Maple Valley Historical Society

03/19/2026

🕵️‍♂️ A TaHoMa Mystery… can you help us solve it?

Take a look at these graduating classes:

🎓 1948 — 35 students
🎓 1949 — just 12 students
🎓 1950 — 28 students

Why was the Class of 1949 so small?

Did a change cause families move away?
Was there a change in school boundaries?
Did students leave for work, the military, or other schools?

Or is there a story here that has been forgotten?

These photos are hanging right here in the museum—and that 1949 class always makes people stop and wonder.

👉 Do you recognize any of these names or faces?
👉 Do you have a family member who was part of these classes?
👉 Have you heard the story behind the small class of ’49?

(Pssst... We have the class photos from 1926 to 1966 on display in the museum. Stop in to see the evolution of fashion and hairstyles.)

Tahoma School District
Cary Collins

03/19/2026

🛤️Before the highways… before the railroad…
there was a narrow wagon road cutting through the forest.

This Saturday, historian Robin Adams brings that early route back to life in “The First Road to VineMapleValley.”

🕙 Museum open 10:00–2:00
🕐 Presentation 1:00–2:00
📍 Maple Valley Historical Society Museum
🎟️ Free admission

Come early, take a walk through history, and stay for the story that started it all.

👉 Comment if you’re attending!

03/14/2026

Want to join our collection of tiles already in place celebrating Moms, Dads, people, teachers, businesses, graduating classes, families, a special date or occasion? You be the creator. Your tile will join the others to finish out our memory walkway. Currently we have tiles installed from TaHoMa Graduating Classes of 1960, 1962, 1966, 1972, and 1973. Class of 1974 just bought one and is challenging all of you other classes to buy a tile and mark your place in history! Print this order form and mail it to the address listed. If you prefer to email it, please include your phone number so we can contact you for payment information. Or you can visit us on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month between 10 am and 2 pm when our museums are open and order in person.

Tahoma Multi-class Picnic
Tahoma School District
Cary Collins

03/10/2026

🐻TaHoMa alumni — we need your help.
Our post about TaHoMa High School’s 100th anniversary has been incredible to watch and we enjoy seeing your comments.

We’d love to collect memories from former students.

📷 Do you have:

• photos from sports, dances, graduation, or fun times around town - especially prior to 1975

• yearbooks from 1980, 1990, or 1991 that you are willing to donate

• stories from the old buildings

Post them in the comments or message the Maple Valley Historical Society at [email protected].

We may feature them in future exhibits and posts as we celebrate 100 years of Tahoma School District!

🏛️ Visit the Maple Valley Historical Society Museum
📍 22024 SE 248th St, Maple Valley
🗓️ 1st & 3rd Saturdays
🎟️ FREE admission
🔗 https://www.maplevalleyhistorical.com/

Cary Collins

03/10/2026

Tahoma Veterans! Please see this important announcement from The Greater Maple Valley Veterans Memorial Foundation. We want to make sure all of our Veterans are recognized for their service. Many thanks to the The Greater Maple Valley Veterans Memorial Foundation and all of the volunteers for their tremendous work on this project!

ATTENTION ALL TAHOMA SCHOOL DISTRICT VETERANS -
FINAL CALL FOR THE FIRST ROUND OF WALL INSCRIPTIONS!
We are finalizing the initial round of "Branch of Service" naming wall inscriptions for the new memorial. We are focusing this effort on Tahoma School Alumni who served and recieved an honorable discharge. If this is you, please send the following to
[email protected]

1. Full Name
2. Branch of Service and Dates of Service
3. When you Attended Tahoma
Send to [email protected]

03/08/2026

TaHoMa.
Yes, the capitals are intentional.
And if you know why… you know. 😉

This year marks 100 years since TaHoMa High School first opened its doors in 1926.

Back then, there were just 79 students in the entire school. Today, nearly 3,000 students attend TaHoMa High School — proof of how much our community has grown in a century.

The original brick building still stands, now serving as TaHoMa Elementary School. One building. Generations of stories.

👉Were you a TaHoMa graduate? What year?
👉And who can tell us the story behind those capital letters?

Cary Collins Thank you for the great post celebrating Tahoma School District's 100 years!

🏛️ Visit the Maple Valley Historical Society Museum
📍 22024 SE 248th St, Maple Valley
🗓️ 1st & 3rd Saturdays
🎟️ FREE admission
🔗 https://www.maplevalleyhistorical.com/

03/07/2026

🚪 Step back in time today!
The Maple Valley Historical Society Museum is open 10:00am–2:00pm today — and admission is FREE.

Walk through the Gibbon Store, explore the Fire Station, and discover the stories that built our community.

Whether you’re a longtime local or brand new to town, you are sure to learn something new.

We’d love to see you today! 🤎

* Visit the Maple Valley Historical Society Museum
* 22024 SE 248th St
* Open 1st & 3rd Saturdays 10:00am – 2:00pm
* FREE admission
* FREE 2026 Membership for ALL visitors in celebration of America's 250th Birthday!
https://www.maplevalleyhistorical.com/

03/06/2026

🕰️ 1932: “Council Considers Daylight Saving Time for Seattle”
🕰️ 2026: “Why are we still doing this???”

Nearly 100 years of debate… We still haven’t reached a consensus. 😅

Don’t forget to set your reminder Saturday night to:
✔ Change your clocks
✔ Lose an hour of sleep
✔ Complain about Daylight Saving Time

Tradition matters. 😉

03/05/2026

🔨 Searching for Maple Valley’s Early Blacksmiths 🔨

Before auto repair shops and hardware stores, every rural town depended on a blacksmith. Horses needed shoes. Wagons needed repair. Tools needed forging. And Maple Valley was no exception.

We know that August Keskull operated a blacksmith shop on Maxwell Road, and Lester Clark ran a shop on SE 208th Street. These men helped keep early Maple Valley working and moving — but we would love to learn more.

Do you have:
📷 Old photographs of their shops?
📜 Family stories or records?
🧰 Tools, receipts, or advertisements?
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Relatives who apprenticed or worked there?

Even small details help us piece together this important chapter of local history.

Please share in the comments or message us directly.

Let’s see what we can uncover together 🔎

03/03/2026

Fred Habenicht is on the left and Guy Wesley Belleman is on the right in the photo.

Last week’s column explored Four Corners’ growth and how it became Maple Valley’s largest commercial center, as exemplified by the latest development, Switcher’s Landing. This week, we travel back to the early 1950s when Fred Vernon Habenicht and Guy Wesley Belleman posed for this self-portr...

03/02/2026

Congratulations to a great neighbor on your 50th Anniversary! We can think of at least 2 cool things that happened in 1976:
- Cedar River Boat Races! (Check out Bill Kombol and Bob Morris at https://maplevalleyhistorical.pastperfectonline.com/photo/3FB5334A-64B2-4D0B-B8F6-324941676118 )
- RainBeers were running around loose at Gary Habenicht 's place. ( Check out a photo from the filming at https://maplevalleyhistorical.pastperfectonline.com/photo/0EA3C53A-F714-4088-9D02-921500214668 )

The Greater Maple Valley Community Center opened in 1976.
What else happened that year?

 The top songs were: "Silly Love Songs" (Wings), "Disco Lady" (Johnnie Taylor), "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (Elton John & Kiki Dee).
 The top movies were: Rocky, Taxi Driver, All the President's Men, Carrie, and The Omen
 Nadia Comaneci scored a perfect 10 at the Olympics.
 Jimmy Carter defeated Gerald Ford for the presidency.
 The Viking Probe landed on Mars.
 The Apple Computer Company was formed.
 Disco was king
 The Seattle Seahawks played their first game.