The Knox Stallion at Hilton’s Snohomish Ranch
A high-pedigree horse on the banks of the Snohomish River offered a glimpse into the thriving frontier economy of the 1880s.
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 young Stallion will be four years old on the first of June; stands fifteen hands and two inches high; color, a rich, bright bay, with black mane and tail. Sire, Emperor William; dam by Rysdyk’s Hambletonian; combining the two best strains of blood in the world. Gen. Knox is the sire of Lady Maud (record, 2:18¾); Camors (2:19¾); Pluto (record, 2:31); Gilbreth Knox (record, 2:26½); Messenger Knox (record, 2:32); Maine Slasher (record, 2:32); and many others too numerous to mention. Will be found at B. D. Hilton’s ranch, Snohomish River, one and a half miles from Snohomish City, and can be reached from all points of the Sound by the steamer Nellie, which makes regular trips up the Snohomish river. Mares not proven with foal can be returned next season free of charge. Stabling or pasturing furnished at reasonable rates, all at risk of owners. B. D. Hilton, Proprietor.
“This beautiful young Stallion... combining the two best strains of blood in the world.”
While Snohomish is now better known for its historic downtown and antique shops, the Snohomish River remains a lifeline that has defined the region since these early agricultural days. B. D. Hilton's ranch captures a time when the river was the primary highway for commerce, livestock, and community connection before the roads took over.
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