Pioneer Gibbon home houses businesses

Originally published in the MVHS Bugle, February 1997

By Barbara Nilson

The Gibbon home, above, as it appeared in about 1910. Standing in front are Charlotte Jones of Black Diamond, Elizabeth Jones Gibbon, Chester Gibbon, William D. Gibbon, and Mr. and Mrs. John Jones.

The pioneer Gibbon home across from the Grange Hall on 218th S.E. has been rejuvenated by Mr. and Mrs. Curtis Lang as offices for two businesses.

Built in 1907 by William and Elizabeth Gibbon, the house was originally on the Maple Valley highway where the Red Apple Market sits today. The Gibbons operated their store next door.

In the 1940s the store was owned by Joe Mezzavilla who decided to build and expand. The house was bought by Harold and Jo Loveless in 1948 and was slid down the hill to its present location.

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Diamond ravaged by floods

Originally published in the Enumclaw High School Hornet, January 15, 1971

By Bill Kombol*

In the biggest news event since the opening of the new post office several months ago, the municipality of Black Diamond experienced an act of God in the form of a dam-break and subsequent wash out. The famed Mud Lake, a shallow depth, several-acre pond created over 20 years ago by the Black Diamond-based Palmer Coking Coal Company, was the scene of the disaster.

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Changes taking place around Ravensdale

Originally published in the Voice of the Valley, January 24, 2001

By Joan Burlingame

The next twelve months will see some major changes around the Ravensdale area. One of the most impacted areas will be in “downtown” Ravensdale between the fire station and Gracie Hansen Park. The Ravensdale post office will build a new post office in the northwest corner of the wooded land between the park and the fire station. The remaining 11.7 acres will be logged and eventually sold.

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Black Diamond council ups monthly water charges by $3

Originally published in the Enumclaw Courier-Herald, January 23, 1986

Black Diamond residents will pay a higher monthly water rate after passage of Ordinance No. 320 by the Black Diamond city council last Thursday night at city hall. The council voted unanimously to approve a $3 increase for the minimum water usage charge for the first 600 cubic feet of water on the minimum monthly charge.

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Railroads carry fight to Olympia: Milwaukee and Columbia & Puget Sound fail to agree on electrification

Originally published in The Seattle Daily Times, January 22, 1919

Case submitted to Taft

OLYMPIA, Wednesday, Jan. 22 — The Milwaukee Railroad and Columbia & Puget Sound, having failed to agree upon terms whereby the Milwaukee will be permitted to electrify about twenty-five miles of line belonging to Columbia & Puget Sound, but under a ninety-nine year lease for joint use by the Milwaukee, have transferred their fight to the Legislature.

In the first round fought out afternoon before the Senate judiciary committee, the Puget Sound won a postponement of the hearing on a condemnation bill the Milwaukee is urging until January 30, when representatives of all lines have been invited to appear before a meeting of the joint judiciary committees of the Senate and House.

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America’s deepest coal mine

Originally published in the Pacific Coast Bulletin, January 21, 1927

Taking pictures fifteen hundred feet below sea level is not an ordinary occurrence, so when the Bulletin photographer showed up at the bottom of the slope in Black Diamond Mine the other day he had little difficulty in securing subjects to pose.

This flashlight, the first ever taken in the mine, shows Manager of Mines D.C. Botting, Supt. Paul Gallagher, and a group of supervisors at the parting on the 12th Level. Other pictures have been taken in the mine, by the aid of powerful electric lights, but this is the first ever taken with flash powder.

From left to right: Dave Jenkins, Walter Rymus, Mr. Botting, Supt. Gallagher, Foreman Theo. Rouse, Richard Batty, Dave Hughes, and Aubrey Carlson.

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A step back in time: Maplevalley’s New Year’s baby 1921…almost

Originally published in North Maple Valley Living, January 2021

By JoAnne Matsumura
Maple Valley Historical Society

The parents prepared and waited expectantly for the arrival of their first child on New Year’s Day, not knowing if it would be a boy or a girl. It mattered not, as long as the child was healthy. They waited and waited.

Baby Phyllis Jane Schlotman arrived on January 20, 1921, to Maplevalley’s (Maple Valley was one word 100 years ago) Henry August Schlotman and Jeanette Micklejohn Schlotman. Phyllis Schlotman’s grandparents living close by surely were delighted and shared in the joy of the birth.

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Black Diamond Doings

Originally published in the Pacific Coast Bulletin, January 14, 1927

Briquets defeat Woodland Fuel squad

By Frank Bergmann

The local second-raters nosed out the West Woodland Fuel team in an exciting game last Sunday, at Woodland Park. The score was one goal to nothing.

On the toss the Briquets were forced to buck the strong wind and resort to different tactics to keep the ball out of their territory. They kept up their usual strong offensive play and were in very little danger of being scored against.

In the second half things looked easy, but they lacked their usual accuracy and many a shot at the framework went high. Their lone point came from a pass from H. Ogden to Jack Ogden.

Next Sunday the Briquets will journey to Tacoma to meet the Rock Dell eleven. The locals will field their strongest team against the Tacomans. P.J. Gallagher and Len Pierotti were transferred from the first team to the Briquets.

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Black Diamond bunkoed: Clever swindler palms himself off as an English nobleman

Originally published in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, January 13, 1901

Imposes on entire town

Harry Grosvenor represents himself as heir to title and estate of late Duke of Westminster, the richest peer in all England—carries on deception for months—decamps, owing much money

The people of the little coal mining town of Black Diamond are still wondering how it was done. If they had met him in Seattle and he had bunkoed them one at a time they wouldn’t have minded it so much, since it is one of the inalienable rights of every free-born American citizen to buy at least one gold brick in the course of his lifetime. If it had been a shell game or three-card monte it wouldn’t have been so bad, for it is beyond dispute that a little money spent in acquiring rudimentary knowledge of those pastimes might be more injudiciously invested.

But that a whole town could be artistically “flimflammed” by one smooth-spoken individual, operating single-handed and alone, is something that the 800 residents of Black Diamond would not have believed possible ten days ago. It was a gorgeous, golden spell that Harry Grosvenor cast over them, and even now that it is broken there are some who are not wholly satisfied that it was not worth the price it cost.

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BD police warn motorists to slow down

Originally published in the Enumclaw Courier-Herald, January 12, 1994

By Grant Musick
The Courier-Herald

Shaun Hoffman and Dustin Barnes help students cross 169. (Photo by Grant Musick)

Drivers passing through Black Diamond will be under closer scrutiny by the police as they crack down on enforcing the 20 mph speed limit when children are present.

Suzy Koch, who has been the adult crossing guard monitor for 18 months, said no single incident set off a warning signal. She has just become increasingly uneasy as more kids and more traffic meet at the crosswalk on Highway 169 in Black Diamond. She said about 35 to 40 kids use the crosswalk every day.

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