L.H. Rogers Seeks King County Farmland, 1891
A look at the turn-of-the-century land speculation market in King County, where suburban tracts were sold as the path to prosperity.
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.
I would like to purchase from 80 to 160 acres of good land in King County, with some good improvements. $1,250 will buy 24 acres of fine black loam soil, near Slaughter [modern-day Auburn], seven acres cleared and ready for plowing; land is all level and the very best of black loam soil and suitable for gardening or growing hops, and adjacent to two large hop fields. This land is three miles from Slaughter, on a county road. 40 acres, two miles from Renton, King County. Land is the best of Alder bottom; every foot level and black loam soil; easily cleared; will make a fine suburban home. This land is twelve miles from Seattle and near railroad and on county road. Price $35 per acre, cash. Here is a chance for a speculator to make money. 77 acres at $20 per acre, near Fall City, every foot fine river bottom land and very near the city; land is level and all good soil; four acres slashed. This land is on the bank of a navigable stream and one-quarter mile from railroad station.
“Here is a chance for a speculator to make money.”
This advertisement from 1891 captures the aggressive land speculation that built modern King County. Much like today, developers were framing 'suburban homes' on 'black loam' as the ultimate investment, though the names of towns like 'Slaughter' have since been rebranded for better curb appeal (now Auburn).
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