Fourth of July Celebrations have been a major event on the West Shore of Puget Sound for more than 100 years. In 1906, for example, more than 2000 people from Seattle and other towns, participated in a giant gathering on the sandy shore near Curley Creek, in the middle of Yukon Harbor.
This past Fourth, the Yukon Harbor Historical Society brought that tradition back, hosting a more modest event near the old townsite of Colby. In addition to the locals and members of YHHS, third and fourth-generation decendents of the original pioneers of this area came, bringing historical photos and documents with them.
In addition to conversation, good food, and a few whimsical games, visitors toured several of the historic houses that remain from the 1880’s as well as the cemetery where those long gone generations are buried. Plans for the eventual Old Colby Bell monument were discussed, too.
(For more information on the monument project and the history of the well-traveled bell, see the article, below.)
This photo, provided by Shirlee Toman, shows the Colby Picnic in it’s heyday, about 1905. Typically, thousands of people came from all around Puget Sound to eat, play baseball, and have conversation on the sandy stretch of beach between the Colby Lumber Mill and Curley Creek.
My husband Bill and I live [on] Southworth Drive, and we look over Yukon Harbor, south of the old picnic area. When we built our place in 2004, the former owner, John O’Neil, gave us an original document- the plot map for several ‘vacation’ lots, sold at the 1909 World’s Fair in Seattle for $9, I believe – our lot is one of several long lots sold at that time.
Do you have that document yet? I will scan it and send it to you, and we’re very interested in your work — we have walked by your house frequently, and noticed the [historical Old Colby] bell right away when it went up.
Thank you so much for doing this — it’s fascinating.
Annette Holmstrom