City blind to history preservation

Published 9:00 pm Saturday, August 4, 2001

If there is a town in Snohomish County with its eyes shut to preservation, it’s Granite Falls. Granite Falls is absolutely booming in terms of land development and entirely dying in terms of historical preservation and heritage. As a native of the town, I’m saddened by the blindness of the community that lets its history be demolished, removed, and forgotten. I can name significant land marks in Granite Falls that have been crushed with a wrecking ball in a quest for a “better community.”

Does anyone fondly remember the Tiger’s Den Restaurant that was so conveniently attached to the school property on Alder that was hatefully replaced by a parking lot? Does anyone remember the tiny brick jailhouse that poetically sat on South Granite Avenue and was replaced by a white modular food bank? I support food banks, but not on a landmark! Does anyone remember the magnificent maple near the current post office that shaded pedestrians, children and bicyclists until this spring when it was slaughtered by developers so that not even a stump or root remained? Does anyone remember the enormous Victorian-type house this tree stood before? The house, while I’ll admit it was in need of repair, was perhaps the largest and one of the oldest homes in the town. For a time it had been the home to one of Granite Falls’ finest teachers. Could it not have been made a beautiful bed and breakfast instead of a dirt lot?

I’m only 25. Some historical society members are getting older and dying. Something has to be done. A cute little museum everyone admires on Rail Road Days isn’t enough!

Granite Falls