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From:
Subject: Re: [PSRoots] Some SNOHOMISH CEMETERY History:
Date: Sun, 26 Mar 2006 12:19:47 EST


In a message dated 3/17/2006 2:34:24 PM Central Standard Time,
writes:

These are the reasons to why I take the time to go out and walk the
cemeteries in my area and take headstone photos. I love my digital. I take the camera
home download it and then name then and download them onto cd's. Its been
quite the experience for me. I get people asking me if this person or that
person is buried in the cemtery that i have posted and most of the time they are.
So becasue I have them on the cd I can send them copies of the headstones.
These are called acts of kindness. So I earge everyone to get together and get
into groups and start hitting those cemeteries for the history that is being
taken away.

I have multiple sclerosis and its hard for me to do this in the heat of the
summer, so spring, early summer and fall is best for me to do this in. Plus
its great exercise for me and my legs. I plan to go out weather providing this
next weekend and finish the 2 cemeteries I have photos transcribed.

I live in Springfield Missouri, I have St. marys almost finished, some near
kimberling city, and maple park some but not all yet (large cemetery), so if
you need any assistance with those cemeteries let me know and I will try and
help you.

Leona
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 memoires sometimes conflict.
City staff
and archeologists have compiled the following history.
The land overlooking the Pilchuck River became an official cemetery in
1876. For centures 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, newpapers reported repeated acts of vandalism and
mischief at the abandoned cemetery. A number of families relocated remains
or headstons 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, althrough a state law had been passed
that allowed only buildings for cemetery use to be built on gravehyards
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 fre remains.
From August to December 2005, archeoligists 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.
* * * 30 * * *
COMMENT: * G.A.R. or Grand Armby 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 Cem 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 Cem. 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 gain 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 reponsibility 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 layed 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 extention was
where there were
about two large trees close to the NE corner
of the 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
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 begginning 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 highwy cut throught 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 make 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

* * * 30 * *
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