Knox the Stallion at Hilton’s Ranch
A prize-winning horse becomes the center of a regional breeding enterprise along the banks of the Snohomish River.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
This beautiful running stallion will be four years old on the 11th of June; stands sixteen hands and two inches high; color, a rich, bright bay, with black mane and tail. Sire, Emperor William; in my stud, Knox’s dam by Rysdyk’s Hambletonian, combining the two best strains of blood in the world. He will be found at R. D. Hilton’s ranch, on the Snohomish River. My farm is one and a half miles from Snohomish City and can be reached from all parts of the Sound by the steamer Nellie, which makes regular trips up the Snohomish River. Terms: $50. By the season. Mares not proven with foal can be returned next season free of charge. Stabling or pasturing furnished at reasonable rates. Mares at risk of owners.
“My farm is one and a half miles from Snohomish City and can be reached from all parts of the Sound by the steamer Nellie.”
This advertisement highlights the vital role of the Snohomish River as the primary 'highway' for commerce and agriculture in the 1880s. While the river's transport role has shifted from steamers to recreational boating and ecological restoration, the river remains the defining feature of Snohomish's landscape and economic history.
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