Historic Everett 2024 calendar might tempt you to grab a burger at Ray’s
Published 1:30 am Monday, December 18, 2023
EVERETT — Discover Everett’s historic curiosities, a month at a time.
That’s the theme of the Historic Everett “Landmarks” calendar for 2024. The calendar features some of Everett’s best known sights with a place — or plate — in history.
Warning: It might make you hungry or romantic.
One month features Ray’s Drive-In on Broadway. The go-to burger joint has been a fixture since 1962.
Other months include the courtship of the vintage reader boards at Pacific Stone Company and the nearby Totem Diner. Earlier this year the Totem sign said: “I have a secret crush on the rake and shovel sign down the street.” Pacific Stone’s turquoise sign flirted back, and the attraction between these two flamboyant senior signs blew up on social media.
Calendar sales support educational activities and events for Historic Everett. The theme swings a bit more pop culture this year.
“We gathered landmarks we thought everybody could relate to,” said Andrea Tucker, president of Historic Everett. “There’s lots of history on every page. We want to encourage younger people to get involved in Everett history.”
The calendar has a map of the sites featured.
On the cover is Rucker Tomb in Evergreen Cemetery, a resting place for the Everett founder’s family members and some descendants. The giant granite pyramid is also a place where generations of teens gathered to party after dark, when the cemetery was closed.
Other images are of Marlborough Apartments, Cypress Lawn Memorial Park, the bridge over Mukilteo Boulevard, Jetty Island, the Henry Jackson bust in Grand Avenue Park, Anchor Tavern and the Muffler Man.
The 20-foot Muffler Man has towered on Hewitt Avenue near West Marine View Drive since 1983, placed on the roof of what was a tire shop at the time. The fiberglass statue of the broad-shouldered man with slicked back hair and ripped bod has evolved from holding a muffler to, at times, a Seahawks flag. During the pandemic, its chiseled face wore a mask.
Prior historic calendars featured homes, firefighters, schools, saloons and brothels in the 20 years of publishing. History is provided by Jack O’Donnell, who knows just about everything about the city’s history. Anything that he doesn’t know, his older brother, Larry, does.
Each month has important (and not so important) dates.
Some January examples:
Jan. 3, 1967: First work started on Boeing 747.
Jan. 5, 1892: Everett News reporter rode a log down a log chute in Lowell.
Jan 15, 1861: Snohomish County was formed.
Jan. 22, 1855: Treaty of Point Elliott was signed.
Jan. 31, 1916: Big snow lasted three days, dumped 30 inches.
Calendars are available at Burkett’s Home + Gifts, 2617 Colby Ave.; Jana’s Favorite Finds, 2609 Colby Ave.; Neal’s Barber Shop, 2942 Colby Ave.; Artisans Books and Coffee, 1802 Hewitt Ave.; and the Everett Museum of History, at the Van Valey House, 2130 Colby Ave.
More at historiceverett.org/new-historic-everett-calendar.
Andrea Brown: 425-339-3443; abrown@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @reporterbrown.
