in the business to Harold Johnson who operated a

Red and White Food Store and a Standard Brands Paint dealership. The building was purchased in 1984 by

Richard and Betty Carmichael. It presently houses the Coast-to-Coast Hardware.

HRI#: 0742 Snoqualmie State Bank

Address: 38767 SE River Street

Date Built: 1923 Status: Primary

This brick building was constructed on a vacant site in 1923 to house the State Bank of Snoqualmie, which had

been founded in 1919 by W. L. Peters and associates. The bank building is a rectangular 26-by 40-foot, tall one-

story brick building with a hip roof, projecting eaves and Colonial Revival detailing. The building has

experienced only minor alterations since its construction, and is the only commercial structure in the city of this

style. The building has large, wood double-hung windows with 12-over-12 and 12-over-16 pane glazing. There

are three windows on the east elevation; two windows, and a brick filled space which repeats the pattern of the

window openings, on the west elevation; and three windows, separated only by wooden pilasters, on the facade.

The entry door takes the place of the lower portion of the third window. There is an exterior brick chimney on

the east facade. Decorative brick work with projecting diamond shapes and a double soldier course circles the

building above the windows. Originally, the building’s trim and window sash were painted a dark color; they are

now painted white. Other changes include the conversion of interior gutters to exterior gutters, and installation

of metal Colonial-style lanterns on the facade c. 1980. A rectangular, 14 by 20 foot, low one-story room extends

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from the rear (south) elevation. This originally housed the boiler room but has been used for offices for many

years.

In the late 1920s, in addition to housing the bank, the building was used as meeting place by the Snoqualmie

Town Council, and as the City Clerk’s office. In 1929 the bank was purchased and operated by C. Beadon Hall

of Tolt, who also owned banks in Carnation, Duvall, North Bend, and Issaquah. Hall was active in community

affairs, particularly with the Methodist Church. He also platted some land adjacent to the City of Snoqualmie.

Hall’s banks survived the Depression and were consolidated as the Washington State Bank in 1943; this building

was the headquarters branch. The Washington State Bank was sold to Seattle First National Bank (Seafirst) in

1956. In 1976 Seafirst conveyed the building to the City of Snoqualmie, which uses the building as its city hall.

HRI# 0013: Snoqualmie Railroad Depot

Address: 38625 SE King Street [109 S King Street]

Date Built: 1890 Status: Primary

Listed in the National Register: 7/24/1974

Designated City of Snoqualmie Landmark: 10/26/95

The Snoqualmie Railroad Depot is significant for its association with the broad theme of transportation. As the

oldest continually operating train station in Washington state, it serves as a prominent reminder of the significant

role the railroad played in both state and local history. The building is also significant as a fine example of

Queen Anne Style architecture. The building is prominently located in the district across Railroad Avenue from

the historic commercial structures. For additional information about this property, please see the Town of

Snoqualmie Landmark and the National Register Nomination forms.

HRI# 0753 Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) Lodge 196

Address: 38601 SE King Street

Date Built: 1902 Status: Primary

Designated City of Snoqualmie Landmark: 10/26/1995

The Snoqualmie Odd Fellows Hall is significant for its association with the development of community

organizations in Snoqualmie. Built for the Modern Woodsman’s fraternal organization, and later acquired by the

Odd Fellows Lodge, the building is also significant as a good example of a fraternal building type. The tall, two-

story building is one of the most visually-prominent historic structures in the community. It is located

immediately west of the railroad depot, which it faces. Restoration work on the IOOF Hall began in 1997 with

stabilization of the foundation. For additional information about this property, please see the Town of

Snoqualmie Landmark Nomination.

HRI# 1354 Railroad Right-of-Way, including Memorial Trees and Totem Pole

Address: West of Railroad Avenue between the north line of River and 90’ north of King Street.

Date: 1889, 1930, 1936 Status: Primary

When Snoqualmie was platted in 1889, the railroad right-of-way was envisioned as the center of a divided

boulevard which would parallel the tracks. The boulevard was not planned to extend through the station block,

however. The railroad right-of-way in the heart of the commercial district had no formal landscaping and was

overgrown in the 1920s. Its present appearance is due in part to the service work of the Upper Valley Kiwanis

Club. In early 1930, the newly formed club undertook as a service project the beautification of downtown

Snoqualmie. The club encouraged the city to plant trees between the highway and the railroad tracks. The

evergreen trees planted through that effort are a diverse array of species, including native, west coast, and non-

native trees. This line of large, mature trees have become a significant feature of the commercial district. The

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railroad right-of-way surrounding the depot has been maintained as open space, with grass and trees. Another

prominent feature of this site, the Snoqualmie Totem Pole, was donated by George Foster Kelley in 1936.

Kelley, having had the vision of a totem pole for the district, gathered donations from neighbors and friends, and

Hugh H. Hinds of Fall City to carve the pole.

Portions of the historic right-of-way north of King Street are now

owned by the City. Recent additions the right-of-way include a gazebo just north of King Street, and artifacts

interpreting the historic lumber milling operations in the area north of River Street.

NON-CONTRIBUTING BUILDINGS

These properties were built after 1940, or, if built before 1940, have been substantially altered since their

construction. The site number refers to the field site number assigned during the 1996-7 Snoqualmie Historic

Resources Inventory.

Site #: 74 Rhea’s Cafe

Address: 7980 Railroad Avenue N [202 Railroad Avenue N]

Construction date: 1919 Status: non-contributing

This building, prominently located on the northeast corner of the intersection of King Street and Railroad

Avenue, has been extensively altered since its construction in 1919. Many of these changes were associated with

changes in use and ownership. In the early 1920s, George Boyes operated the Snoqualmie Bakery in the

building. In 1924, Mr. and Mrs. F.R. Smith opened the Snoqualmie Cafe, and completed work on the building,

including covering the exterior in stucco and adding a large picture window in front. As of 1926, the building

was owned by Rhea Bellinger and operated as Rhea's Cafe. The canopy was in place by 1940. Remodels and

changes of ownership have continued since the 1960s, with the building’s operation as Sno-Falls Cafe and most

recently, the Timber Inn. At some point, the original stepped corners of the building’s second story facade have

been squared off and covered in rough clapboard siding. The lower story has had brick veneer added, and the

wood sash windows have been replaced by aluminum sash. The southern elevation originally had two doors and

several windows which have been bricked over. Dormer windows on the south roof elevation remain but have

been boarded over. The rear elevation reveals the original gambrel roof design.

HRI#: 1344 Shinner Electric

Address: 8002 Railroad Avenue [158 Railroad Avenue]

Date Built: 1910 Status: non-contributing

The present appearance of this structure reflects 1950s and 1960s alterations to a c. 1910 commercial building.

The building is prominently located on the southeast corner of the intersection of Railroad Avenue and King

Street. Property tax records provide a date of 1910 for a 20’ wide and 52’ long building. However, a building of

quite similar dimensions appears on a 1908 Sanborn Map, which suggests an earlier construction date. The

building was likely used as the Owl Tavern in its early years. The building was constructed as a onestory

building with a single-gable roof. It had a boomtown facade at the street side, and a shed roof porch extending

over the sidewalk. The walls and boomtown facade were covered in horizontal wood siding, and the storefront

had a center entry flanked by wood sash windows on a wooden bulkhead. In the 1920s and 1930s, the building

had several owners and tenants. By 1940, William Shinner was operating Shinner Electric, a Motorola Radio

dealership, in the building. Shinner modified the building extensively in the 1950s and 1960s. By 1956, the

exterior of the building was covered with a composition siding patterned to resemble brick, and the entry had

been moved to the corner of the building, facing the intersection. The shop windows were extended across the

Railroad Avenue facade and around to the north elevation. A flat canopy which projects over the sidewalk

wrapped around the building above the first story. By 1965, the building had been expanded to the east and shop

windows were installed on the north elevation, and the canopy extended over the new windows. The building’s

Dave Battey, Past and Present, “Snoqualmie Totem Pole,” 1991.

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gable roof was replaced with a flat roof, which is hidden behind a low parapet wall. The building currently

houses a beauty saloon.

Site#: 78 City of Snoqualmie Offices

Address: 8020 Railroad Avenue

Date Built: 1972; remodeled 1997 Status: non-contributing

The City of Snoqualmie office building adjacent to the Red Apple Market was built in 1972 and a second story

was added in 1997. This structure, set back from Railroad Avenue behind a parking lot, reflects the changes to

the traditional commercial building pattern which resulted from increased automobile use. Before construction

of this building, the site was occupied by a 1916 building which housed Ghale’s Café in the 1920s and 30s and

Terrell’s Cafe in the 1940s.

Site#: 36: Red Apple Market

Address: 8030 Railroad Avenue

Date Built: 1963-4 Status: non-contributing

Built in 1963-4, the Red Apple Market building is of masonry construction with stone veneer on the facade and

aluminum sash storefront windows. The stepped parapet and shed porch roof across the facade supported on

large wooden brackets were later additions. This structure, set back from Railroad Avenue behind a parking lot,

reflects the changes to the traditional commercial building patterns which resulted from increased automobile

use. Prior to construction of this market, the site contained several wood frame buildings as well as a block-long

street connecting Railroad Avenue and Falls Avenue. From north to south, these were the Hackney 5 & 10 Cent

Store (1906), Court Street, and the Nye Brothers General Store (1890).

HRI#: 1346 Harding’s / Northwest Cellars

Address: 8050/8052 Falls Avenue SE

Date Built: 1953 Status: non-contributing

This one-story commercial structure was built in 1953. The building has been altered somewhat since that time.

Shortly after the building’s construction, a partial second story was added for an apartment. The original porch

canopy had a flat roof; the current hipped roof is a later addition. Assessor’s records indicate that the wood

siding on the 1953 building may have been vertical rather than horizontal wood originally. Originally, a two-

story wooden building with a false front (1901) stood on this site. Archibald Dry Goods occupied the building

from c. 1908 until 1921, when it was purchased by F. Harold Harding and operated as Harding's Dry Goods. In

1953, Harding’s son tore down the 1901 building and constructed the current building. Harding’s store continued

in business in this location until 1994. Two shop spaces have been created in the building, which currently

houses Northwest Cellars.

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Site#: 44 Vacant

Address: Between 8096 Railroad Avenue and 8102 Railroad Avenue

Status: non-contributing

This property has been vacant since at least 1944. Historically, William Fury’s livery stable was located on the

northern portion of this lot and part of the adjacent lot. By 1926, the livery been converted to use as a garage.

The garage was demolished prior to construction of the Fury Block in 1928.

Site# 47 Vacant / George Swenson Memorial Site

Name: Parking lot between City Hall (HRI# 0742) and Railroad Avenue S

Status: non-contributing

This parking lot, with its recently-erected memorial to George Swenson is the former site of Tippie’s Garage and

Service Station. The station was built in 1925 and operated by Nat Tippie from at least the early 1930s through

1940. The garage property was purchased by Robert Pickering in 1956 and sold to Seafirst in 1960, several years

after Seafirst acquired the adjacent bank building. The building had been demolished by 1963.

Site #72: Burton Hotel / Smokey Joe’s Tavern

Address: 38600 SE King Street

Built: 1910 / altered 1960s Status: non-contributing

This building, prominently located on King Street across from the Snoqualmie Railroad Depot and the IOOF

Hall, is the lower story of a two-story hotel built in 1910. The building was originally called the Hotel

Snoqualmie, continuing the ownership and business of the original Hotel Snoqualmie on the corner of Falls

Avenue and River Street which burned in 1908. By the late 1920s, Jacob Burton owned the hotel. The 1940 tax

photo records the original two story structure with "Burton Hotel -Apartments-Rooms" painted on the side. The

hotel was damaged by fire and remodeled in the 1960s. In addition to the loss of the second story, other changes

to the exterior appearance such as the covering of window openings have altered the historic appearance of the

property.

Bibliography

1996/7 Survey and Inventory of the City of Snoqualmie Historic Overlay Zone, Historic Resource Inventory

Records. Kent Sundberg, Prinicipal Investigator. King County Landmarks and Heritage Program.

Battey, Dave. Past and Present series, including “Cross State Highway,” 1990; and “Snoqualmie Totem Pole,”

1991.

Our Snoqualmie Community. History Committee, Snoqualmie Community Development Program. May, 1956.

Watson, Kenneth G. and King County Landmarks and Heritage Program Staff. Overview History of Snoqualmie,

Washington. King County Landmark and Heritage Program, 1997.

King County Property Tax Records, Puget Sound Regional Archives

Snoqualmie Valley Museum Historic Photograph Collection

American Automobile Association Archives, various highway maps

Owners Of Property

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Richard and Elizabeth

Carmichael

P.O. Box 2000

Snoqualmie, WA 98065

Parcel #: 784920-0346

Josephine Guab Trust

P.O. Box 369

North Bend, WA 98045

Parcel #: 784920-0495

Chester and Dora Lane

4123 150th Avenue SE

Bellevue, WA 98006

Parcel #: 784920-0496

Catherine Randleman

8217 Mountain Avenue

Snoqualmie, WA 98065

Parcel #s: 784920-0505

784920-0511

Lumber and Sawmill Workers

Union 1845

P.O. Box 526

Snoqualmie, WA 98065

Parcel #: 784920-0510

Kenneth & Susan Sherman

P.O. Box 202

Fall City, WA 98024

Parcel #: 784920-0520

Chester Lane

P.O. Box 2042

Snoqualmie, WA 98065

Parcel #: 784920-0525

David M. Sims

5309 372nd Avenue SE

Fall City, WA 98024

Parcel #: 784920-0530

Union Bank of California NA

772501

RE Operations/ Accts Payable

P.O. Box 85602

San Diego, CA 92186

Parcel #: 784920-0540

Robert C. Thornberg

73760 Whitestone Lane

Palm Desert, CA 92260

Parcel #: 784920-0541

City of Snoqualmie

P.O. Box 987

Snoqualmie, WA 98065

Parcel #s: 784920-0555

784920-0550

784920-2975

784920-1571

Matt and Cris Dillon

2-NA Inc.

P.O. Box 1888

Snoqualmie, WA 98065

Parcel #: 784920-1370

Puget Sound Railroad

Historical Association

P.O. Box 459

Snoqualmie, WA 98065

Parcel #s: 784920-1375

784920-1570

Galloway Living Trust

12212 NE 62nd

Kirkland, WA 98033

Parcel #: 784920-1755

James and Kathleen Williams

5527 Preston-Fall City Road

Fall City, WA 98024

Parcel #: 784920-2956

Ewing & Jo Ann Stringfellow

P.O. Box 393

North Bend, WA 98045

Parcel #: 784920-2965

Patrick Busby

37702 SE 84th Place

Snoqualmie, WA 98065

Parcel #: 784920-2970

Verbal Boundary Description

The nominated district includes the following parcels (see Map A):

784920-0346

784920-0495

784920-0496

784920-0505

784920-0510

784920-0511

784920-0520

784920-0525

784920-0530

784920-0540

784920-0541

784920-0550

784920-0555

784920-1370

784920-1375

784920-1755

784920-2956

784920-2965

784920-2970

784920-2975,

784920-1570,* and

784920-1571.*

*southern 90’ of parcel only.

The nominated district also includes the portions of Railroad Avenue, Falls Avenue, River Street, and King Street

bounded by these parcels and illustrated on Map A.