Letter: Keep Snohomish’s First Street authentic, honor past

Published 1:30 am Friday, March 13, 2026

I grew up in the 1940s and 1950s living at Avenue E and First Street in the city of Snohomish. First Street always was a place to go back in time, a diamond in the rough, reflecting the character of early American Indians and settlers engaged in farming and logging.

Now, the authenticity of historic First Street is in jeopardy of being modernized in a rendition from a task force appointed by the previous city administration last year. It involves ripping out all the historic 120-year-old cement lamp posts; removing sidewalks and curbs along with the recently installed ADA ramps at the intersections; and removing the large planter boxes with planting many more street trees even though the previous trees had to be removed time and time again because of the endangerment to pedestrians and the underground street utilities.

In the core of First Street between Avenues D and Union, the City should simply remove the asphalt and replace the old underground street utility lines and then resurface the street with red brick pavers. (First Street over a century ago was covered by red bricks.)

City Hall needs to keep First Street authentic and not modernized. Snohomish’s historic downtown doesn’t need to look like Kirkland’s or Bothell’s downtown.

Morgan Davis

Snohomish