[or-roots] More information on the Snohomish Cemetery

Fri Mar 17 17:28:25 PST 2006

I got this email on another list I subscribed to.  It is about the Snohomish Cemetery.  It sounds like this cemetery really needs some TLC. It is my hope that we do not have any such stories hiding around here in Oregon.

Eugene

From:  "Carroll Clark" <w7iml at gte.net> 
To:  PSRoots-L at rootsweb.com 
Subject:  [PSRoots] Some SNOHOMISH CEMETERY History: 
Date:  Friday, March 17, 2006 12:33:18 PM  

This is an article by Jenny Zuvela, Staff Writer for The Snohomish County TRIBUNE, with permission to copy the following from the Editor of SC TRIBUNE and from Jenny Zuvela, quoted in full (Vol. 117, Number 11 for Wed. March 15, 2006):

The cemetery's history . . .  By Jenny Zuvela

	The old pioneers buried at the former Snohomish Cemetery on Cypress Avenue may be able to rest in peace, descendants say, now that the city has abandoned plans to build a senior center on the site.

	The history of the cemetery over the last 120 years is difficult to put together, as records are often missing and memories sometimes conflict.  City staff and archeologists have compiled the following history.

	The land overlooking the Pilchuck River became an official cemetery in 1876.  For centuries before that, it is believed the land was an American Indian burial ground.  The cemetery served the communities of Snohomish and surrounding towns until the Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery* was opened - the first recorded burial was in 1898.  Soon after, the Snohomish Cemetery board disbanded.  The last recorded burial was Pilchuck Julia in 1923.**

	From 1923 to 1947, newspapers reported repeated acts of vandalism and mischief at the abandoned cemetery.  A number of families relocated the remains or headstones to other locations during that period, but no one known how many.

	In 1947, the state built a highway, now Second Street, through the cemetery and split it into two portions.  The state moved 111 remains to the GAR Cemetery, and relatives have removed and relocated others throughout the decades.

	The Snohomish Historical Society*** created a pioneer village in part of the north section of the cemetery in the '70s.  The pioneer village is now closed indefinitely for repairs.

	Community groups periodically tried to clean up the cemetery in the '60s and '70s.  At some point one group removed about 60 headstones for cleaning, which were never returned.

	The Snohomish Seniors moved a salmon-pink farmhouse**** onto the property in 1991 to serve as a senior center, although a state law had been passed that allowed only buildings for cemetery use to be built on graveyards unless the land was decertified.  The city acquired the land for $5,000 in 1996, and the vision of a joint senior and youth center was born.

The city hired Northwest Archeological Associates in 1997 to determine how many graves existed.  Using non-invasive methods, they found one burial and two possible grave shafts.

	Descendants of pioneers buried in the old cemetery and the Tulalip Tribes objected to the plans to build a new senior center.  To avoid a trial, the city and the Tribes entered into an agreement that imposed a number of conditions on the city.  Specifically, the city had to search for and identify as best they could all human remains on the property and turn American Indian remains over to the Tribes.  The city expected to find only a few remains.

	From August to December 2005, archeologists dug up the cemetery and found 96 spots that contained human remains.  Based on the unexpectedly high number and escalating costs, the City Council on March 7 decided not to construct a senior center on the property.

	The future of the old cemetery remains uncertain, but it's clear no one can build on the land unless the remains were removed and the cemetery was decertified.

END OF THIS QUOTED ARTICLE by the Snohomish County TRIBUNE

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COMMENT:

   * G.A.R. or Grand Army of the Republic is located outside the city limits of Snohomish and to the West on 2nd Street.

   ** There is a beautiful pink colored marble in memorial of Pilchuck out at G.A.R. and is located near the administrative building.

	It was placed there when Val Zalewski oversaw the GAR cemetery and felt it fitting to have a memorial for Pilchuck Julia, the last of the Pilchuck or Pillchuck Tribe of the Snohomish area to be.

	The fact that there is a memorial stone should not be inferred that her remains were taken out for burial at the GAR.

	There would have to be a confirmation of that having taken place.  Late Vic Mathisien (sp/?) of Snohomish was witness to her burial at Snohomish cemetery in 1923; he was age 13 at that time.

	Vic, also, told me that when the wagons (horse drawn and or powered) delivering/picking up milk in those early times, bottles of booze would be stashed behind the tombstones for "pickup" stations.  Vandals hadn't overturned tombstones as yet.

   * * * From whom did the Snohomish Historical Society gain the permission, who was responsible for putting the various buildings, including a log cabin that was transported from near the Centennial Trail parking areas just outside of the City Limits of Snohomish, along with known buildings from various parts of the city, all of which were placed on top of a known Cemetery site smaller portion, just North of the Hwy 2 cut, or now 2nd street.

	What is the difference of the house place on top of the Cemetery, and designated a senior center, and the various buildings, plus the tombstones removed from the main portion of the Cemetery to be place at the "pioneer village" site.  All are on top of a designated cemetery that had not, and has not been decertified.

	Who will bare the responsibility for the "village" if the cemetery - all of it - Parcels A, B, and C. or the North Portion and the South Portions on either side of the 1947 Hwy 2 Cut, now Second Street are not decertified?

   * * * * This house was not salmon-pink house when it was moved on top of Snohomish Cemetery, but was painted salmon-pink, and blacktop for parking was laid down on top of the Cemetery, even over in the approximate area where Pilchuck Julia had been buried.

	Later, the building was found to be too small for the many activities that had grown with increased number of members, so about 30 feet was added on in an Easterly direction onto the original house.  The corner of that 30 ft extension was where there were about two large trees close to the NE corner of the extended building where 3 sandstone bases, and 1 finished granite, reddish/pink in color was the THOMAS  base stone I saw many times and pointed it out to various persons over the years.

	Restoration of the Cemetery as a Cemetery of record, not decertified in whole or part, except for the 80 ft. wide swath through the Northern portion of it, leaving a small Northern portion that is a certified Cemetery, that has a number of buildings on top of it, and may contain remains in addition to those found so far will be something for the Future to be realized.

	Now the city is beginning to call Snohomish Cemetery a "private cemetery" - what does this translate to?  Many were "confused" that there were still remains in the Cemetery, yet the Snohomish Historical Society stated on page 55 of its publication, River Reflections that there were remains on both sides of the highway cut through it.

	Common sense would preclude that the whole Cemetery was never dug up or exhumed completely.  Yet, there were so many that were "surprised" by the findings of the archeological digs, and exploration.  Time certainly does Tell, and always to our benefit as we encounter the Hurdles along the Way.  "They want to be found" seems to apply our Genealogical History.

	May the New Snohomish Senior Center makes up for lost time, and thrive as a fine, new addition to our history of Snohomish's Historical District.  It certainly has our Blessings for Success and Soon!

Carroll in Snohomish

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