News reports and photos from Black Diamond and the towns of Bayne, Cumberland, Danville, Durham, Elkcoal, Franklin, Kangley, Krain, Kummer, Lawson, Navy, Palmer, Ravensdale, and Selleck
Originally published in The Seattle Daily Times, May 13, 1914
Black Diamond and Cumberland local unions register protests against removal of John H. Wallace
Consider executive’s action unwarranted; assert deposed industrial insurance commissioner performed duties well and protected workingmen
By C.D. Stratton
Asserting that an injustice was done John H. Wallace when he was removed from office as a member of the state industrial insurance commission, the mine workers of Black Diamond, where Wallace once dug coal, today forwarded to Gov. Ernest Lister a letter registering their indignant protest against the executive’s action in requesting the resignation of their friend and former fellow workman. The letter was drafted by a committee of three appointed by Black Diamond Local No. 2257 or the United Mine Workers of America. The local is one of the largest in the state.
Originally published in the Pullman Herald, November 19, 1920
Unidentified photograph from Selleck, ca. 1920.
The advantages of the large graded school are being appreciated by the people of King County. During the past year 11 of the smaller districts have discontinued their rural schools and are now transporting their children to larger school centers. The school districts of King County are supporting 80 routes of transportation which daily carry 1,603 grade pupils and 513 high school pupils to large central schools.
Originally published in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, September 28, 1943
In the hills of Washington State are coal deposits three times as great as the anthracite fields of Pennsylvania, George Watkins Evans, consulting mining engineer, told the West Coast Mineral Association yesterday.
Originally published in The Seattle Times, September 9, 1973
This is one of a series of Sunday articles of interest to bicycle enthusiasts in the Seattle area. The series provides information and maps on rides the cyclist may enjoy easily and includes tips on bicycling safety, equipment, and maintenance.
Black Diamond ride data Location: South King County. Black Diamond starting point, south of Renton on Highway 169. Terrain: Unusually level riding with little traffic. A few smooth, short hills and several small villages. Time and length: About 18 miles as shown. Allow 1½ hours or more. Three hours gives time for a swim and picnic enroute. A longer tour may be linked to this ride by cycling south from the Bellevue area through Coalfield. Features: The Green River with spectacular gorge area. Pleasant views of mountains and trees. Back roads through an unspoiled region of King County.
By Chuck Seward
Everyone can enjoy a fine bicycle ride covering an 18-mile loop along almost exclusively level back roads far from city traffic.
The tour begins at Black Diamond and passes through the villages of Cumberland, Palmer, Kanaskat, Georgetown, and Ravensdale.
Black Diamond itself is not large, but Seattle riders will have no trouble finding it along the Maple Valley Highway about 18 miles southeast of Renton. The Black Diamond Elementary School sits on the main road in the center of town and provides a good starting point, with space to leave cars and an opportunity for a cup of coffee from the little 24-hour restaurant across the street.
The Black Diamond Bakery probably is the town’s most famous landmark although coal, and not overdone bread, gave the town its name.
Originally published in The Seattle Sunday Times, September 8, 1963
By Alfred L. Lomax
The Dakota, a sidewheeler on the Seattle-San Francisco run, was taking on coal at Talbot Dock. — Photos courtesy of Museum of History and Industry.
In the 1860s and 1870s, when the pungent aroma of freshly cut lumber permeated the damp Puget Sound atmosphere, the sulfurous smell of coaldust mingled with the more fragrant sawdust at Seattle, Tacoma, and Sehome (Bellingham).
While whirring saws sliced the giant firs into exportable lumber, the thud of picks and the harsh scrape of shovels could be heard in the Cascade foothills preparing the coal for tidewater bunkers.
Originally published in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, September 6, 1953
By Jim Hill Post-Intelligencer Automobile Editor
GREEN RIVER SCENE—Scenic site pictured here is on Green River several miles above Palmer, Wash. Post-Intelligencer Cartour party noted a number of weekend anglers trout fishing in stream with some success. Fashionable 1953 Nash Rambler used on one-day outing proved roomy and comfortable with lots of engine power and acceleration.
An invitation from Paul Pursley, Nash zone manager, to take a continental-styled 1953 Nash Rambler convertible on this week’s Post-Intelligencer Cartour was received with keen anticipation.
The strikingly modern Rambler, with a wheelbase of only 100 inches, seats six persons in its roomy, comfortable interior and is a very smooth riding and driving unit. Powered by 6-cylinder, 85-horsepower L-head engine, the Rambler has good acceleration and power to spare.
A picnic outing to the Green River Gorge and vicinity was our objective on this week’s trip as we headed south on Rainier Avenue to Renton and via Highway 5 through Kent and fertile Green River Valley to Auburn, where we turned left for 13 miles through wooded hills to Black Diamond. From this latter town, home of our own Welsh forbear coal miners, a good gravel road leads four miles to the Green River Gorge, a total of 43 miles in all from downtown Seattle.
Originally published in The Seattle Daily Times, April 18, 1923
Black Diamond to entertain
Black Diamond will open its baseball season on its home grounds Sunday with the Wandering All-Stars of Seattle for opponents. This will be the second coal mining town in which the Wanderers have initiated the season, having raised the curtain at Issaquah last Sunday by beating the club in that town, 6 to 0.
Johnny Quinn, who allowed Issaquah only one hit in six innings last Sunday, will do the deceiving for the Wanderers.
Originally published in the Enumclaw Courier-Herald, March 13, 2002
By Kevin Hanson The Courier-Herald
A full Deep Lake dock at the popular Nolte State Park near Enumclaw is a sign of warm-weather fun.
One of the Plateau’s popular recreation areas, Nolte State Park, could find itself on the chopping block.
The one-time resort—home to grassy lawns, hiking trails, and Deep Lake—is among a long list of parks that could be closed due to the state’s budget crunch.
Originally published in the Enumclaw Courier-Herald, March 2, 2011
By Wally DuChateau Wally’s World
On occasion, I like to drive into the back country around Selleck and Palmer, just to see what has changed. That’s where I found myself recently.
I was driving up the Lake Walker Road when I passed a sign for the Mountain Crest Memorial Park on the left side of the lane.
“Well, now,” I thought and flipped a U-turn. “What the hell is this?”
I went back to the entrance and drove inside. Guess what? Just inside the gate there was a mausoleum, for cryin’ out loud. Who ever heard of such a thing, out here in the middle of nowhere? Further down the entrance road, there was a house, a few other buildings and, beyond that, open grounds that suggested some kind of resort.
Originally published in The Seattle Sunday Times, February 13, 1916
For the first time in more than a year practically every coal mine in the state of Washington is now working full time, according to reports received during the last week by William Short, secretary-treasurer of District No. 10, United Mine Workers of America, with headquarters in Seattle.
Black Diamond History 