From remnants of the Old West to relics of the beginning of modern industry, the Mountains to Sound Greenway in Washington makes it easy to find the past.
Historic sites such as Meadowbrook Farm appeal to nature and history buffs alike. Meadowbrook Farm is a preserved historic landscape in the dramatic shadow of towering Mt. Si, once the site of a village of the Snoqualmie Tribe that later became the "World's Largest Hop Ranch" at the turn of the century.
Nothing tells of the Old West more than stories about mining. Visit the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in Seattle's historic Pioneer Square district. The visitor center houses photos and memorabilia from Seattle's turn-of-the-century boom days. And what would the Old West be without a few mining operations? Catch a glimpse of 19th century mining towns on the eastern side of the Greenway in Cle Elum and Roslyn. Roslyn hasn't changed much in all of these years, except for sprucing up the main street for the TV series "Northern Exposure." The historic graveyard is divided into ethnic zones, reflecting the many nations that sent miners here. Roslyn also has a museum that houses photos, mining tools and historical information.
Entire towns full of history await you on the Mountains to Sound Greenway. The spirit of early industry is still prevalent in places like Preston, a turn-of-the-century Scandinavian mill town. Visit housing remnants of a small, north woods logging town along the Raging River to observe historic homes and a church. On the eastern edge of the Mountains to Sound Greenway, plan to tour the Thorp Grist Mill. Built in 1883, the Thorp Grist Mill is the oldest industrial artifact in Kittias County. Containing a remarkable collection of hand-made wooden mill machinery, the mill is open to the public.
Interested in a bit more history? Visit the Snoqualmie Museum and Depot at the Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie. Here visitors can see historic train cars and exhibits in the classic Victorian railroad station. The museum also shows the history of railroads and logging in Snoqualmie Valley. If time permits, be sure also to visit Fall City Waterfront, the final upstream landing for early steamboats on the Snoqualmie River; Reinig Road Sycamore Corridor, the tree-lined main street of a former company town; and Mill Pond, the Snoqualmie Mill's former log-holding pond, which is now home to a variety of fish and wildlife.
