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
Black Diamond High, built in 1921, was located on the same site as the current Black Diamond Elementary, next to a wooden grade-school built around the turn of the last century.
“After twenty-five years, our old high is closing its doors,” reported Black Diamond High’s student newspaper, The Sparkler. Ceremonies June 3, 1943, were subdued due to the “war and all.”
The traditional Class Night was canceled as was the Baccalaureate. There was no Mother’s Tea as most of the mothers were working in defense plants. Many of the school’s typewriters were sent back to the Underwood Typewriter Co. in Auburn to be used elsewhere. And even the town’s library was closed due to a lack of staff.
Originally published in The Seattle Sunday Times, February 1, 1948
Descendent of pioneer-built line still doing some business in King County
By Willard Marsh
‘Old Number 14.’ Of the 29.6-mile Pacific Coast Railroad, proof that a steam locomotive actually never wears out but merely becomes obsolescent in its old age, labors mightily at the smoky end of empty gondola cars enroute to the coal mines of Black Diamond.
The Pacific Coast Railroad, in King County operates 29.6 miles of track, according to its own official timetables. This makes the Pacific Coast a short-line railroad, one of the few remaining in the United States.
The American short-line railroad was born, grew strong, served a purpose in the growth of a nation, then declined and almost disappeared in the 50 years embracing the last quarter of the 19th and the first quarter of the 20th century.
Originally published in the Enumclaw Eagle, June 29, 1988
Pointing the way to the Black Diamond Museum are, from left, Carl Steiert, museum curator; Bob Eaton, historical society member; Keith Olson, utilities supervisor; and Bill Kombol, of Palmer Coking Coal Co. (Eagle photo)
BLACK DIAMOND — Visitors here will find the Black Diamond Historical Museum easier thanks to signs placed on the major roads leading into town.
The signs end a five-year fight between the city and the state highway department.
“You just can’t put anything on a state route,” said Keith Olson, Black Diamond utilities superintendent. “We sent in a lot of requests, but no one would listen.”
Finally, the city started a letter-writing campaign, which caught the attention of King County Councilman Gary Grant.
“He got the ball rolling, and everything went smoothly after that,” said museum curator Carl Steiert. “We’d like to thank him for all his help.”
On the comer on of Railroad Avenue and Baker Street, the Black Diamond Historical Museum started as a train depot in around 1886. The building served as a café, library, the phone exchange, the water department office, and city warehouse over the years.
Originally published in The Seattle Times, May 24, 1972
By John J. Reddin
Frank T. Watkins put an “Oregon boot” on Frank Storey.
It isn’t the Smithsonian Institution, perhaps—but at least it’s a start.
A small but dedicated group of Renton-area residents with a sense of history and deep-rooted affection for their early-day coal-mining community has put together a small but attractive museum to display the relics, artifacts, and souvenirs of its pioneer past.
After six or more years of collecting old photographs, antiques, and other memorabilia for a Renton Historical Society Museum, the group will dedicate its new museum June 4.
With Frank Storey, president of the Renton Historical Society, we recently made a prevue tour of the museum. Also on the tour were Vice Adm. Frank T. Watkins (ret.), president of the Seattle Historical Society, Mrs. Elizabeth Sutton Gustison, director of Seattle’s Museum of History and Industry, and several members of Renton Historical Society.
Originally published in the Pacific Coast Bulletin, December 2, 1927
When San Francisco shipping interests recently staged their first Pacific Foreign Trade and Travel Exposition, the Pacific Coast Coal Company prepared an exhibit in one of the booths which attracted considerable attention.
The background shows a panorama of Seattle’s waterfront, with the company’s marine bunker facilities the feature of the Ralph C. Dean, manager of the Portland office, was in charge of the display.
Originally published in the Pacific Coast Bulletin, October 14, 1927
Ten Chevrolet trucks of two tons capacity each were added to the delivery fleet of the Pacific Coast Coal Company this week. Emphasis on the company’s new policy of direct sales to the consumer in Seattle is apparent in the signs “From Mine to You,” prominently displayed on the sides of the trucks.
Assistant Sales Manager Thos. M. Reeder is enthusiastic over the performance of the new equipment, which is designed to meet the peculiar conditions found in Seattle.
Originally published in the Pacific Coast Bulletin, October 7, 1927
When frosty nights come in sunny Southern California the citrus groves protected with Diamond Briquet heaters are safe from the damaging blight of frost. Of late years Diamond Briquet heating has become increasingly popular, both because of its efficiency and by reason of its cleanliness and the absence of sooty clouds of greasy smoke.
The scene shown above is from an actual photograph taken at night in an orange grove. Note the red-hot glow of the heaters and the almost utter absence of smoke.
Originally published in the Pacific Coast Bulletin, August 19, 1927
One of the most cosmopolitan spots in Seattle is the coal bunkers of the Pacific Coast Coal Company at the foot of Dearborn Street. There ships of the seven seas flying most of the maritime flags of the world, call to fill their bunkers with coal.
Recently the Dutch, Japanese, and German flags were followed by the British colors of the Blue Funnel freighter Achilles, which glided into the slip drawing 21 feet of water, and there was still plenty of depth to spare.
Originally published in the South County Journal, August 13, 1997
BLACK DIAMOND — The Black Diamond City Council has set Sept. 4 for a hearing on the proposed annexation of the Lake Sawyer community.
The 7 p.m. hearing is required to give area residents a chance to comment on the annexation which would nearly double the size of the rural town of 2,100 people.
The meeting will be held in the Black Diamond City Hall.
Originally published in the Voice of the Valley, May 21, 1980
By Dianne Wilson
Carl Steiert is seen in front of the railroad depot in Black Diamond—future home of the Black Diamond Historical Museum. The depot is being painstakingly restored to the condition it was in many years ago when “Coal was King” in the area.
Although it has been almost 100 years since the discovery of coal in this area, soon, thanks to the devotion and hard work of a small group of Black Diamond residents, the restored Black Diamond railroad depot will stand as a shining reminder of the time when coal was “king” and the railroads, which helped make it possible.
Black Diamond History 