The Great Snoqualmie Adventure: A Victorian Weekend Outing

A group of gentlemen from Seattle, including Commodore J. D. Smith, Amos Cotting, Judge David Glass, and others, recently set out on an expedition to survey the natural wonders of the Snoqualmie Valley. Traveling by train to Gilman (modern-day Issaquah) and then by stagecoach, they were escorted by a local character known as 'Mac,' a man of florid complexion and endless humor, whose supply of 'medicinal' Scotch whiskey and tall tales made the rugged journey over corduroy roads—logs placed three feet apart—seem far less harrowing. The party eventually reached a hop ranch, where they engaged in a competitive fishing expedition, debating whether the catch was thirty-seven or three hundred and thirty-seven trout. The excursion concluded with a visit to Snoqualmie Falls, where one over-eager member of the party risked his neck to carve his name into the rock, believing he would be remembered by generations of future tourists. After a journey involving steamboats and makeshift logging transport, the party returned to Seattle, declaring the entire three-day 'wilderness' trip a triumphant success for the constitution and spirits of all involved.