The Renting Prospect on the Snohomish River
A rare glimpse into the early housing market of the Snohomish valley, where a riverside property seeks a tenant for a multi-year term.
A To Rent notice on the page offers a property for two or three years. It locates the place near the mouth of the river in Snohomish County and gives terms for the rental.
The notice directs inquiries to J. D. Fowler at Snohomish, W.T. It provides no fuller description of the property beyond the term and general location.
“Part of the rent may be paid in produce.”
This 1877 notice captures a time when the Snohomish River was the lifeblood of regional commerce, and 'rent' was often negotiated through barter—a stark contrast to the rigid, sky-high cash-rent market of modern Snohomish County. The shift from paying for a homestead in 'produce' to today's housing crisis highlights how the land has evolved from a site of production to a commodity of speculative value.
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