Issaquah History Museums

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Issaquah, WA
Issaquah History Museums

Connecting the past to the present. P.O. Horrocks Research Center*

Box 695
Issaquah, WA 98027

Issaquah Depot Museum
78 First Avenue NE

Gilman Town Hall Museum*
165 SE Andrews Street
*TEMPORARILY CLOSED while we transition the David J.

05/25/2026

In gratitude, we honor those who served this country and gave their all.

This photo was taken at Hillside Cemetery after twelve members of Issaquah’s Albert Larson Veterans of Foreign War Post 3436 placed flags and crosses for Memorial Day (c. 1990). The donor listed the volunteers as: Jack Chalfa, Al Arndt, Chester Lindquist, Ernest Nyberg, Buford (Bud) Ambrose, Jack Barker, Dave Chevalier, Frank Engle. Tauno Erickson, Wayne Busby, Louie Boni, and Norman McLean.

This weekend, veterans' headstones at Lower Hillside Cemetery were again decorated. And today (10:00-11:00 AM), the community gathers at the Issaquah Senior Center for a ceremony honoring veterans’ service and sacrifice.

[local VFW Post 3436 c.1990 / IHM: 2009.027.001]

05/23/2026

Volunteers are our heartbeat. If you've ever wondered what it's like to docent, help with the trolley, or support community events, stop by our open house on Tuesday, June 2 at the old Gilman Town Hall. No commitment—just a chance to learn more and say hello. Come see how you can make a difference.

RSVP at: https://www.issaquahhistorymuseums.com/event-details/volunteering-open-house-2

05/20/2026

Issaquah on Tap is back—the walking tour that mixes local lore with local pours. We’re serving up a spirited walk through Issaquah’s past: logging, mining, saloons, and colorful characters who shaped this town.

We’ll kick things off at the historic Train Depot, then make our way through downtown with storytelling, bites, and beverages at each venue stop—the Rollin Log, Stan’s Bar-B-Q, and El 42 Cantina—before wrapping up at the Hailstone Feed Store (Historic Shell Station).

Grab your friends. Hit the stops. Hear the stories right where they happened.

Tue, June 9 • 6:00-8:00 PM
$65 per person
Tickets: https://www.issaquahhistorymuseums.com/event-details/issaquah-on-tap-a-spirited-walk-through-history-2

This walking event (with ADA-accessible accommodations) is brought to you by the Downtown Issaquah Association and Issaquah History Museums. Ages 21+ only.

05/19/2026

Come fiddle around with us this Thursday evening! Truly—come hear folk tunes played on a 1918 violin crafted right here in Issaquah by local resident Jacob W. Wilfong, and explore his photographic work at the same time.

Wilfong arrived in Issaquah in 1908 and opened a watch repair and jewelry shop on Front Street, with a photography studio tucked into the back. In his spare time, he turned to woodworking and violin-making—hobbies that revealed real talent. His handcrafted instruments won him prizes and admiration alike.

This week, local luthier Andrew Haines—who discovered and restored Wilfong's violin—will demonstrate this remarkable instrument, accompanied by Elizabeth Hill.

And in a gesture that means so much to our community, Andrew is donating the violin to Issaquah History Museums' collection, ensuring Wilfong's craftmanship stays rooted in the place where it began. Thank you, Andrew.

History. Art. Community. We'd love to share this evening with you.

WHEN: Thursday, May 21 (7:00-8:30 PM)
WHERE: Issaquah Train Depot
COST: Free (donations always welcome)
RSVP: https://www.issaquahhistorymuseums.com/event-details/sounds-of-another-century-j-w-wilfong-violin-demonstration-2

05/18/2026

Meet Rose Reppe and her pet canary. Handwritten on the back of this photo, it reads: "... She has her little canary bird sitting on her finger. She always takes it out and it never attempts to escape. It is mama's old bird and Sena trained it several years ago. I didn't have time to care for it, so gave it to Rose. Some Indians gave it to Mama. Rose started in the High School last week."

Rose Reppe was born in Issaquah on July 10, 1897, she died December 17, 1954 and is buried in the Issaquah's Hillside Cemetery.

[Rose Reppe and her pet canary c.1910 / IHM: 2010.010.019]

05/16/2026

Literary Nights at the Issaquah Train Depot is just around the corner and this time... they've teamed up with Horror Writers Association - Seattle Chapter for an evening of speculative lit: the fabulist, the eerie, the fantastic.

Four featured writers bend your mind and welcome you to the other side, where everything seems uncanny valley. Q&A, open mic, and light refreshments.

Date: Monday, May 18, 2026
Time: 6:00 PM-9:00 PM
Place: Historical Issaquah Train Depot

This free event is open to all. Anyone interested in reading can sign up at: literarynights.com

05/14/2026

Would you believe that four Cowell siblings were all born in the same house… but in different towns? And the house never moved! It’s true—and this peculiar fact was even published by Ripley’s Believe It or Not!.

Oliver was born in Squak, WA in October 1887.
Pearl was born in Olney, WA in July 1890.
Ruby was born in Gilman, WA in December 1893.
Henry was born in Issaquah, WA in September 1898.

According to Minnie Wilson Schomber's 1993 Oral History, the Cowell house was located on 2nd Avenue SE on the way to the (current) high school—and we tracked it down. But if you’re familiar with Issaquah’s penchant for changing names, the puzzle starts to make sense.

When early Euro-American settlers arrived between the 1860s and late-1880s, the area was known as Squak. Then in 1889, when the Seattle Lake Shore & Eastern Railway came to town, the station was named Gilman, and the town was expected to follow suit. But at the time, the US Post Office had other ideas and named the local post office Olney. Why Olney? No one really knows—but that’s where mail delivered to the area had to be addressed.

In April 1992, the town was officially incorporated as Gilman, named after railroad's president. The railroad went bust a few years later, and in April 1896 it was sold in foreclosure and renamed. SLS&E was no more, and the Gilman name fell out of favor. Many locals still held a fondness for its original name and a vote was held to rename the town Issaquah—an Anglicization of sqʷawx̌, the Lushootseed name for the area. The new/old name was made official by the State of Washington in February 1899.

And there you have it!

One note on the Ripley’s version: their printed panel lists Ruby as being born December 1894, but the 1900 US Federal Census gives her a very clear birthdate of December 1893.

[Ripley's Believe It or Not! published story capture, c.unkn; Cowell house capture from IHM's David J. Horrocks Research Center, Historic Property Inventory Reports]

05/11/2026

Join us at the Issaquah Train Depot on Thursday, May 21 at 7:00 PM for an evening of music and history celebrating the restoration and gift of a 1918 violin made by Issaquah local Jacob W. Wilfong. Doors open at 6:45.

Wilfong moved to Issaquah in 1909 where he owned a watch repair and jewelry shop on Front Street—he also had a prizewinning hobby of making violins. Jump ahead to 2025 when local luthier Andrew Hains purchased and restored a Wilfong violin. Now, Andrew is gifting the Wilfong violin to Issaquah History Museums and you're invited to help us celebrate! J.W. Wilfong's violin will be demonstrated by Andrew (of folk duo Larkwing), playing with Elizabeth Hill.

Free or donation. Please register: https://www.issaquahhistorymuseums.com/.../sounds-of...

05/10/2026

To all of the moms out there... we wish you a Happy Mother's Day! 🪻

[postcard from Nell Wilkenson to her grandmother Rachel Price c.1912 / IHM: 72.021.014.006]

05/08/2026

What folks remembered most about Hans Jensen was “his cheery smile and that great big paw stuck out in front of him." He greeted everyone with a handshake and a grin from ear to ear.

Hans worked on a dairy farm before migrating from Denmark at age 16. After arriving here, he rented farms for his own herd, eventually buying a place along Lake Sammamish. He grew his herd to about 60 Holsteins and bred workhorses with his fine Belgian stallion. Big or small, Hans had a way with animals—and cows or horses would come to him like big kittens whenever he entered a pasture or barn.

A dedicated bachelor, Hans loved to dance and socialize. He was so well-liked he'd be invited to every party, attend every dance in the area, and was the last to leave—letting his horse lead him home while he slept in his buggy. In the early 1930s he tried marriage. Nobody was sure where his bride came from, but after a shivaree and beach party thrown by his many friends on their honeymoon, she was scared off and left after a month. Hans cheerfully resumed his bachelor ways, including routine dinner hour visits.

He lived simply, worked hard, and kept his home and barns in order. Visitors were always made to feel at home and visits always required a cup of coffee. People swam and picnicked at his beach—who he often didn’t know—but he enjoyed sharing his lakefront.

In the early 1950s during a visit with Roy Pickering, Hans mentioned concern about what to do with his land. Roy suggested he make a will, and Hans did just that. Loving his farm, animals, and kids, he chose in 1954 to gift his land to the new Sammamish State Park for a youth camping area.

After a weekend of dancing and laughing, Hans went to bed, leaving a note saying he didn't feel good. Hans died in his sleep on June 24, 1957. His friend Bill Flintoft found him the next day. After his death, 67 acres were added to Lake Sammamish State Park.

Hans Jensen (1888-1957) rests among his friends at Issaquah’s Hillside Cemetery. His headstone reads: “He was a friend to all.”

[Hans Jensen and his stud horse at his farmhouse c.1920s / IHM: 2013.019.001.030]

05/05/2026

The Trolley squad is back together and they're looking for new recruits! Curious how you can be involved?

Join us for a no-commitment opportunity to chat, mingle, and discover how you can play a role in bringing back the Issaquah Valley Trolley. About 25 years ago the first trolley rolled on our rails—and after some stops and starts... and by popular demand—we're working to bring it back! But we can't do it without you.

Current, prospective, and past volunteers are all welcome to join in. Explore the opportunities (and RSVP if you plan to attend) at: https://www.issaquahhistorymuseums.com/event-details/trolley-volunteer-open-house

Address

165 SE Andrews Street
Issaquah, WA
98027

Telephone

+14253923500

Website

http://www.issaquahhistory.org/

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